Mk 7 & Mk 8 Nuclear Weapons

The Mk 7, initially produced in 1952, was the first nuclear weapon that could be carried by U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy fighter aircraft. Although it was carried externally by fighters (F-84, F-100 and F-101), it also could be carried internally by bombers such as the B-57. Because of the lack of ground clearance when hung under a fighter, the Mk-7 had a lower fin that was stowed in a retracted position on the ground and was extended once the carrier fighter was in the air. It was capable of either an air or ground detonation.

The Mk 8 was an early earth-penetrating bomb or bunker buster, intended to dig in deep and then detonate. It was the first tactical bomb ever deployed by the United States. Developed by the Navy, the Mk8 was a simple design based on the Mk 1 Little Boy bomb and could be carried externally or internally by aircraft. It was for use against hardened or underground targets, such as bunkers, command centers and submarine pens.

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