Mk17 Thermonuclear Weapon

The Mark 17 was the largest nuclear bomb deployed by the United States. It was one of the first thermonuclear weapons stockpiled. When the bomb shape was test-dropped, the plane would soar upwards a couple hundred feet. The pilots said it was as if the bomb had released the plane. The B-36 bomber, and the B-52, with modified bomb-bay doors, were the only planes capable of carrying the Mk17. The Mk17 used a series of special parachutes to help improve its accuracy and to slow its descent. This allowed the delivery aircraft time to escape the effects of the blast.

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