Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia (1952) Experimental Glider – 1 Prototype Built
The experimental Ikarus 453MW glider. [airwar.ru]Following the end of the Second World War, the newly created Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army) initiated a series of experimental aircraft design programs. These were intended for testing and gaining valuable experience in new jet propulsion technologies. From this initial work, an unusual new glider project, designated Ikarus 453MW, would emerge. Little is known about the purpose of this glider and its defined role.
The Unusual Glider
After the war, the once-proud Yugoslavian aviation industry was in ruin. Most of its firms had been either looted or destroyed, and many of the pre-war designers and engineers had been killed by the Germans during their retreat. The Allied bombing of Belgrade also inflicted further damage to the Yugoslavian industry’s infrastructure. However, as the Yugoslav Partisans began liberating the country, some production facilities were slowly restored, as was the case with Ikarus in late 1944. The initial steps of the revitalization effort of the shattered Yugoslavia aviation industry were undertaken in late 1945 by the newly established Yugoslavian Air Force Command. A series of aircraft design teams were set up with the aim of creating a base for the new air force.
By the early 1950’s the overall situation changed to the extent that the Yugoslavian Army officials were ready to test various new technologies and designs. During this time, the Generalna Direkcija Vazduhoplovne Industrije GDVI (Directorate General of the Aviation Industry) led by Dragoljub Bešlin produced a series of experimental aircraft intended to test new design concepts. In 1952, work on an unusual inverted gull “M” shamed wing design began. The design team was also supported by the engineer Levačić. He was an experienced designer who worked with the British Royal Air Force during the war .
In the 1950s a series of experimental aircraft were produced including (from the left to the right side) Ikarus 452-2, 451M jet aircraft, and two prone-operated aircraft the Ikarus 451 and 232 acesflyinghigh.wordpress.com
The precise reasons for its commissioning and its history are not clear, but it appears that the Yugoslav army officials wanted to test a design that could offer a small and fast ground attack aircraft. When the design was ready, Ikarus was asked to construct the first glider prototype. If the glider design proved to have merit, the next step would be to equip this aircraft with a fully functional jet engine. It was designated the Ikarus 453MW, but it is also sometimes referred to as Р-453MW or GDVI-9. To avoid confusion this article will use the Ikarus 453MW designation. The MW designation was used as the wings highly resemble these letters.
Technical Characteristics
The Ikarus 453MW was a single-seat, mixed-construction experimental glider. Its fuselage was made of a metal base covered with metal sheets. The wings and tail assembly were made out of wood. The most noticeable characteristic of this glider was the use of unusual inverted gull m-shaped wings. The inverted gull wing design was used during the war by famous aircraft such as the German Ju 87 Stuka Japanese Aichi B7A and the American F4U Corsair. The Ikarus 453MW wings consisted of four parts. The part where the wings folded down was separated by two round-shaped gondolas. The wings were equipped with flaps and ailerons. The rear tail unit consisted of a simple rudder on the vertical stabilizer and did not have horizontal stabilizers.
The retractable landing gear consisted of four wheels. Two smaller wheels were located inside the fairly large wing gondolas. In the lower part of the fuselage, an additional and larger pair of landing wheels was located.
The cockpit was placed to the front of the central fuselage. The canopy was made of plexiglass but besides that, little is mentioned of the cockpit design.
While the experimental glider was unpowered, if successful it was planned to add two unspecified jet engines inside the wing gondolas.
The side and top drawing of the Ikarus 453MW. The wing design while unusual was not used on any other Yugoslavian aircraft design. Source: www.vazduhoplovnetradicijesrbije.rsThe Ikarus 453MW had a landing gear consisting of three landing wheels units. Two smaller ones are located in the wing gondolas and one in the central fuselage. Source: www.vazduhoplovnetradicijesrbije.rs
Testing and Cancellation of the Project
The Ikarus 453MW prototype was completed and ready for testing by November 1952. On the 28th of November, the first test flight was made by Metodije Bojković. The test flight was undertaken at the Batajnica Airfield near the capital of Belgrade. Unfortunately for all present, an accident occurred. During take-off, the glider veered off the runway. While the pilot was unharmed the glider was damaged and the test flight had to be temporarily postponed.
After repairs were made, additional aerodynamic wind testing was undertaken to test the overall design shape. As these proved satisfying, another test flight was to take place. The Ikarus 453MW was towed up to 3 km of altitude by an Ikarus 213 and then released. While the flight itself was without problems, another accident occurred during landing. After analysis of available data, it was concluded that the pilot was not to blame as he was not properly instructed on how to fly the Ikarus 453MW which had an unusual wing design. Following the second accident, an order was given by the Yugoslav Army officials to cancel the Ikarus 453MW project.
A Nuclear Carrier
Author N. Đokić (Projektat Jugoslovenskog Strategijskog Bombardera) gives us an interesting reason for the Ikarus 453MW design. It is a generally lesser-known fact, but during this time, the JNA was highly interested in developing nuclear weapons. The JNA’s involvement in Yugoslavian nuclear research development is to this day still not completely clear. This source mentioned that according to some secret JNA documents, the Ikarus 453MW was intended to be an aircraft that could quickly deliver a nuclear warhead to enemy targets. For this reason, the final aircraft was to be able to carry one 2-ton nuclear warhead at a speed of 850 km/h. The operational range was to be some 2,000 km, and the maximum service ceiling was 11,000 meters. In the meantime, a contingent of F-84G jet aircraft was acquired from the United States. As these were capable of carrying nuclear weapons there was no need to further proceed with the Ikarus 453MW project.
Whether there is any truth to the nuclear weapons plans is difficult to determine. The JNA and the Yugoslavian political hierarchy were publicly known to be quite interested in developing nuclear capability. Of course, this would demand a massive amount of resources, highly trained personnel, and well-developed industrial capacity, all of which Yugoslavia simply lacked in these early years of its existence. Its industrial capacity and infrastructure were almost completely destroyed during the war, and it would likely, if at all possible, take decades of commitment and investment to actually build a nuclear weapon. Hypothetically, even if Yugoslavia was able to develop nuclear weapons in the following decades, all research and experience gained on the Ikarus 453 would be outdated by that time. In conclusion, it could not be ruled out that the JNA had overzealous and ambitious plans to test the concept of using a swift aircraft to deliver this weapon. In reality, Yugoslavia simply lacked any means to actually produce such weapons. Despite this, testing this unusual wing design, albeit in a limited manner, at least provided Yugoslav aircraft engineers with additional experience.
Surviving Model
While unfortunately the Ikarus 453MW glider was not preserved, a small model replica is on display at the Nikola Tesla Serbian Aviation Museum near Belgrade.
The Ikarus 453MW was quite an interesting design mostly due to its unusual wing shape. Its overall history, especially the trials is somewhat obscure. While the prototype was involved in two accidents, this was not the fault of the design but rather poor communication with the pilot, who was not informed of its flight characteristics.
Specification Ikarus 453MW
Wingspan
7.5 m / 24 ft 7 in
Length
5.85 m / 19 ft 2 in
Height
2.01 m / 6 ft 7 in
Maximum Takeoff Weight
1,720 kg / 3,792lbs
Crew
One pilot
Armament
None
Experimental Ikarus 453MW
Credits
Written by Marko P.
Edited by Henry H. & Ed J.
Illustrated by Carpaticus
Sources:
Č. Janić and O. Petrović, Kratka Istorija Vazduhoplovstva Srbiji, Aero komunikacije
B. B. Dimitrijević (2012) Jugoslovensko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo 1942-1992, Medijski Centar Odbrane
N. Đokić Projektat Jugoslovenskog Strategijskog Bombardera
United States of America (1953)
Long Range Interceptor Proposals [None Built]
Detailed drawing of the N-144, with cutaway section
Born from the Long Range Interceptor program, the first of Northrop’s contenders were three aircraft that had large delta wings and overall similar shapes and designs. The first, the N-126, started as a modified version of Northrop’s F-89D Scorpion fighter but would become its own unique aircraft by 1954. The second, the N-144, was a large four-engine interceptor design that dwarfed current bombers of the time and could carry an impressive arsenal. The third, the N-149, differed the most from its two siblings. It was much smaller and used General Electric engines over Wright engines. The N-144 was the most successful out of the entire program, but would prove to be too costly and a maintenance nightmare if produced. The N-126 and N-149 would also not meet expectations, as did none of the other competitors in the doomed program.
The LRI Competition
At the start of the Cold War, it was realized that if a Third World War would ever happen, defending the mainland United States from airborne threats would be a top priority. ICBMs and nuclear missiles are the go-to threat everyone imagines when they think of the Cold War, but these wouldn’t be operational until the late 1950’s. In the early years, nuclear weapons would be deployed by strategic bombers and these would be the major threat. Intercepting these long range aircraft would be of the utmost importance if the war went hot in the 1950’s. Developing an aircraft able to reach these bombers and destroy them led to the creation of the modern interceptor. Most countries had begun developing an interceptor of their own. At the forefront was the United States Long Range Interceptor program (LRI). This program originated in early 1952, with Major General L.P. Whitten of the Northeast Air Command noticing that a capable aircraft would be able to takeoff and intercept enemy bombers using the warning time of the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, which was an integrated defense network of SAM, radar and fighters across the US and Canada, able to intercept enemy bombers well before they were able to reach the United States. Although the idea was put out, no official requirements for the idea came about until December of 1953, when the Air Council put out extremely demanding needs. The aircraft would need to be airborne in two minutes from getting the scramble alert. Maximum speed would be Mach 1.7 with a range of 1,000 nm (1,850 km). Combat ceiling would be 60,000 ft (18,000 m) with a climb rate of 500 ft/min (150 m/min). The aircraft would be minimally armed with forty-eight 2.75 inch rockets, eight GAR-1A Falcon AAMs or three unguided nuclear rockets. This requirement became known as Weapon System WS-202A. Most companies developed submissions, but McDonnell and Northrop had an early start with a long range interceptor design being conceived very early on, well before an official requirement had been requested. Northrop had three aircraft designs that would fit the requirement for WS-202A; the N-126, N-144 and N-149. All three were visually similar to each other and shared concepts and equipment with one another.
Northrop N-126: The Delta Scorpion
Bottom view of the N-126 Delta Scorpion model [US Secret Fighter Projects]The first of the designs Northrop submitted was the N-126 Delta Scorpion. This aircraft actually began development months before an official requirement was put out. The design was submitted in February of 1953 and was essentially a Northrop F-89D Scorpion modified with a new delta wing design and Wright YJ67 engines. The aircraft received a performance review sometime in 1953 along with McDonnell’s two-seat version of the F-101 Voodoo. Neither design was chosen for production. The N-126 did show promise, as it came close to meeting the very first requirements and it was supported by the Air Defense Command. However, the predicted first flight in twenty-one months was a bit too optimistic and the design was disliked by the United States Air Force Headquarters, as it didn’t exactly meet requirements compared to the F-101 variant. Northrop pushed this early design and adamantly tried to acquire production.
Front quarter view of the N-126 Delta Scorpion model [US Secret Fighter Projects]They were quick to begin working on an improved design that would be longer and yield better results. It took over fifty concept designs before they found a suitable improvement. The aircraft itself no longer resembled the F-89D Scorpion it got its name from, but the name would stick until the end of the project. This new design was submitted in August of 1954. The N-126 was now much sleeker, with a forty-five degree delta wing and two underwing Wright J67-W-1 engines (Allison J71-A-11 engines were a weaker alternative choice). The delta wings all three projects used provided lower weight than generic straight wings and minimized drag. The trailing edge of the wing would have a split speed brake on the outer surface, an aileron located in the middle and a feature on the inboard section only referred to as an “altitude flap”. For the landing gear, a bicycle configuration with two wheels on each gear would be mounted directly under the aircraft, with a smaller landing gear being placed under the wings.
For armament, the aircraft would use the required eight Falcon AAMs and forty-eight rockets being mounted in a 20 ft weapon bay. Four external hardpoints would allow extra ordnance to be carried, such as bombs or extra missiles. Alternative loadouts included any combination of four AIR-2A unguided nuclear rockets, six Sidewinders, or two Sparrow guided missiles. The N-126 would use the Hughes E-9A fire control system, one of the few remnants carried over from the F-89. The E-9A would be linked to a long-range search radar that would have a range of 100 nm (185 km). For fuel, one large internal tank and two smaller tanks in the wings would hold 4,844 gal (22,025 l). Extra drop tanks could be mounted under the wings and offer an additional 1,600 gal (7,275 lit). For its predicted mission, the N-126 would be able to launch and engage enemy bombers twenty-seven minutes after scramble. Northrop expected a prototype would be ready for a first flight by June of 1957.
Northrop N-144: The Monstrous Interceptor
Color photo of the N-144 model [US Secret Fighter Projects]The N-144 was the second design Northrop submitted. It was made to offer the best results in regard to the WS-202A requirements. It resembled the N-126 but was much larger and had four J67 engines. The N-144 dwarfed its siblings, competitors, and even several current bombers of the time. With a wingspan of 78 ft and a length of 103 ft, this was no small aircraft. In comparison, the Convair B-58 supersonic bomber had a wingspan of 56 ft and a length of 96 ft (interesting to note, a plan to convert the B-58 into a long range interceptor was proposed).
Its appearance wasn’t the only thing carried over from the N-126. The E-9A fire control system, its accompanying scanner, and its landing gear design (now with four wheels on the main gear) were all reused in the N-144. The N-144 also had a forty-five degree delta wing like the N-126. The N-126 and N-144 would both have their engines on pylons on the wings. This configuration allowed much more powerful engines to be used and a simpler intake system compared to having the engines be built into the body, not to mention the layout being much safer in the event of a fire.
Top down view of the N-144 model. Note the 45 degree delta wing [US Secret Fighter Projects]The N-144 utilized many features that would directly improve the aerodynamics of the aircraft. The aircraft would have low wing loading which would increase its cruise altitude and improve takeoff and landings. The addition of a horizontal tail, which isn’t often seen in delta wing designs, gave the N-144 improved handling and stability over designs that lacked the horizontal tail (see the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger for example). When the aircraft would be supersonic, the wing would have a chord flap that would retract into the wing to reduce drag. Area ruling was a feature involving tapering the center of the fuselage which would reduce drag while the aircraft was flying at supersonic speeds. Most current delta wing designs utilized area ruling, but none of Northrop’s interceptors surprisingly did. Northrop ruled that the advantages would only affect supersonic flight, and not provide anything useful during subsonic flight. Having no area rule also made the aircraft simpler in design and easier to produce. Northrop’s studies into the delta wing expected to see performance increase as time went on, with more modifications and better engines being used on the N-144 if it went into production. With these expected improvements, Northrop theorized a 14% improvement in top speed and service ceiling.
Frontal view of the massive N-144 model. The size of its engine pods are evident. [US Secret Fighter Projects]For armament, the N-144 would still utilize the standard eight Falcon AAMs and forty-eight rockets, but could also carry twelve Falcon AAMs, six AIR-2A Genie (Ding Dong) rockets, 452 2.75 in FFAR rockets or 782 2 in (5.1 cm) rockets internally in any order. External hardpoints could also be fixed for carrying bombs or more ordnance. For fuel, a large fuel tank would be in the wings and fuselage and could carry 6,910 gal (31,419 l) of fuel. Given the size of the aircraft, Northrop advertised that it could be used in alternative roles.
Northrop N-149: The Opposite End
Model of the N-149. The additional fuel tanks can be seen. [US Secret Fighter Projects]The N-149 was the third and final design submitted by Northrop for WS-202A. Submitted in July of 1954, the N-149 was almost the polar opposite of the N-144. Instead of opting for raw power and utilizing four engines, the N-149 was meant to be the smallest option available while still performing just as well as its competitors. In comparison, the N-126 would be 85 ft (25.9 m)long with a wingspan of 62 ft (19 m), while the N-149 would be 70 ft (21.5 m) long with a wingspan of 50 ft (15.5 m). This size decrease would save cost, space and fuel consumption. The N-149 used the same wing layout as the previous entries and would also retain the E-9A fire control system and accompanying radar. Given the advancements of the N-144’s wings, it is likely the N-149 would also benefit from them as well. The N-149 did not use Wright J67 jet engines like the N-126 and N-144, but would instead use General Electric J79 engines. These engines were longer than the J67 but would benefit the aircraft, given its small size, to achieve the required speed and rate of climb. The bicycle landing gear with outer wing gear was once again used, but now with two wheels on each gear like the N-126. The armament for the N-149 was less than its predecessors, but it would make up for weapons in the amount able to be built. Once again, eight Falcon AAMs and forty-eight 2.75in rockets were standard, but alternative armaments would be a single Sparrow AAM, four Sidewinder AAMs, another 105 2.75 in rockets or 270 2 in rockets. Additional armament could be mounted on four external hardpoints like the N-126 and N-144, however, two of these would be taken up by external fuel tanks. These tanks would be 600 gal (2,730 l). The majority of the fuel would be in a large tank that spanned the fuselage and into the wings and would carry 2,050 gal (9,320 l) of fuel. Northrop expected a first flight of the aircraft by the summer of 1957.
The Program Concludes
Detailed drawing of the N-149 with cutaway
Although Northrop is the center of this article, Boeing, Douglas, Lockheed, Martin, McDonnell, North American, Chance-Vought, Grumman and Convair all submitted designs. When the assessment of all the designs was completed, it was concluded that none of the proposals exactly met up the set requirements. The N-144, however, came the closest to meeting the specification. After assessment, the N-144 had a predicted speed of Mach 1.76, a combat ceiling of 58,500 ft (17,800 m) and a combat range of 1,015 nm (1,880 km).
McDonnell’s design came close, as it could go faster and reach the same altitude, but its range was much less compared to the N-144. Materials Command was not too keen of the N-144 and it is obvious why. The cost, production and maintenance of it would be tremendous. Given its four engines, the aircraft would require much more maintenance compared to its two-engine competitors. Producing such a large aircraft would be extremely costly given its size and engine count. The best option for performance would also be the worst option considering its cost.
Its siblings didn’t meet the specifications as well. No reason was put out as to why the N-126 failed the competition, but given the state of the program, it can easily be assumed it didn’t meet either the range, speed, or altitude requirements. The N-149 did have a specified reason for its rejection, though. After taking off at full power and reaching its maximum height, it would only offer 20 minutes of flight, with 5 minutes at full power for combat. Having your aircraft destroy as many bombers before reaching their target is necessary and only 5 minutes wouldn’t be sufficient to fulfill its duty. Ultimately, WS-202A wouldn’t produce any aircraft. The requirements had gone too high, and the companies wouldn’t be able to produce a cost effective aircraft in time that would meet the expected specifications. The program would go on to become the new LRI-X program in October of 1954, and Northrop would be one of three companies tasked with creating a new interceptor, which their Delta-Wing trio would surely influence in a number of ways.
Variants
Northrop N-126 (February 1953) – The 1953 N-126 Delta Scorpion was an improvement upon the F-89D Scorpion by having a delta wing and YJ67 engines.
Northrop N-126 (1954) – The 1954 version of the N-126 no longer resembled the F-89 but was now longer and more streamlined.
Northrop N-144 – The N-144 would be the second design submitted to the LRI competition. It was much larger than the other two submissions and would utilize four engines.
Northrop N-149 – The N-149 was the smallest of the three designs and was meant to be the best performing for its size. It looked visually similar to the N-126 but would carry slightly less ordnance and utilize Gen Elec XJ79-GE-1 jet engines over the Wright J67-W-1s.
Operators
United States of America – All three designs would have been operated by the United States Air Force had they been constructed.
Northrop N-126 – Artist Impression of the Delta Scorpion in USAF Prototype StageNorthrop N-144 – Artist Impression of the N-144 the in Late Prototype StageNorthrop N-149 – Artist Impression of the N-149 in service with the 171 Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Michigan, circa 1960s
3-Way drawing of the N-126 Delta Scorpion [US Secret Fighter Projects]3-Way drawing of the N-149 [US Secret Fighter Projects]Underside quarter view of the N-126 model [US Secret Fighter Projects]
3 view drawing of the N-126 Delta ScorpionA photo of the N-126 Delta Scorpion in wind tunnel testing
3-Way drawing of the N-149 [US Secret Fighter Projects]Colored photo of the N-149 model. Note the tail has been slightly damaged. [US Secret Fighter Projects]Rear view of the N-149 model. Damage to the tail is evident here. [American Secret Projects: Fighters & Interceptors, 1945-1978]Credits
United States of America (1957)
Underground Nuclear Test Shaft Cap – 1 Built
This photo depicts the smoke after the detonation of Ranier, an underground nuclear test very similar to Pascal B
The brainchild of one ambitious American astrophysicist during the course of U.S. nuclear tests yielded the first manmade object in Earth’s orbit. The four foot round steel cap was launched into orbit in late August 1957 by the United States, beating the USSR’s Sputnik 1 to orbit by one month and nine days, scoring a major victory in the space race for the Americans. This feat has gone largely unrecognized by most historians.
History
Dr. Robert R. Brownlee
During Operation Plumbbob, which was a series of nuclear tests performed by the United States in 1957, Dr. Robert Brownlee was tasked with determining methods for containing nuclear blasts underground. Initially working from a detonation performed at the bottom of an open shaft, and progressively adding additional ‘plugs’ of concrete to ‘tamp’ the explosion.
The first empty shaft test was called Pascal A, and performed on July 26, 1957. It’s significance was characterized by the fact that it was the first contained underground nuclear test ever performed. The bomb was placed at the bottom of a shaft of about 500 feet in depth, around 3 feet in diameter. The blast yield was much greater than anticipated, estimated at around 55 tons which caused quite a stir at the test site when it was detonated. A concrete collimator with a thickness of five feet was lowered about halfway down the shaft with a detector installed on top. The concrete and detector were presumably vaporized in the explosion, which occured at night and caused a “big blue glow in the sky,” according to Test Director Robert Campbell.
Pascal B
Nevada Test Site Entrance
The next test, Pascal B, attempted to measure the effect of installing a concrete plug just above the bomb, still deep at the bottom of a 500 foot shaft, with a steel cap installed at the end, where the shaft met the surface. The concrete plug, also serving as a collimator for test instruments as in Pascal A, was placed above the bomb. The plug was estimated to have weighed 2 tons.
The shaft diameter for Pascal B was 4 feet in diameter, with a round solid steel cap, 4 inches thick welded to the top. The weight of the cap was estimated to be 2,000 lb (900 kg). Dr. Brownlee designed his calculations to estimate the time and measurements of the nuclear blast’s shockwave in meeting the cap. The estimated time for the shockwave’s arrival was 31 milliseconds. It was anticipated that the pressure and temperature would launch the cap away from the shaft at an extremely high velocity, although this would not necessarily be directly a result of the explosion, since the cap was located too far from the bomb at the bottom of the shaft. Rather, the vaporization and resulting superheated gas of the 2 ton concrete collimator plug placed above the bomb would actually turn the shaft into a ‘giant gun.’ The cap was estimated to achieve a velocity six times the escape velocity of the Earth. A high speed camera was installed nearby with the hopes of capturing the cap’s departure, to hopefully obtain a calculation of the cap’s speed as it left the shaft.
At the Nevada Test Site on August 27, 1957 at 3:35 PM local time, Pascal B was detonated with a yield of 300 tons. The fireball reached into the blue Nevada sky, launching the cap as expected. The high speed camera recorded the cap above the hole in only one frame of the resulting film. The anticipated velocity values combined with the framerate of the camera did not yield any specifically useful measurements, leading Dr. Brownlee to sum up the speed of the cap as “going like a bat!” The original calculation of six times the escape velocity of the Earth of 41.75 miles per second (67.2 km/sec) seemed to have been approximately correct. Other calculations by Carey Sublette that attempt to estimate the expanding gas of the vaporized concrete collimator indicate a similar figure of around five times the escape velocity.
First Manmade Object in Earth Orbit
Contemporary satellite photo of the test site, NTS U3d
Whether or not the cap actually made it to space is still a topic of debate. No trace of the cap was ever found anywhere near the test site. Some say it would have been vaporized in the same manner as a meteorite burning up upon entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Still others theorize that the object may have made it into Earth’s orbit. For the purposes of this article, it is assumed that the cap made it into Earth’s orbit.
The cap would not be the first manmade object in space. That honor belongs to a V-2 rocket launch in Nazi Germany on October 3, 1942, which crossed the Kármán line which is considered to be the boundary of space at an altitude of 100 km (62 miles).
Aside from the Pascal B cap, the most generally agreed upon first manmade object in Earth’s orbit is Sputnik 1, launched on October 4, 1957. If the cap in fact achieved orbit, it would have beaten Sputnik by 1 month and 9 days. This fact has yet to be widely recognized, with most people and historians believing that the USSR achieved the first object in orbit.
Design
3 View Drawing of the Cap by Ed Jackson
The steel cap round, 4 inches thick, was welded to the end of the round metal test shaft, 4 feet in diameter. The cap was presumably not painted or covered with any sort of coating. More than likely the cap was machined locally along with the other significant large scale industrial milling, machining, and fabrication to facilitate the testing operations in support of Operation Plumbbob.
The cap has yet to be found in orbit by NASA, however its exact position still may yet be discovered. At only 4 feet in diameter, dark in color, and at an unknown orbital position, it is difficult to estimate its potential location.
Operators
United States – Originally launched from the Nevada Test Site in 1957, the Pascal B Cap remains in service in Earth’s orbit despite its unknown location.
Pascal B Cap Specifications
Diameter
4 ft / 1.22 m
Thickness
4 in / 10.16 cm
Initial Propellant
64.6 lb Plutonium Pit Nuclear Bomb with PBX 9401 and 9404 explosives
Weight
2,000 lb / 907 kg [estimated]
Climb Rate
41.75 miles per second (67.2 km/sec) [estimated]
Maximum Speed
150,300 mph / 241,884 kmh
Range
∞ mi / ∞ km
Maximum Orbital Altitude
574,147 ft / 924,000 km [estimated]
Crew
Unmanned
Armament
Ramming Impact Capability
Sharp Edges
High Velocity Steel Fragment & Debris
Gallery
Artist conception of the current state of the cap in orbit by Ed Jackson
Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia (1952)
United States of America (1953)
