7, 



TEST A: EXPLOSION IN AIR 



The Test-A bomb exploded at exactly 34 

 seconds after 9:00 a.m. on July 1, 1946, Bikini local 

 time, or approximately 5 :01 p.m. June 30, 1946, East- 

 ern Standard Time. 



The bomb had left Kwajalein at 5:55 a.m., aboard 

 the B-29 Dave's Dream, Aircraft No. 44-27354. It had 

 been loaded on the previous day. At the originally 

 scheduled take-off time, 5.34 a.m., the bomber was 

 standing ready and waiting. But uncertain weather 

 caused a short delay; the go-ahead signal was not 

 radioed from the MT. McKINLEY until 5 :40. Three 

 minutes later the plane taxied towards the take-off 

 position at the western end of the runway. The take- 

 off itself was uneventful.* 



Climbing slowly, the bombing plane held a north- 

 westerly course. It reached bombing altitude over 



* Those who climhed aboard the plane were: Maj. W. P. Swan- 

 cutt, Airplane Commander; Brig. Gen. R. M. Ramey, Task 

 Group 1.5 Commander; Col. W. J. BlancJiard, Air Attack Com- 

 mander; Capt. W. C. Harrison, Jr. (Army), Co-Pilot; Maj. H. H. 

 Wood, Bombardier ; Col. J. R. Sutherland, Bomb Commander; 

 Ens. D. L. Anderson, Weaponeer; Mr. L. D. Smith, Weaponeer; 

 Capt. Paul Chenchar, Jr. (Army), Radar Observer; Maj. W. B. 

 Adams, Navigator; Lt. R. M. Glenn (Army), Flight Engineer; 

 Corp. R. M. Modlin, Scanner; Corp. H. B. Lyons, Scanner; Tech. 



04 



