The chart below represents the complete story of the early UK nuclear weapon testing, which took place in Australia between 1952 and 1958. In all a total of 21 warheads were exploded, in various positions from the sea when HMS Plym was destroyed, to air and tower drops. The Valiant bombers used were flown by crew from 49 Squadron under the control of Group Captain Ken Hubbard, initially formed and based at RAF Wittering. It is now believed from information available at the Public Records Office that none of the tests gave sufficient information to the scientists to be able to produce an operational service weapon, hence the reason that all our early weapons took some design and technology from the US.
Operation |
Round |
Location |
Date |
Yield |
Height(m) |
Type |
Casing |
Warhead |
Aircraft |
Misc. |
Hurricane |
Monte Belle Islands | 03/10/52 |
25Kt |
-3 |
Ocean Surface Burst | HMS Plym | ||||
| Totem | T1 | Emu Field | 14/10/53 |
10Kt |
31 |
Ms Tower Mounted | ||||
| T2 | Emu Field | 26/10/53 |
8Kt |
31 |
Ms Tower Mounted | |||||
| Mosiac | G1 | Monte Belle Islands | 16/05/56 |
15Kt |
31 |
A1 Tower Mounted | ||||
| G2 | Monte Belle Islands | 19/06/56 |
60Kt |
31 |
A1 Tower Mounted | |||||
| Buffalo | One Tree | Maralinga Range | 27/09/56 |
15Kt |
31 |
A1 Tower Mounted | Red Beard?? | |||
| Marco | Maralinga Range | 04/10/56 |
1.5Kt |
0 |
Ground | Blue Danube | ||||
| Kite | Maralinga Range | 11/10/56 |
3Kt |
150 |
Air Drop | Blue Danube | WY366 | |||
| Breakaway | Maralinga Range | 21/10/56 |
10Kt |
31 |
A1 Tower Mounted | Red Beard?? | ||||
| Grapple | Short Granite | Off Malden Island | 15/05/57 |
0.3Mt |
2200 |
Air Drop | Blue Danube | Green Granite Small | XD818 | |
| Orange Herald | Off Malden Island | 31/05/57 |
0.72Mt |
2400 |
Air Drop | Blue Danube | XD822 | For Blue Streak | ||
| Purple Granite | Off Malden Island | 19/06/57 |
0.2Mt |
2400 |
Air Drop | Blue Danube | Green Granite Large | XD823 | ||
| Antler | Tadje | Maralinga Range | 15/09/57 |
1Kt |
31 |
A1 Tower Mounted | Pixie | Cobalt 60 Used? | ||
| Biak | Maralinga Range | 25/09/57 |
6Kt |
31 |
A1 Tower Mounted | Indigo Hammer | ||||
| Taranaki | Maralinga Range | 09/10/57 |
25Kt |
300 |
Ballon Suspended | |||||
| Grapple X | Short Granite | Off Christmas Island | 08/11/57 |
1.8Mt |
2200 |
Air Drop | Blue Danube | Green Granite Small | XD825 | |
| Grapple Y | Off Christmas Island | 28/04/58 |
3.0Mt |
2500 |
Air Drop | Blue Danube | XD825 | |||
| Grapple Z | Pennant | Off Christmas Island | 22/08/58 |
24Kt |
450 |
Ballon Suspended | ||||
| Flagpole | Off Christmas Island | 02/09/58 |
1Mt |
2800 |
Air Drop | Blue Danube | XD822 | For WE177: ?? | ||
| Halliarda | Off Christmas Island | 11/09/58 |
0.8Mt |
2600 |
Air Drop | Blue Danube | XD827 | |||
| Burgee | Off Christmas Island | 23/09/58 |
25 Kt |
450 |
Ballon Suspended | Blue Danube | ||||
| Name | Date | Size | Dimensions | Warhead |
| Blue Danube | 53 to 60 | 10,250lb | 290" Dia 62" | 20KT |
| Violet Club | 58 to 60 | 9,000lb | 290" Dia 62" | Green Grass 400KT |
| Yellow Sun Mk1 | 06/58 to 05/62 | 7,000lb | 240" Dia 48" | Green Grass 400KT |
| Yellow Sun Mk2 | 61 to 70 | 7,250lb | 240" Dia 48" | Red Snow 1MT |
| Red Beard Mk1 | 58 to 69 | 1,750lb | 144" Dia 36" | 15KT |
| Red Beard Mk2 | 62 to 71 | 2,000lb | 25KT | |
| Blue Steel Mk1 | 62 to 70 | Red Snow 1MT | ||
| Blue Steel Mk2 | Red Snow 1MT | |||
| WE177 A | 66 to 84 | 600lb | 84" Dia 16" | 200KT |
| WE177 B | 66 to 96 | 950lb | 84" Dia 16" | 400KT |
| WE177 C(RN) | 71 to 92 | Dia 16" | 15KT | |
| Green Granite Small | 4,200lb | 300KT | ||
| Orange Herald Small | 2,200lb | 30" Dia | 720KT | |
| Orange Herald Large | 2,200lb | 36" Dia | ||
| Green Granite Large | 6,000lb | 96" Dia 48" | 200KT | |
| Green Bamboo | 4,500lb | 45" Dia | ||
| Red Snow | 1,725lb | 21.5 x 49in | 1MT | |
| Violet Mist | 1 tonne | 36 x 76 | 16KT | |
| Blue Peacock | ||||
| Red Rose | ||||
| Purple Passion | ||||
| Tony | 410lb | 54in x 17in Dia | 300\10KT | |
| Peter | 625lb | 42 x 20 | 500\11KT | |
| Blue Water | 7 - 10 KT | |||
| Indigo Hammer |
1 April 1960 |
1 April 1961 |
1 April 1962 |
1 April 1963 |
|
MT |
26 |
61 |
111 |
158 |
KT |
88 |
117 |
120 |
120 |
Sub Total |
114 |
178 |
231 |
278 |
Bombers |
104 |
144 |
144 |
144 |
| Canberra B (1) 8 | 1958-66 1966-72 |
US MK 07 (1650lb) 48 US MK 43 |
| Canberra B15/16 | 1961-69 | Red Beard |
| Valiant TBF | 1958-61 1958-60 |
US MK 15/39(7500lb-6600lb) US MK 05 (6000lb) |
| Valiant MBF | 1958-60 1961-64 |
Blue Danube Red Beard |
| Valiant TBF | 1960-63 1963-65 |
US MK 28 (1900lb) US MK 43 (2100lb) |
| Vulcan B.1/1A | 1958-60 1960-63 1961-66 |
Blue Danube & Violet Club Yellow Sun Mk 01 Yellow Sun Mk 02 |
| Vulcan B.2 | 1963-70 1966-82 |
Blue Steel & Yellow Sun Mk02 WE177A |
| Victor B.1/1A | 1958-60 1960-63 1961-66 |
Blue Danube Yellow Sun Mk 01 Yellow Sun Mk 02 |
| Victor B2 | 1962-68 | Blue Steel |
| Scimitar | 1962-66 | Red Beard |
| Sea Vixen FAW.1 | 1960-68 | Red Beard |
| Buccaneer S.1 | 1963-65 | Red Beard |
| Buccaneer S.2 | 1965-71 1971-78 |
Red Beard WE177C |
| Buccaneer S.2B | 1971-84 | WE177A |
| Shackleton MR3 | 1965-71 | US MK 34 60 |
| Nimrod MR1 | 1970-79 | US MK 5765 |
| Nimrod MR2 | 1979-91 | US MK 57 |
| Phantom FGR MK2 | 1972-76 | US MK43/57 |
| Jaguar GR1 | 1975-85 | WE177B |
| Sea Harrier FRS.1 | 1979-92 | WE177C |
| Tornado GR1 | 1982-94 | WE177B |