1953 ... safe in the basement!


...  "Operation: Doorstep" a part of "Upshot Knothole" was the construction of several typical American suburban homes at the Nevada test site in order to study blast effects and the effectiveness of various types of shelters. Seen here is a lean to construction in the basement. If everything was pre-cut, you had the right tools and had drunk a couple of cups of black coffee; you could wham it together in, say, 30 minutes?

... the deal is that it worked! At 3,500 feet from ground-zero of shot "Annie" a 16 kiloton  (Hiroshima size A-bomb) the mannequins inside did just fine. However the house did collapse partially into the basement so getting out to find flee or find shelter from the coming fallout would be difficult.

... the shoe? Ironic historical humor? We'll have to check with the Army Corps of Engineers.

... see the KAFLOOEY footage below!



1 comment:

senormedia said...

as long as the bomb doesn't go off somewhere to your left...


I've been in those houses. Fascinating.