Years In Service: 1954-1957
Initial Flight: 1954
The MK-17 was the first operational USAF thermonuclear “H-Bomb” (The “H” refers to the hydrogen which was fused under intense heat conditions to produce unprecedented energy yields): yielding 15 to 20 megatons. When the bomb was test-dropped, pilots said the bomber might soar upward several hundred feet, having been lightened of such a load. A 64-foot ribbon chute stabilized the MK-17 bomb when dropped and slowed its descent, giving the bomber greater time to escape the area of detonation.
Aircraft Specifications
Diameter: 5′ 2″ Length: 24′ 10″ Weight: 41,400 lbs. Wall Thickness: 3.5″ Yield: 15-20 megatons