Description
Physical description
2 tractor units, 1 cannon
1/32 scale model (L 33in x W 4in x H 13in elevated) of the American 280mm Atomic Cannon, made from a Frog plastic kit (an ex-Renwal kit), that was marketed from 1960.
Label
This model of an actual 280mm cannon is demountable from the two tractor/power units, and can be elevated in a scale manner.
The 280mm Atomic Cannon was the world's first nuclear-capable artillery piece, and came into being as a result of the United States Army's need for a primary means of delivering nuclear warheads.
Although initially Congress forbade the development of small nuclear warheads, as being too powerful for battelfield use, the detonation of the Soviet Union's first device in 1949 changed this view. During that year, development of the Mk-7 and Mk-8 bombs was underway, and these small warheads allowed the Army to update its potential delivery vehicle list to include large artillery pieces, and in particular, the 240mm cannon.
The 240mm mobile cannon had been under development since 1944, to counter the German railroad guns, and for use against hardened targets, etc. However, at 240mm calibre, it was too small to handle the smallest nuclear warhead, and rather than wait for a smaller warhead, the Army ordered the cannons to be bored out to 280mm.
On 25 May 1953, a 280mm 'Atomic Cannon' fired a live nuclear round at Frenchman's Flat, in the Nevada nuclear testing grounds, over a range of 7 miles, detonating 524 feet underground, with a yield of 15 kilotons.
Deployment of the 280mm cannon to Europe began soon after, and by 1955, the Army began replacing the earlier Mk-9 round with the more efficient Mk-19, having a range of 18.6 miles.
The cannon was retired from service in 1963, having been replaced by the smaller, more mobile 8 in howitzer, armed with Mk-33 nuclear rounds.
This model represents 'Atomic Annie', which fired the first live Mk-9 in Nevada; the original cannon is preserved at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
History note
This model of an actual 280mm cannon is demountable from the two tractor/power units, and can be elevated in a scale manner.
The 280mm Atomic Cannon was the world's first nuclear-capable artillery piece, and came into being as a result of the United States Army's need for a primary means of delivering nuclear warheads.
Although initially Congress forbade the development of small nuclear warheads, as being too powerful for battelfield use, the detonation of the Soviet Union's first device in 1949 changed this view. During that year, development of the Mk-7 and Mk-8 bombs was underway, and these small warheads allowed the Army to update its potential delivery vehicle list to include large artillery pieces, and in particular, the 240mm cannon.
The 240mm mobile cannon had been under development since 1944, to counter the German railroad guns, and for use against hardened targets, etc. However, at 240mm calibre, it was too small to handle the smallest nuclear warhead, and rather than wait for a smaller warhead, the Army ordered the cannons to be bored out to 280mm.
On 25 May 1953, a 280mm 'Atomic Cannon' fired a live nuclear round at Frenchman's Flat, in the Nevada nuclear testing grounds, over a range of 7 miles, detonating 524 feet underground, with a yield of 15 kilotons.
Deployment of the 280mm cannon to Europe began soon after, and by 1955, the Army began replacing the earlier Mk-9 round with the more efficient Mk-19, having a range of 18.6 miles.
The cannon was retired from service in 1963, having been replaced by the smaller, more mobile 8 in howitzer, armed with Mk-33 nuclear rounds.
This model represents 'Atomic Annie', which fired the first live Mk-9 in Nevada; the original cannon is preserved at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
