ATOMIC BOMB TESTS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24910, 25 June 1946, Page 5

ATOMIC BOMB TESTS

U.S. REHEARSAL AT

BIKINI

TRIAL MADE WITH DUMMY (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

(Bee. 9 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 23. The Columbia Broadcasting System s correspondent aboard the U.S.S. McKinley off Bikini atoll reports that Vice-Admiral W. P. H. Blandy who is in charge of the atom bomb tests, was completely satisfied with a test in which a dummy atomic bomb filled with flash powder was dropped from a Superfortress. Correspondents slightly more than 10 miles from the 'bomb said it appeared to explode with a yellow flame between the battleship Nevada and the light carrier Independence at a height of 1000 ft Observers on the flagship were unable to see the Superfortress which released the bomb. High task force officers were pleased with the experiment Major-General William Kepner, who followed the bombing aeroplane’s progress closely, told reporters: “The drop was quite all right. It was very good.” . Vlce ’4 dm J£ a } Blandy commented: I hope the real show is as good as the rehearsal. When the Superfortress was being warmed up ready for toe take-off, an American Air Force captain walked into a propeller and wes. killed, ine plane took off only a minute behind schedule.