• Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Login
VIP Articles
Subscribe
Defensionem - The WarBible

No products in the cart.

  • Books
  • Short Posts
  • VIP
  • Aviation
  • Land
  • History
  • Syrian Conflict Watch
  • Sea
  • Countries
    • China
    • India
    • Middle East
    • Russia
    • South America
    • Syrian Conflict
    • United States of America (USA)
    • United Kingdom (UK)
  • About Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Books
  • Short Posts
  • VIP
  • Aviation
  • Land
  • History
  • Syrian Conflict Watch
  • Sea
  • Countries
    • China
    • India
    • Middle East
    • Russia
    • South America
    • Syrian Conflict
    • United States of America (USA)
    • United Kingdom (UK)
  • About Us
No Result
View All Result
Defensionem
Login
Home History

Blue Peacock Nuclear Mine

by Renaud Mayers
1 month ago
in History, Land, United Kingdom (UK)
Reading Time: 3min read
0
Blue Peacock Nuclear Mine

Blue Peacock Nuclear Mine

Blue Peacock Nuclear Mine: Warning, may contain chicken. The Brits are well known for thinking outside of the box in all sort of engineering fields, including weapon design and manufacturing. But with the Blue Peacock, the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE) might have strayed a little too far from said box!

Blue Peacock Nuclear Mine
Blue Peacock Nuclear Mine

The Blue Peacock was a 1950’s 10 kilotons tactical nuke designed in response to the perceived threat of overwhelming Soviet superiority in conventional weapons at the time. The Blue Peacock design was based on the Blue Danube freefall bomb: A plutonium core surrounded by a shere of high-explosives. The core and high-explosives would then be encased in steel. To this were added batteries and detonators. The complete assembly being self-contained in a giant container.

What made it special is that 10 Blue Peacock were supposed to be buried in Germany in case of a Soviet push into Western Europe. Placed in the path of Soviet armies in the North German plain and armed with an 8 days fuse, the 7 tons bomb was also equipped with an anti-tampering device that would detonate it if the bomb was moved or the casing opened once the device was armed. The whole point of those mines would have been to cover the retreat of allied armies, as well as vaporising several thousand Soviet troops and create a dirty no-man’s land unfit for occupation… A radioactive buffer zone, if you like.

Blue Peacock Nuclear Mine
Blue Peacock Nuclear Mine

One of the problems encountered was that the Blue Peacock’s batteries and electronics might not last 8 days buried underground when subjected to the cold German winter… Several insulation solutions were tried but failed. At one point, somebody suggested putting several live chickens inside the bomb casing, alongside enough food and water to sustain them for 8 days. The chicken would produce heat that would have been sufficient to keep the bomb at operating temperature… The only modification needed was to install chicken wire around the bomb components in order to avoid the critters pecking at stuff that should not be pecked at… The project was abandoned in 1958 when the political dimension of detonating bombs large enough to create craters several hundred feet deep, 375 feet in diameter as well as potentially contaminating an ally’s country with nuclear fallout was finally taken into account. Especially considering that the Germans themselves had not been told about this plan: They had been told those big containers were nuclear powered electric generators!!

Blue Peacock Nuclear Mine
Blue Peacock Nuclear Mine
Tags: Blue PeacockCold WarGermanyRARDERoyal Armament Research and Development EstablishmentSoviet Union
ShareTweetSend

Renaud Mayers

Currently working on behalf of the Belgian Ministry of Defence, thanks to my knowledge in WWII and other areas. Working in two WWII era fortresses still belonging to the Army.

Related Posts

Artillery strike on Zelenopillya: Carnage on the Ukrainian plains.
Russia

Artillery strike on Zelenopillya: Carnage on the Ukrainian plains.

by Renaud Mayers
January 20, 2021
0
Yang Kyoungjong: When life gives you lemons!
History

Yang Kyoungjong: When life gives you lemons!

by Renaud Mayers
January 19, 2021
0
T-72B: Soviet Special Armour Package
Land

T-72B: Soviet Special Armour Package

by Renaud Mayers
January 15, 2021
0
Pershing 1945: First Blood in Europe
History

Pershing 1945: First Blood in Europe

by Renaud Mayers
January 17, 2021
0
  • Books
  • Aviation
  • Land
  • Countries
  • Short Posts
  • Syrian Conflict Watch
  • Libyan Conflict Watch
  • Subscription Plans
  • Our Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Write For Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
Contact Us: [email protected]

© 2020 Defensionem - The WarBible - a reliable source of information about conflicts & weapon systems from the world over.

No Result
View All Result
  • Aviation
  • Land
  • Syrian Conflict Watch
  • Sea
  • History
  • Countries
    • Germany
    • Middle East
    • United Kingdom (UK)
    • India
    • China
    • South America
    • Featured
    • Russia
    • United States of America (USA)
    • Syria
  • Libyan Conflict Watch
  • Short Posts
  • Subscription Plans
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2020 Defensionem - The WarBible - a reliable source of information about conflicts & weapon systems from the world over.

Log In ×
Forgot your Password?
Login With OTP
Resend OTP(00:30)
Don't have an account?
Signup
Resend OTP(00:30)
Back to login

Resend OTP (00:30)
Back to login
  • (+93) Afghanistan
  • (+355) Albania
  • (+213) Algeria
  • (+1) American Samoa
  • (+376) Andorra
  • (+244) Angola
  • (+1) Anguilla
  • (+1) Antigua
  • (+54) Argentina
  • (+374) Armenia
  • (+297) Aruba
  • (+61) Australia
  • (+43) Austria
  • (+994) Azerbaijan
  • (+973) Bahrain
  • (+880) Bangladesh
  • (+1) Barbados
  • (+375) Belarus
  • (+32) Belgium
  • (+501) Belize
  • (+229) Benin
  • (+1) Bermuda
  • (+975) Bhutan
  • (+591) Bolivia
  • (+599) Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
  • (+387) Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • (+267) Botswana
  • (+55) Brazil
  • (+246) British Indian Ocean Territory
  • (+1) British Virgin Islands
  • (+673) Brunei
  • (+359) Bulgaria
  • (+226) Burkina Faso
  • (+257) Burundi
  • (+855) Cambodia
  • (+237) Cameroon
  • (+1) Canada
  • (+238) Cape Verde
  • (+1) Cayman Islands
  • (+236) Central African Republic
  • (+235) Chad
  • (+56) Chile
  • (+86) China
  • (+57) Colombia
  • (+269) Comoros
  • (+682) Cook Islands
  • (+225) Côte d'Ivoire
  • (+506) Costa Rica
  • (+385) Croatia
  • (+53) Cuba
  • (+599) Curaçao
  • (+357) Cyprus
  • (+420) Czech Republic
  • (+243) Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • (+45) Denmark
  • (+253) Djibouti
  • (+1) Dominica
  • (+1) Dominican Republic
  • (+593) Ecuador
  • (+20) Egypt
  • (+503) El Salvador
  • (+240) Equatorial Guinea
  • (+291) Eritrea
  • (+372) Estonia
  • (+251) Ethiopia
  • (+500) Falkland Islands
  • (+298) Faroe Islands
  • (+691) Federated States of Micronesia
  • (+679) Fiji
  • (+358) Finland
  • (+33) France
  • (+594) French Guiana
  • (+689) French Polynesia
  • (+241) Gabon
  • (+995) Georgia
  • (+49) Germany
  • (+233) Ghana
  • (+350) Gibraltar
  • (+30) Greece
  • (+299) Greenland
  • (+1) Grenada
  • (+590) Guadeloupe
  • (+1) Guam
  • (+502) Guatemala
  • (+44) Guernsey
  • (+224) Guinea
  • (+245) Guinea-Bissau
  • (+592) Guyana
  • (+509) Haiti
  • (+504) Honduras
  • (+852) Hong Kong
  • (+36) Hungary
  • (+354) Iceland
  • (+91) India
  • (+62) Indonesia
  • (+98) Iran
  • (+964) Iraq
  • (+353) Ireland
  • (+44) Isle Of Man
  • (+972) Israel
  • (+39) Italy
  • (+1) Jamaica
  • (+81) Japan
  • (+44) Jersey
  • (+962) Jordan
  • (+7) Kazakhstan
  • (+254) Kenya
  • (+686) Kiribati
  • (+965) Kuwait
  • (+996) Kyrgyzstan
  • (+856) Laos
  • (+371) Latvia
  • (+961) Lebanon
  • (+266) Lesotho
  • (+231) Liberia
  • (+218) Libya
  • (+423) Liechtenstein
  • (+370) Lithuania
  • (+352) Luxembourg
  • (+853) Macau
  • (+389) Macedonia
  • (+261) Madagascar
  • (+265) Malawi
  • (+60) Malaysia
  • (+960) Maldives
  • (+223) Mali
  • (+356) Malta
  • (+692) Marshall Islands
  • (+596) Martinique
  • (+222) Mauritania
  • (+230) Mauritius
  • (+262) Mayotte
  • (+52) Mexico
  • (+373) Moldova
  • (+377) Monaco
  • (+976) Mongolia
  • (+382) Montenegro
  • (+1) Montserrat
  • (+212) Morocco
  • (+258) Mozambique
  • (+95) Myanmar
  • (+264) Namibia
  • (+674) Nauru
  • (+977) Nepal
  • (+31) Netherlands
  • (+687) New Caledonia
  • (+64) New Zealand
  • (+505) Nicaragua
  • (+227) Niger
  • (+234) Nigeria
  • (+683) Niue
  • (+672) Norfolk Island
  • (+850) North Korea
  • (+1) Northern Mariana Islands
  • (+47) Norway
  • (+968) Oman
  • (+92) Pakistan
  • (+680) Palau
  • (+970) Palestine
  • (+507) Panama
  • (+675) Papua New Guinea
  • (+595) Paraguay
  • (+51) Peru
  • (+63) Philippines
  • (+48) Poland
  • (+351) Portugal
  • (+1) Puerto Rico
  • (+974) Qatar
  • (+242) Republic of the Congo
  • (+40) Romania
  • (+262) Runion
  • (+7) Russia
  • (+250) Rwanda
  • (+290) Saint Helena
  • (+1) Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • (+508) Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • (+1) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • (+685) Samoa
  • (+378) San Marino
  • (+239) Sao Tome and Principe
  • (+966) Saudi Arabia
  • (+221) Senegal
  • (+381) Serbia
  • (+248) Seychelles
  • (+232) Sierra Leone
  • (+65) Singapore
  • (+1) Sint Maarten
  • (+421) Slovakia
  • (+386) Slovenia
  • (+677) Solomon Islands
  • (+252) Somalia
  • (+27) South Africa
  • (+82) South Korea
  • (+211) South Sudan
  • (+34) Spain
  • (+94) Sri Lanka
  • (+1) St. Lucia
  • (+249) Sudan
  • (+597) Suriname
  • (+268) Swaziland
  • (+46) Sweden
  • (+41) Switzerland
  • (+963) Syria
  • (+886) Taiwan
  • (+992) Tajikistan
  • (+255) Tanzania
  • (+66) Thailand
  • (+1) The Bahamas
  • (+220) The Gambia
  • (+670) Timor-Leste
  • (+228) Togo
  • (+690) Tokelau
  • (+676) Tonga
  • (+1) Trinidad and Tobago
  • (+216) Tunisia
  • (+90) Turkey
  • (+993) Turkmenistan
  • (+1) Turks and Caicos Islands
  • (+688) Tuvalu
  • (+1) U.S. Virgin Islands
  • (+256) Uganda
  • (+380) Ukraine
  • (+971) United Arab Emirates
  • (+44) United Kingdom
  • (+1) United States
  • (+598) Uruguay
  • (+998) Uzbekistan
  • (+678) Vanuatu
  • (+58) Venezuela
  • (+84) Vietnam
  • (+681) Wallis and Futuna
  • (+212) Western Sahara
  • (+967) Yemen
  • (+260) Zambia
  • (+263) Zimbabwe
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?