The document summarizes exhibits at the American Air Museum at Duxford in the UK that focus on aircraft and people from World War II and the Cold War. It provides details on nuclear weapons and the US Air Force's Strategic Air Command, including accidents involving nuclear-armed bombers and the role of Jack ReVelle in responding to accidents and assisting with nuclear bomb disposal. It includes photos of ReVelle preparing for a training flight and the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star aircraft.

1. Imperial War Museums –
United Kingdom
American Air Museum
Duxford, Cambridgeshire
March 2016
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2. Imperial War Museums –
Duxford, United Kingdom
• Newly opened exhibits at American Air
Museum featured people & aircraft from
World War II (1941-1945) & the Cold War
(1947–91)
• Pre-grand opening for the press, VIPs, &
museum donors occurred March 16-18, 2016
• Honored guests & visitors included HRH,
the Duke of Kent, Air Chief Marshall Sir
Stuart Peach & Ross Perot Jr.
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4. Nuclear Weapons-1
• Nuclear weapons changed the way the
American government thought about
conflict. Their huge destructive power made
them dangerous to possess, as well as to use
• In the 1940s & 1950s a theory of ‘massive
retaliation’ was developed by US leaders. It
was hoped that the threat of powerful
nuclear weapons would deter anyone from
attacking America or its allies
• This made the United States Air Force,
which was formed in 1947, a vital part of
America’s defense forces
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5. Nuclear Weapons-2
• Giant B-52 bombers formed the core of the
US Air Force’s Strategic Air Command
(SAC) from the mid-1950s
• Their primary job was to be ready, on the
orders of the President, to carry nuclear
weapons to targets in Russia
• From 1958–1968, nuclear-armed B-52s were
in the air at all times
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6. Nuclear Weapons-3
• Throughout the Cold War, America wrestled
with how best to manage its nuclear weapons
stockpile
• Note: ReVelle was a Nuclear Operations Officer
in the Stockpile Management Division of the
Defense Atomic Support Agency (DASA) in the
Pentagon from 1967 to 1968
• The stockpile had to be ready to use at a
moment’s notice, & yet be safe enough that they
could not be detonated by mistake
• Not only could an accident kill 1000s of people, it
might also be interpreted as a nuclear attack &
begin a war
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7. Nuclear Weapons-4
• Accidents such as the 1961 crash of a
nuclear-armed B-52 at Goldsboro, North
Carolina, influenced the approach both sides
took to maintaining nuclear weapons
• “A nuclear explosion would have completely
changed the Eastern seaboard if it had gone
off,” said Jack ReVelle, who was sent to
Goldsboro to defuse the nuclear bombs
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8. Nuclear Weapons-5
• Later, the permanent B-52 patrols were
stopped, as America & the Soviet Union
agreed to tell each other immediately if a
nuclear accident happened
• Safety systems were continually improved,
as American & Soviet leaders began to
discuss how best to reduce the number of
nuclear weapons they each possessed
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9. He Was Sent To Defuse
A Nuclear Bomb-1
• Jack ReVelle was an Explosive Ordnance
Disposal (EOD) officer in the US Air Force
• He had to respond to 2 nuclear accidents in
his career, known as ‘Broken Arrows.’ On
both occasions, 1 mistake could have led to
disaster
• At Goldsboro, he led the team that recovered
& made safe the damaged nuclear weapons
that had fallen from a crashing B-52
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10. He Was Sent To Defuse
A Nuclear Bomb-2
• ‘Until my death I will never forget hearing
my sergeant say, “Lieutenant, we found the
arm/safe switch.” And I said, “Great.” He
said, “Not great. It’s on arm.”’
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11. He Was Sent To Defuse
A Nuclear Bomb-3
• Later in the Summer of 1962, Jack witnessed
over 2 dozen nuclear test explosions over
Christmas Island in the Pacific
• ‘It was always first thing in the morning, just
before dawn’s early light... they would have
us all turn around with our backs to the
weapon... & then you hear the “kaboom!”
like nothing you’ve ever heard before’
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12. He Was Sent To Defuse
A Nuclear Bomb-4
• Jack ReVelle prepares for a training flight
• In 1961 he flew to the site of the nuclear
accident at Goldsboro, North Carolina:
There was a pilot with a T-33, & he says
“Well you must be pretty important ‘cause
I’ve never been cleared on the ground
before I even got in my aircraft to take off.”
• I said, “Yeah, it’s important.”’
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13. ReVelle Preparing for T-33 Flight

14. Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
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