Return to Art
Collection Page
Return to Art
Collection Page
Battleship Pennsylvania
Arthur Beaumont #11
Watercolor, 1946
Gift of the artist
88-169-K
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) survived both atomic tests at
Crossroads, a fitting testament to a battleship that had been
at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Although suffering only minor
fire damage, she was heavily contaminated and was scuttled off
Kwajalein in 1948.
USS Pensacola Lists
Arthur Beaumont #9
Watercolor, 1946
Gift of the artist
88-169-I
Cruiser USS Pensacola (CA-23) was a sorry sight after test
ABLE--with her stacks crumbled, a severe list, and her radar and
communications array mangled. She suffered heavy contamination
during test BAKER and, after unsuccessful attempts to decontaminate
her, the cruiser was scuttled of the coast of Washington.
USS Skate July 5, 1946, Enyu Atoll
Arthur Beaumont #6
Watercolor, 1946
Gift of the artist
88-169-F
Submarine USS Skate (SS-305) looked bad after test ABLE,
with her masts and antennas hopelessly bent and her superstructure
buckled and torn. Despite appearances, however, her pressure hull
was intact and the boat able to maneuver under her own power.
Heavily contaminated by both bombs, she was brought back to California
for study and then scuttled in 1948.
Battleship Arkansas Being Tossed in Giant
Pillar
Grant Powers #4
Watercolor, 1946
88-181-D
Unlike ABLE's atmospheric explosion, BAKER's detonation started
with a spray dome that appeared at the underwater site. Owing
to the denser nature of water, which quickly cooled the explosion,
the initial fireball did not grow as large as ABLE's. The spray
dome broke the surface near USS Arkansas (BB-33) and she
sank quite suddenly.
Baker Puff Ball
Charles Bittinger #6
Oil on canvas board, 1946
Gift of the artist
95-129-F
When the hot gasses from the explosion broke the surface they
instantly created a "puff ball" of water vapor. It was
created by water rushing into the space left by the fireball gasses
as they surged into the sky.
Plus 2 Seconds
Grant Powers #18
Watercolor, 1946
88-181-R
As the hot gasses moved outward, they pulled a hollow water column--made up of millions of gallons of water--up into the sky.
Plus 5 Seconds
Grant Powers #11
Watercolor, 1946
88-181-K
A view of the cloud as seen from a B-29 observer plane. Note the ripple effect caused by the enormous tidal wave resulting from the blast.
Plus 15 Seconds
Grant Powers #2
Watercolor, 1946
88-181-B
The column of water begins to spill out of the top of the condensation cloud.
Forward to next
page 
Return to Art
Collection Branch01 August 2001