In a laboratory building on the outskirts of a town in modern-day Kazakhstan, scientist Andrei Sakharov wanted to witness the explosion of his latest project in all its might, even refusing to put on the required dark goggles.

Designed to be a 3-megaton warhead, the RDS-37 was a two-stage radiation-implosion thermonuclear bomb also known as a hydrogen bomb, with the RDS contraction translating to ‘Russia does it itself,’ a daring prefix applied to atomic tests going back to their first one in August of 1949.

As the aircraft armed with the bomb flew above the town that November of 1955, Sakharov marveled at its dazzling white paint job. According to the scientist: [QUOTE] "With its sweptback wings and slender fuselage extending far forward, it looked like a sinister predator poised to strike."

An hour later, a speaker on the premises began the nerve-wracking countdown.

The Soviets were about to airdrop a hydrogen bomb for the first time, and any malfunction could potentially trigger unprecedented consequences. Not even Oppenheimer dared build such a dangerous weapon…


---

Dark Footage showcases the most unbelievable photos and videos from history while telling the stories behind the camera. Featuring military, space, aircraft and real-life historic events caught on tape.

свернуть