To better understand the impact and thermal effects of a nuclear bomb, the United States built a fake town in the middle of the Nevada desert and dropped a 16-Kiloton bomb. The mission was named “Operation Doorstep”, and the experiment was performed on March 17, 1953. Wooden-frame homes, cars, and mannequins were placed instead of humans.
The fake town named “Doom Town” consisted of shops, gas stations, and homes made from bricks and wood. The full-size mannequin families wearing various types of clothing to witness how the different fabrics would hold up during the energy bursts and extreme heat were placed inside the houses and shops.
After denotation, the homes that were within 6,000 feet from ground zero lost rooftops, suffered broken windows and the several coats of paint blistered and scraped off in a matter of a few moments. Take a look at the photos below to see how the blast impacted the town.
