KIRKLAND MUSEUM OF FINE & DECORATIVE ART

DENVER, CO

B43 Nuclear Bomb Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum

For more than twenty years the B43 was the United States' air-dropped nuclear weapon used by a wide variety of aircraft. The weapon was developed in 1956 by Los Alamos National Laboratory, entering service in April 1961. Total production was 2,000 weapons, ending in 1965. 

The B43 was built in three variants: Mod 0, Mod 1, and Mod 2, each with five yield options. Explosive yields varied from 70 kilotons of TNT to 1 megaton of TNT. The B-43 could be delivered at altitudes as low as 300 ft, with fusing options for air burst, ground burst, free fall, contact, or laydown delivery - a mode of deploying a free-fall nuclear weapon in which the bomb's fall is slowed by parachute so that it actually lands on the ground before detonating.

Aircraft that could carry the weapon included most USAF, USN and USMC fighters, bombers and attack aircraft, including the A-3 Skywarrior, A-4 Skyhawk, A-5 Vigilante, A-6 Intruder, A-7 Corsair II, B-47 Stratojet, B-52 Stratofortress, F-100 Super Saber, F-105 Thunderchief, F-4 Phantom Il, F-111 Aardvark, FB-111A, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and the F/A-18 Hornet. The B-1B Lancer was also intended to carry the B43 prior to the B-1's reassignment to conventional strike roles. The B43 was also supplied to Great Britain.

The B43 was never used in anger, but it was involved in a nuclear accident when an A-4 Skyhawk of the USS Ticonderoga from Attack Squadron VA-56 was lost off the coast of Japan on 5 December 1965. The aircraft, the pilot, and the bomb were never found.  

The B43 was phased out in the 1980s, and the last B43 weapons were retired in 1991 in favor of the newer B61 and B83 weapons.  

The upper weapon was used by Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams to practice their skills on, while the lower weapon was used by aircraft ground crews to practice loading the weapon on various aircraft. The "spike" on the end of the weapon buried itself in the ground and kept the unit from being dragged by its parachute when the target was small and needed precision accuracy.

Specifications 
Weight: 2125 pounds
Length: 13 feet, 8 inches
Diameter: 18 inches
Yield: 70 Kilotons to 1 Megaton
B43 Nuclear Bomb Credit: rocbolt

The Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art is a museum located in Denver, Colorado. It was founded in 2000 by Hugh Grant Kirkland, a painter and collector of decorative art, who started collecting pieces in the 1930s. The museum's permanent collection includes over 30,000 objects, including paintings, sculptures, decorative art, and furniture from the 19th and 20th centuries.

The museum's building was designed by architect Jim Olson, and it includes three distinct sections: the original Kirkland studio, a modernist building, and a new wing that was added in 2018. The museum's galleries are arranged thematically, with each room showcasing a different era or style of art and design. Some of the museum's most notable collections include the Arts and Crafts Movement, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco.

One of the museum's most unique features is its salon-style hanging of artwork, with pieces displayed floor to ceiling in eclectic groupings. The museum also features a collection of work by Colorado artists, including Vance Kirkland, Hugh Grant Kirkland's brother, and a former faculty member at the University of Denver.

Overall, the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art is a must-visit destination for art and design enthusiasts, offering a comprehensive look at decorative arts and design from the 19th and 20th centuries.

KIRKLAND MUSEUM OF FINE & DECORATIVE ART is a Art Museum in DENVER CO. US MID #8400800577

The museum is classed as ART (Art Museums). It comes under American Alliance of Museums (AAM) region: Mount Plains (Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming).

Contact KIRKLAND MUSEUM OF FINE & DECORATIVE ART

KIRKLAND MUSEUM OF FINE & DECORATIVE ART
1311 PEARL ST
DENVER
CO
80203-2518

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KIRKLAND MUSEUM OF FINE & DECORATIVE ART Information

MID # 8400800577
Name KIRKLAND MUSEUM OF FINE & DECORATIVE ART
Alternate Name
Classification Art Museums, , Mount Plains
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) 841360133
NTEECC A51
Tax period of the latest return filed (YYYYMM) 201212
INCOME 1,252,880
REVENUE 0
LAT/LONG 39.737674, -104.979896
CODES FIPS State Code: 08
FIPS County Code: 031
US Census Tract: 002701
US Census Block: 1010