The MB-1 'Genie' - The USAF's Unguided Air-To-Air Nuke

The MB-1/AIR-2 ‘Genie’ was the world’s first nuclear-armed air-to-air weapon and remains the most powerful missile ever deployed aboard U.S. Air Force interceptors. Developed as the Cold War began to heat up it would be carried aboard a succession of aircraft including the F-89, F-101B Voodoo, and the F-106 Delta Dart. With missile guidance systems in their infancy the unguided Genie was designed to break up and destroy incoming Soviet strategic bombers.
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[@TheArmourersBench]

Thanks for watching chaps, hope you find the vide interesting! For more information and the sources I used for the video check out the accompanying blog here - armourersbench.com/2021/03/27/the-mb-1-genie-the-usafs-unguided-air-to-air-nuke/ - Matt

[@simonmacomber7466]

One of those at ground zero was *not* a volunteer. He was ordered to be there.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Yeah two of them at least, the camera man and another enlisted man. Thanks for watching.

[@geneloscowski3070]

I worked on the AIR-2A Genie during my time in the USAF. I was assigned to McChord AFB in the early 70s. We had F-106 assigned to the 318th FIS, which carried Genies. I was a nuclear weapons technician and worked on the Genies. It was a very simple weapon system. The Genie was a very durable weapon. We had very few problems with it. Glad someone made this video.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Thanks for watching Gene, it was a pleasure to make it, important part of our recent history. What was it like working with weapons like this?

[@geneloscowski3070]

@@TheArmourersBench It was my first nuclear weapon duty station. The weapon system was great to work on. The only problem was the rocket motor. Servicing the motor required small hands to get into. But other than that, I enjoyed servicing the weapon. Fortunately, it was never used in combat.

[@TheArmourersBench]

@@geneloscowski3070 thanks for the insights Gene! Thankful none of them were.

[@marcofransowitz4773]

@@geneloscowski3070 never fired, only dropped once

[@allen480]

After three years and eight months I served in the USAF Reserve at McChord AFB. Enjoyed every minute of it!

[@matthayward7889]

3 Roentgen? Not great, not terrible. Must have been their tungsten plated balls that kept them safe!

[@TheArmourersBench]

I was waiting for that haha!

[@iamarizonaball2642]

@@TheArmourersBenchsurprised someone hasn’t made a bomb faster. At least make it hypersonic for gods sake.

[@StacheMan26]

Definitely a front runner for one of the craziest weapon systems ever seriously deployed. If I were to count the various prototype and theoretical weapons systems birthed and abandoned throughout the Cold War, though, the Genie very quickly becomes... disturbingly conventional.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Right? It almost seems sensible! Clearly a stop gap and yet it remainedbin service into the 80s! Thanks for watching!

[@TreyM1609]

That and the Davy Crockett artillery nuke

[@blackbird_actual]

That original audio recording of the test was fantastic - like a kid reacting to setting off some homemade fireworks that he and his buddies made lol. Sounds a lot more "real" than most contemporary, more polished recordings from government films and the like.

[@TheArmourersBench]

He almost sounds giddy with nerves or excitement! It's a brilliant piece of history. Thanks for watching!

[@dalesharpy9197]

We were stationed at McChord AFB 1964-1970 with the 318th FIS Green Dragons and the 5th FIS Spittin' Kittens from Minot AFB 1970- 1974. Genies and Falcons all tucked neatly in a bomb bay :) My pops worked on the Fire Control System. USAF Brat 1960-1975

[@AlexDeese]

Perfect for opening up a combat box full of Soviet bombers on Christmas morning. :)

[@MrGrenadeMcBoom]

If I remember correctly, the volunteers for the plumb bob test failed to mention to the cameraman what the nature of the test was until they got to ground zero.

[@TheArmourersBench]

What a underhanded thing to do!

[@mixererunio1757]

Those madlads standing right under atomic missle.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Balls of steel.

[@cascadianrangers728]

Technically a rocket. Missiles have to have some sort of guidance package inside it

[@johndyson4109]

Ya know what gets me, is that it was completely UNGUIDED! I know the tech back then was not great for guidedense in missile tech but a UNGUIDED NUKE!!

[@themodernwarfarehistorian825]

US DoD: "Okay guys, someone made a mistake" MB-1 Program Engineer: "What's wrong?" Dod: "Unguided, Air-to-air, nuclear rocket? Surely one of the three is wrong" Engineer: "Ehm, it's actually all correct" Dod: "What the actual fu"

[@ptonpc]

One for the algorithm gods

[@TheArmourersBench]

Much appreciated! Thanks for watching!

[@hodwooker5584]

The photographer was not a volunteer! He was assigned to photograph the event.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Yes, I have since read that!

[@theREALdingusMD]

Fascinating video, thank you. Didn’t know this existed.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Thank you, glad you found it interesting!

[@normanmadden]

"Don't let the genie out of the bottle"?

[@azkrouzreimertz9784]

Keep uploading amazing content like this and you will reach 100k in no time. also this rocket is fucking horrifying.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Seems wild to us today doesn't it. Ahh I've been doing this for 3 years now and I'm getting towards 10K. Wish I could devote the time to making more than one a week. Very glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching.

[@josedorsaith5261]

It's surreal to think about using a "tactical" nuke to us today, with our current knowledge of radiation and fallout. It speaks volumes about the desperate situation a Soviet invasion of Germany would have been, when using small nukes seemed the best option.

[@xj9779]

Looked for a Video about these rockets, because a guy from Bellevue USA wanted to donate one to a Museum in Washington

[@rockmusicman21]

Another stellar video!

[@TheArmourersBench]

Thank you!!

[@garrettlogue4249]

@The Atomic Cafe did a great video on this as well.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Yes they did, I got recommended it just this afternoon!

[@PatGilliland]

Commenting for the Algorithm. Great video.

[@grumples1517]

Good stuff

[@vexrich]

Imagine being on a patrol aboard the fighter aircraft and you hit the wrong button

[@ViceCoin]

Davey Crockett, nuclear RPG.

[@cascadianrangers728]

This seems like an insane weapon at first but keep in mind the role of the interceptor. Imagine taking off from a base you know you cannot come back to because it will be vapor sucked up into a mushroom cloud, going full throttle and hauling all possible ass towards an incoming fleet of Soviet bombers. If you miss just one bomber, if just one gets through, it will mean an American city is getting glassed and there will be hundreds of thousands of casualties. Suddenly the Genie rocket seems a lot more reasonable, even a necessity.

[@cmendla]

Am I mistaken or did the fuse on the Genie have a shorter burn time than the fuse for a frag grenade?? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. I had the honor to meet a guy who flew the F 106.

[@uhmidk7]

alright, who let the Belkans near the weapon factories again?

[@Squib1911]

Good video. I've always considered the Genie an interesting weapon.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Thank you, thanks for watching!

[@Squib1911]

@@TheArmourersBench I'm gonna go back and watch your Bomarc video. TAB Episode 54: BOMARC Surface-to-Air Missile I am interested in some of the Cold War weapon systems.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Great, hope you find it interesting. Going to be doing more of the same throughout the year! I find this stuff really interesting.

[@giulianostella8603]

-How boring! What shall we do today? -I have an idea! we detonate an atomic bomb on the head! - Nice idea Bro! I'm sick of the usual beers and country music! -Okay, I'll call the other fellas and tell them to bring tequila ... and sunglasses

[@buzaldrin8086]

"Will the Ding Dong ring the bell?"

[@chriskortan1530]

Wasn't this weapon effectively obsolete even as it was deployed? It seems the Russians never intended to deploy their bombers, especially the Tu-95, in massed formations. Albeit with minimal searching, groups of three appear to be the norm. The air to air missile such as the sidewinder was beginning to be deployed. Perhaps the Airforce generals were guilty of "fighting the last war". Imagining the giant bomber formations over Germany.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Just like the Bomarc it was definitely quickly, if not on entry, obsolete. And yet remained in service into the 80s!

[@willymac5036]

I think in the 1950’s they were simply guilty of trying to create and deploy as many different kinds of nuclear weapons possible, and in the greatest possible numbers. The ever present threat of being annihilated by nuclear weapons will cause people to create, and do, some crazy things.

[@SimulatedInformation]

Please use metric for lenght dimensions!

[@TheArmourersBench]

Metric given in the accompanying article. armourersbench.com/2021/03/27/the-mb-1-genie-the-usafs-unguided-air-to-air-nuke/ Thanks for watching.

[@Werrf1]

It always annoys me when we see that picture of the five guys standing next to the sign "Ground Zero Population 5", because there were _six_ men there. The cameraman was the only one who wasn't a volunteer, and he didn't even get mentioned.

[@КонстантинКузнецов-л8т]

А может там была автоматическая камера?

[@Werrf1]

@@КонстантинКузнецов-л8т The cameraman's name was George Yoshitake. The most recent news I can find about him is from 2015 when he was 82 and still in good health.

[@КонстантинКузнецов-л8т]

@@Werrf1 Спасибо за информацию. Вам - всего хорошего. Константин.

[@leighrate]

Aka The Godzilla Round.

[@leighrate]

It's my understanding that most of them subsequently died of cancer. Was it because they smoked? Was it because of where they were? Was it from that explosion? You be the judge.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Here in the UK a lot of 'atomic' Cold War veterans of our nuclear testing have had health issues and they've never officially been recognised for their dangerous service. Campaign currently underway to change that. Thanks for watching!

[@TheArmourersBench]

Wonderful! Thanks for digging it up.

[@ourfatherinthegreen4065]

*Fucking What*

[@КонстантинКузнецов-л8т]

По моему скромному мнению - ракета "Джин" - бестолковое оружие. Оно для Вас опаснее, чем для русских. 2 - Какой гонорар был у тех пятерых парней, над которыми взорвалась атомная "Джини" In my humble opinion, the Genie missile is a stupid weapon. It is more dangerous for you than for the Russians. 2 - What was the salary of those five guys on whom the atomic Genie exploded?

[@doolittlegeorge]

Big deal now today given Putin Russia threat to launch and detonate a nuke in space.

[@blisteringstars]

ace combat bs

[@scootterpootter]

FFS, the weird is Nu CLEAR, not NU CULAR.

[@TheArmourersBench]

It's the British pronunciation. 🤷‍♂️

[@shanestachwick4784]

It’s incorrect in both varieties. Sadly it’s pretty common among American speakers. George W. Bush was infamous for repeatedly getting it wrong as part of his wider struggle with our silly language.

[@rulingmoss5599]

Who cares