# Fall Marya (DD-412)

> RDS-3, the Soviet Union's third nuclear test, took place on October 18, 1951, at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in present-day Kazakhstan. It was the first Soviet atomic bomb dropped from an aircraft, a Tupolev Tu-4 bomber, and it detonated about 400 meters above the ground with a yield of about 42 kilotons. The footage shows archival test film.

- Department: History (also Military)
- First published: 2024-12-08
- Last updated: 2024-12-08
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/fall-marya/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## On the timeline

- **Oct. 18, 1951**: RDS-3 air-dropped test

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=fall-marya

## Quick facts

- **DD-412-F01**: October 18, 1951. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (Date))_
- **DD-412-F02**: Semipalatinsk. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (Site))_

## Write-up

On October 18, 1951, the Soviet Union air-dropped an atomic bomb for the first time. It burst about 400 meters above the Semipalatinsk test site.

1. **Date**: October 18, 1951.
2. **Site**: Semipalatinsk.
3. **Aircraft**: Tupolev Tu-4.
4. **Altitude**: About 400 m.
5. **Yield**: About 42 kt.

## Related case files

- [Atomic Annie (DD-004)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/atomic-annie/): I linked more nuclear tests

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: None needed.

## Video: Fall Marya: On October 18, 1951, the Soviet Union Air-Dropped an Atomic Bomb for the First Time

- Duration: 20.1 s · Published: 2024-12-08
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DDUvG8qJ-cy.mp4

### Transcript

Did you know, on October 18th, 1951, the Soviet Union conducted its third nuclear test, designated RDS-3, at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan. This event marked the USSR's first airdropped atomic bomb test, with the device released from a Tupolev aircraft and detonated at an altitude of approximately 400 meters. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: When was RDS-3 tested?**  
A: Third test. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Date) · Wikipedia: RDS-3)_

**Q: Where?**  
A: Kazakhstan. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Site) · Wikipedia: Semipalatinsk Test Site)_

**Q: What was new?**  
A: From a bomber. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Aircraft) · Wikipedia: RDS-3)_

**Q: Which aircraft?**  
A: Tupolev. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Altitude) · Wikipedia: RDS-3)_

**Q: Burst height?**  
A: Airburst. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Yield) · Wikipedia: RDS-3)_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: RDS-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RDS-3)
- [Wikipedia: Semipalatinsk Test Site](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semipalatinsk_Test_Site)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Fall Marya." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-412, last updated Dec 8, 2024. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/fall-marya/