The first hydrogen bomb test , code-named Ivy Mike , occurred in late 1952 as part of Operation Ivy ; it vaporized the islet of Elugelab . This test included B-17 Flying Fortress drones to fly through the radioactive cloud to test onboard samples . B-17 mother ships controlled the drones while flying within visual distance of them . In all 16 to 20 B-17s took part in this operation , of which half were controlling aircraft and half were drones . To examine the explosion clouds of the nuclear bombs in 1957/58 several rockets ( mostly from rockoons ) were launched . One USAF airman was lost at sea during the tests
Ivy Mike
Ivy Mike
Enewetak Atoll