A Secret Plan for Nuclear Land Mines
In the 1950s, Britain developed Blue Peacock, a ten-kiloton nuclear land mine designed for use in Germany. The plan was to bury these bombs on the North German Plain and detonate them if Soviet forces invaded. The mines could be triggered by a wire, an eight-day timer, or anti-tampering devices.
Massive and Difficult to Deploy
Weighing 7.2 tons, Blue Peacock was based on the earlier Blue Danube bomb. Its steel casing required outdoor testing in a flooded gravel pit in Kent. Anti-tampering measures ensured it would detonate if moved, depressurized, or filled with water.
Chickens as a Heating Solution
One challenge was keeping the bomb’s mechanisms operational in cold weather. Engineers proposed sealing live chickens inside the casing, with food and water, to generate heat. This idea was so bizarre that when declassified in 2004, many assumed it was an April Fool’s joke.
Project Cancelled
By 1958, concerns over nuclear fallout and political consequences led to the cancellation of Blue Peacock. The idea of using chickens to warm a nuclear bomb remains one of the most unusual military concepts ever documented.
In the 1950s, Britain developed Blue Peacock, a ten-kiloton nuclear land mine designed for use in Germany. The plan was to bury these bombs on the North German Plain and detonate them if Soviet forces invaded. But they had one strange feature…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/km9qjUGbtw
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) February 24, 2025