  We present the first three-dimensional (3D) simulations of the large-scale
mixing that takes place in the shock-heated stellar layers ejected in the
explosion of a 15.5 solar-mass blue supergiant star. The outgoing supernova
shock is followed from its launch by neutrino heating until it breaks out from
the stellar surface more than two hours after the core collapse. Violent
convective overturn in the post-shock layer causes the explosion to start with
significant asphericity, which triggers the growth of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT)
instabilities at the composition interfaces of the exploding star. Deep inward
mixing of hydrogen (H) is found as well as fast-moving, metal-rich clumps
penetrating with high velocities far into the H-envelope of the star as
observed, e.g., in the case of SN 1987A. Also individual clumps containing a
sizeable fraction of the ejected iron-group elements (up to several 0.001 solar
masses) are obtained in some models. The metal core of the progenitor is
partially turned over with Ni-dominated fingers overtaking oxygen-rich bullets
and both Ni and O moving well ahead of the material from the carbon layer.
Comparing with corresponding 2D (axially symmetric) calculations, we determine
the growth of the RT fingers to be faster, the deceleration of the dense
metal-carrying clumps in the He and H layers to be reduced, the asymptotic
clump velocities in the H-shell to be higher (up to ~4500 km/s for the
considered progenitor and an explosion energy of 10^{51} ergs, instead of <2000
km/s in 2D), and the outward radial mixing of heavy elements and inward mixing
of hydrogen to be more efficient in 3D than in 2D. We present a simple argument
that explains these results as a consequence of the different action of drag
forces on moving objects in the two geometries. (abridged)
