forums
new posts
donate
UER Store
events
location db
db map
search
members
faq
terms of service
privacy policy
register
login




UER Forum > Archived US: South > Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo (Viewed 1137 times)
AggiePhil 


Location: College Station, TX
Gender: Male


Texas Aggie

Send Private Message | Send Email | AIM Message | 
Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
< on 12/29/2009 4:11 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
The following is a photo essay that I wrote up after visiting an Atlas F missile silo in May of 2005. A slightly more complete version (along with corresponding historic photos) can be found on my actual website, located here.




...




The year is 1957. The United States and the Soviet Union are rapidly approaching the height of the Cold War. Each side possess nuclear weapon technology, and each side is racing to be the first with the ability to deliver this technology over extremely long distances. The result of this arms race: Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)--giant rockets designed to lift a nuclear warhead into outer space, where the warhead would then propel itself back down toward the intended target. By 1960, the United States has put online its first series of operational ICBMs, called the Atlas D series. The aboveground "soft" launch facilities which housed the Atlas D missiles were vulnerable to foreign attack, but were built and made ready as quickly as possible, in order give the United States a defense from the Soviet threat.

Over the next two years, technology progressed at an astonishing rate, leading to the implementation of "semi-hardened" Atlas E launch sites, and then finally "hardened" underground Atlas F launch sites. At an approximate cost of $15 million each, the Atlas F sites were considered to be the best of the series. These sites consisted of a 52 ft. diameter missile silo going 174 ft. into the ground, with walls made of reinforced concrete 9 ft. thick. Connected to the silo by a horizontal tunnel was a two-story underground Launch Control Center (LCC), which housed the missile crew (known as "missileers"), restroom and kitchen facilities, sleeping quarters, and launch equipment. Suspended within the concrete shell by shock absorbers, the entire facility was built to theoretically withstand a foreign attack and still remain functional. In the event that a launch order was issued by the President of the United States, liquid rocket fuel would be pumped into the Atlas missile as the two 75 ton silo doors opened up vertically (in only 25 seconds!) and the missile was raised to the surface. Within minutes, the missile would be on its way to a pre-designated target, somewhere inside the Soviet Union.

Thankfully, the missiles never had to be launched in an attack. But for three years, the Atlas F ICBMs sat in their silos on full alert, ready to be launched at a moment's notice. However, in 1965, new technology had led to the Titan series of ICBMs, and the Atlas missiles were considered obsolete. The Air Force then began deactivating the Atlas F sites, first by removing the missiles, and then by gutting the inside of the silo and Launch Control Center (LCC). Interestingly, some facilities were left more intact than others, but for the most part, all were left in nearly unrecognizable states. For decades, these sites sat dormant underground, exposed to moisture, shifting soil, and the occasional daring graffiti vandal. Many of the silo structures became at least partially filled with ground water or rain water, which managed to seep inside through the various ducts, vents, and doors. For a while, it looked as though these historic sites would simply fade into history, never to be seen or used again.

However, in the last 25 years, private owners have begun to purchase the sites for their own personal or commercial uses. A few have been converted into underground homes. A few have been converted into underground storage facilities. And one is being used as a novelty SCUBA diving site for curious divers. All in all, 77 Atlas F sites were built, the majority of which were clustered in groups of 12 that surrounded the Air Force bases they were assigned to. One of these Air Force bases was Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas, which is still in full operation to this day. 12 Atlas F sites can be found in an approximately 20 mile radius around the city of Abilene, where I currently reside.

One of these Atlas F sites is near the town of Oplin and is owned by a man named Bruce Townsley ([email protected]). Bruce occasionally gives private tours of his site, which he lives in, and on May 8, 2005, he was gracious enough to give a tour to my wife and I. Below are the photos that we took along with some photos of the sites from back when they were operational.



(above) The main security gate and entry road (photo taken from inside the gate).



(above) Initial view of the silo cap. Bruce has managed to open one of the two silo doors (with the help of a giant crane), something very few other Atlas F owners have done. The door is currently propped open and is inoperable, but Bruce has managed to obtain an original hydraulic ram and custom mounting bracket, so someday this door may become functional again. 2009 Update: Since my 2005 visit, Bruce has connected and powered the hydraulic ram, therefore one of the two silo doors is operable; to my knowledge, there are no other Atlas sites like this in the world.



(above) Opposing topside view of the silo cap (photo taken from entryway door).



(above) Obligatory photo op next to the open silo door. Note: yellow hydraulic ram visible, but not connected; also, note the chain link covering the silo hole (it's a 185 ft. drop below this!).



(above) Here, both silo doors are visible. The crane perched over the open silo door is an addition that Bruce added.



(above) Topside view of the emergency escape hatch w/metal cover added by the owner. When the site was operational, a 4 ton column of sand sat in the shaft below this hole as a blast protection measure, and would dump out of the shaft when the lower escape hatch was opened in the LCC. Note: "quonset hut" auxiliary building in the background.



(above) Bruce stands next to one of the utility hatches. Note: UHF antenna in background.



(above) Bruce stands in the entryway door leading down into the facility.



(above) Stairway leading from the entryway down into the corridor. From here, four 90 degree turns are required to enter the LCC.



(above) Throughout the corridor, Bruce has some informative displays with vintage photographs. This one shows one of the Dyess missiles on display in downtown Abilene during its delivery to the silo.



(above) This photo shows the construction of Bruce's Oplin site.



(above) Ex post facto site blueprint done by the Corps of Engineers.



(above) Initial blast door after turn number three. Note: second blast door in background.



(above) Stairwell leading to both levels of the LCC. Photo taken from the vestibule. Note: Level One of the LCC in the background.



(above) LCC Level Two. Bruce has made quite a home out of his LCC, so the present layout hardly resembles the original layout at all. Originally, there were walls and doors dividing the LCC into rooms (see photo below).



(above) Emergency escape hatch. When operational, pulling on the red handle would drop the hatch, releasing a 4 ton column of sand (as noted on the placard in the previous photo), then the crew could make their escape. Note: LCC crib support ceiling bracket in background.



(above) Gap around the LCC central support, looking down to LCC Level One.



(above) Area of LCC Level Two previously occupied by bunk beds. Note: although it's difficult to imagine by looking at this photo, there is a 12" or so gap between the edge of the floor and the concrete wall. The owner has installed waist-high sheetrock wall panels (covered on top with the gray shingles) in place of hand rails. The large vertical metal pole is one of the crib supports, which is attached to the ceiling and allows both floors of the LCC (which are connected to each other) to actually hang from the concrete ceiling of the LCC. This means that if the site were to sustain a hit, the LCC floor would be able to absorb the shock. Bruce's silo is the only Atlas F silo with the LCC crib actually suspended like it used to be. When deactivated, all LCC cribs were either taken down and sat on the floor or removed altogether. Bruce was able to demonstrate the LCC's "floating floor" for us by pushing off on one of the walls. Sure enough, the entire floor sways.



(above) Present day living room, formerly the bathroom/kitchen area.



(above) LCC Level One. The angled support beams connect the lower level to the upper level.



(above) As can be seen in this photo, the lower level LCC floor has been given a wood finish, but the room remains relatively empty.



(above) Very nice shower installed by the owner.



(above) View of the debris door at the bottom of the stairwell leading to the silo, looking from the lower level of the LCC.



(above) Descending the single flight of stairs to enter the 40 ft. horizontal tunnel that opens up in the missile silo.



(above) At the end of the tunnel, opening the green blast door leading into the silo.



(above) Entering the missile silo.



(above) Unlike most Atlas F sites, Bruce's silo is very well lit during the day due to sunlight coming through the open silo door. Also, many of the sites had the entire metal structure in the silo completely removed (leaving only a concrete cylinder). Note: spiral staircase in left background.



(above) Good view up of the open silo door and the ram. This is one of the original hydraulic rams that was used on the Atlas F sites, which Bruce managed to obtain through various contacts. The ram is not currently hooked up to a hydraulic pump or to the silo door. 2009 Update: Since my 2005 visit, Bruce has connected and powered the hydraulic ram, therefore one of the two silo doors is operable; to my knowledge, there are no other Atlas sites like this in the world.



(above) View looking down 130 ft. into the missile space. It's a long drop if you slip while spray painting graffiti in the total darkness.



(above) View looking up at the bottom of the silo cap. Note: the elevator motors which lifted the missile gantry to the surface before launch used to sit on the two cut-off I-beams in the lower left hand corner (see operational photo below for a comparison).



(above) Like the LCC, the entire silo structure is also crib supported. Shown here is one of the main anchors for the crib supports, which connect to the central structure, some 47 ft. below. Note: political graffiti left by ACU college students, circa 1986. Think about where graffiti vandals had to position themselves in order to paint these particular areas with a 150 ft. drop below them...all in pitch black darkness. Bruce said he fully expected to find a body when he cleaned up the silo floor.



(above) hoto op number two.



(above) Sliding door of the once-operable freight/personnel elevator. Note: copious amounts of silver insulation, no doubt an asbestos abatement nightmare.



(above) Side view of the personnel elevator shaft (again, elevator and equipment have long since been removed).



(above) Looking down into the empty elevator shaft.



(above) Bruce closes up the blast door leading into the silo. Note: the concrete section to the left of the door shows how the thickness of the silo walls narrows from 9 ft. to 2 ft. below this point.


Well, hope y'all enjoyed. Feel free to share any questions or comments. Like I said, this was done/written almost five years ago but it's all still fairly fresh in my mind.

Barry Kooda 


Location: The Cliff
Gender: Male


Trees

Send Private Message | Send Email | Barry Kooda . Com
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 1 on 12/29/2009 5:56 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Very cool!
I'm glad to see people reusing these cool old places.

I'm a blatant waste of time and resources.
Boomer 


Location: Northeast, USA
Gender: Male




Send Private Message | Send Email
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 2 on 12/29/2009 6:15 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Very nice documentation and commentary!!! Thanks for sharing.

Cheez--it 


Location: Right here
Gender: Male


If I could say it in words, I wouldn't need to photograph.

Send Private Message | Send Email
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 3 on 12/29/2009 9:16 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Nice description and pictures!

SilentSearch 


Location: Cowtown
Gender: Male


My rebellion against the santa cursor! HoHoHo

Send Private Message | Send Email
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 4 on 12/29/2009 9:28 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I'm curious as to how much an investment he has put into the site. acquisition and the cost of the remodel.

Official UE Safety officer and rescue specialist.
Barry Kooda 


Location: The Cliff
Gender: Male


Trees

Send Private Message | Send Email | Barry Kooda . Com
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 5 on 12/30/2009 1:13 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
http://www.missilebases.com/properties

I'm a blatant waste of time and resources.
Allva 


Location: San Antonio, Texas
Gender: Male


I have my moments.

Send Private Message | Send Email | 
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 6 on 12/30/2009 1:22 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I visited that place sometime in mid '09. It was awesome.
http://www.uer.ca/...ow.asp?locid=28160
164291.jpg (69 kb, 800x533)
click to view


[last edit 12/30/2009 1:22 AM by Allva - edited 1 times]

Life is hard, but it's harder when you're stupid.
AggiePhil 


Location: College Station, TX
Gender: Male


Texas Aggie

Send Private Message | Send Email | AIM Message | 
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 7 on 12/30/2009 2:15 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Thanks for the kind words folks. It was a great experience and my first exploration. Glad I was able to share it with y'all here.

backslider26 


Location: Jonestown
Gender: Male




Send Private Message | Send Email | Yahoo! IM
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 8 on 12/30/2009 5:00 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I sooooooooo want this place....... time to go rob a sheik.

http://www.missilebases.com/adironback

RevSM 


Location: South Central Texas




Send Private Message | Send Email | Suburban Underground Vadders
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 9 on 1/4/2010 10:53 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Hey, AggiePhil, thanks to your website Allva and I went there. Thanks!

Have you seen my panorama of the silo?





Tetanus for Breakfast!
http://www.shatteredshutter.com
AggiePhil 


Location: College Station, TX
Gender: Male


Texas Aggie

Send Private Message | Send Email | AIM Message | 
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 10 on 1/4/2010 11:40 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Oh wow! Nice vertical pano! When did you visit? And how long does it take that door to open? When I went, I believe he had just gotten a pump that would be able to operate the hydraulic ram. He said that it was a surprisingly small pump but that it would take something like 10 minutes to open the door. On the flip side, back when the side was operational, the doors could be opened up in a mere 25 seconds.

Also, can you imagine being those college kids exploring in the pitch dark silo with 185 feet of emptiness below you as you spray paint graffiti on the walls? Talk about being scared shitless! Then again, they probably didn't even realize just how far down it truly was!

RevSM 


Location: South Central Texas




Send Private Message | Send Email | Suburban Underground Vadders
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 11 on 1/5/2010 2:25 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
He already had the door open for us and he said it was because it takes so long. If I remember correctly he said it was more like 15 or 20 minutes. He did close it for us though and it took something like 5 minutes. When the door was about 2ft from closing I decided to ride it the rest of the way down. As I was standing there on top of the door I could feel no vibrations whatsoever. It was like standing on solid ground only I was sinking. Weird feeling for sure but then again it was something like 70 tons so you shouldn't expect much in the way of vibration. Also, there was no noise like I had expected. Just a ping every 10 seconds or so. I kinda looked at Bruce with a worried expression when I first heard it but he said that was normal. ;)

I can only imagine what it was like for those kids playing with spray paint in that black abyss.

Tetanus for Breakfast!
http://www.shatteredshutter.com
Wilk 


Location: NYC
Gender: Male




Send Private Message | Send Email | 
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 12 on 1/11/2010 11:19 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Very cool! The Atlas F reminds me of the few Titan II silo's Ive explored. I can't imagine how many hours this Bruce fella has into renovating that thing.

Ready for liftoff
insanedArk 


Location: GTA
Gender: Male




Send Private Message | Send Email
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 13 on 1/11/2010 11:29 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Wow, really awesome of him to give you a private tour! By the looks of this place, I think I saw it back when I was a youngin' on Popular Mechanics for Kids (awesome show btw)

Stay tuned for Exploring the World with Insane Dick!
leafloving4x4gal 


Location: Durham Region
Gender: Female


Someday is NOT a day of the week !

Send Private Message | Send Email
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 14 on 1/12/2010 12:11 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
THAT is the "shit"....so very cool....I never knew such a place existed as a residence...thanks for schooling me...really awesome you got to see first hand

"if you are not selfish enough to make yourself happy, you have nothing of value to offer the world."
DJ Craig 

Moderator


Location: Johnson City, TN
Gender: Male


Break the Silence

Send Private Message | Send Email | AIM Message | Facebook
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 15 on 1/19/2010 8:13 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
This is so cool! Exploring legit = urban exploration, just the same, and I would send this thread to anyone who says otherwise.

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..." -Dr. Suess
fatwax4 


Location: somewhere i shouldn't be
Gender: Male




Send Private Message | Send Email | 
Re: Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo
<Reply # 16 on 2/4/2010 11:36 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I have seen lots of pics of these silos turned in to homes. They always look like a urb-x dream house because only half of it is usually renovated. Wish I had the money to buy one!!!

instagram

UER Forum > Archived US: South > Countdown to Launch: Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo (Viewed 1137 times)



All content and images copyright © 2002-2024 UER.CA and respective creators. Graphical Design by Crossfire.
To contact webmaster, or click to email with problems or other questions about this site: UER CONTACT
View Terms of Service | View Privacy Policy | Server colocation provided by Beanfield
This page was generated for you in 144 milliseconds. Since June 23, 2002, a total of 737095430 pages have been generated.