Building a Titan II Missile Silo

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 พ.ค. 2022
  • What did it take to build the 54 Titan II missile silos around the United States during the 1960's?
    Watch this to find out!
    Thanks to Whitesand for the background music. Listen to him below...
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ความคิดเห็น • 419

  • @fido2006
    @fido2006 2 ปีที่แล้ว +154

    In the early 60's my dad worked for the General Electric Re-entry Systems Division in Philadelphia. They made the re-entry vehicle for the Titan II. That's the nose cone that held the warhead plus a lower skirt that held the electronics and the penetration aids. The upper part of the nose was made of "ablative" material. Basically a metal honeycomb with some sort of high-temp resin poured over it. The ablative material functioned as the heat shield during the re-entry phase. The lower portion of the re-entry vehicle housed penetration aids or decoys, in tubes mounted crosswise. The pen-aids would be ejected during re-entry and would inflate to confuse ABM systems. To open the side of the vehicle so the pen-aids could be ejected, long, about 1/2 inch wide, shaped charges that outlined where an opening needed to be, would be blown by the electronics. Dad said the tooling that GE had in Philadelphia at the time was WW2 era and had trouble holding the tolerances required by the contract.
    At the Hill AFB Museum near Ogden they have or had a re-entry vehicle on a trailer transporter on its side and you can see the tubes for the pen-aids and the shaped charges bolted to the inside of the lower skirt of the REV. The National Atomic Museum in Albuquerque has a complete static Titan II and a REV on display (along with an atomic cannon.) On the base of the REV is a little GE nameplate. And of course there's both an REV and full missile at the Titan II Missile Museum south of Tucson. There's also a Titan II re-entry vehicle mounted in front of the Moon Valley High School ("Home of the rockets!") on Cactus Road just west of 35th Avenue in Phoenix.
    Thanks for the video!

    • @Bramon83
      @Bramon83 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That last one is a little odd but cool as hell.

    • @gatorshd
      @gatorshd 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I worked at Chestnut St. So did my dad. He was a guard. Great place to work. Brilliant people.

    • @Telephony954
      @Telephony954 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      In the late 80's early 90's I worked on the natural gas gathering systems as a xray tech doing nondestructive testing on the pipelines in the Roswell area, on the way back from the right of way one evening, Ii had the occasion to enter one of the abandoned Atlas missile silo. They were smaller than these, I remember how much cooler the air was down there. And dark. there were 3 of us and I was still pretty nervous. down the inital stairs to a curved door, right turn then a quick left down more stairs in the dark, when i turned on my flashlight I could see the giant round room with the floors suspended by steel rods. down more stairs to a really long hallway that entered into the silo. looking up I could see daylight way the hell up there. pretty spooky. The other thing I remember was the wind blowing in that hallway. later on I heard there was a nasty accident with fueling a missile and someone was hurt in that.

    • @fido2006
      @fido2006 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@gatorshd The Chestnut St. plant is where my dad worked. Later he transferred to Manned Spaceflight at King of Prussia. 😀

    • @fido2006
      @fido2006 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Bramon83 When I drive by it I always imagine it's in a Nicholas Cage movie like National Treasure; a fully fueled Titan II, put there by modern Illuminati, waiting for someone to find the two launch keys hidden behind some bricks at the school.

  • @ScaleModelKitReview
    @ScaleModelKitReview ปีที่แล้ว +37

    I was a Missile Maintenance Technician who worked in these Silos in the early eighties, it was a real thrill. Great video.

  • @danielmcconnell1096
    @danielmcconnell1096 2 ปีที่แล้ว +29

    Hats off to the workers and engineers who designed and then built these so quickly.

    • @gmcinnis6304
      @gmcinnis6304 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      in the scorching heat of the desert that has 8 months of SUMMMMMER HEAT. 120* in the shade? means 160* in the desert sun

    • @mattstone8878
      @mattstone8878 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      They gambled with the lives of every American and it paid off.

  • @warrenjones744
    @warrenjones744 2 ปีที่แล้ว +79

    I was stationed in Little Rock 1982-84 as a heavy equipment operator. We would often go out to the sites to perform maintenance on the facilities. Usually in support of the plumbers. Sometimes we would have to go down inside the silos to work or get our briefing after entering the facility. It was always fun to go through the blast lock doors and into the control center. Once I was able to look inside the silo and see the missile. impressive facilities for sure.

  • @shaggyduder
    @shaggyduder ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I was 5 when they were building these, my father was high ranking Air Force, he used to take my brother out to the sites and watch them being built, in Tucson, I'm from Tucson, and was born on Davis Monthan Air Force Base as well as my siblings. I'll never forget what I saw.

  • @markclark1654
    @markclark1654 2 ปีที่แล้ว +90

    Another awesome video! Titan was an amazing weapon system, and I'm glad to have been a part of it. Major Mark Clark, USAFR (Ret), former senior DMCCC at MAFB and LRAFB.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      Thanks for your service and thanks for watching :)

    • @ibbylancaster8981
      @ibbylancaster8981 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Thank you for your service. Much love and thanks for protecting our country 🤙

    • @Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P
      @Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Major Clark, OS1 (SW) Mares.....as a Former 'Cold Warrior' also, I Thank You for your Service, Sacrifice and Time (SST Baby!!!). Thanks for standing the 'Mid-Watch' with me, Thanks for training those Men/Women, and Thanks...... for All you Sacrificed during your time!

    • @jessejohnson6435
      @jessejohnson6435 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thanks for your service Sir.

  • @gregdevlin2162
    @gregdevlin2162 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Sliding and burning 60’ on my back on the morning of September 19, 1980 in Damascus Arkansas, as a result of the Titan II explosion, along with the loss of David Livingston, and the injuries to all my Titan II Brothers that morning will be forever burned in my brain. But with that said, I truly loved my job as a PTS (Propellant Transfer Systems) technician from 1977-1981 at Little Rock Air Force Base, and most importantly I value the great friendships with all the guys and girls I worked with there. It’s awesome we still have reunions every few years bringing anyone and everyone whoever worked on these complexes together.

    • @SteveWright-oy8ky
      @SteveWright-oy8ky 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      The story told in the book, " COMMAND AND CONTROL " is one of the most frightening incidents in our nuclear history ! That the loss of Livingston could have been avoided along with the the injuries of the others had the officers allowed the fully experienced PTS crews to do they're jobs as they had been trained to perform ! My heart felt THANKS to you and all who underwent this horrific ordeal !

    • @ricochetaz3846
      @ricochetaz3846 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Thank you for making it possible for United States of America citizens to sleep without worry.
      🇺🇸

  • @scroungasworkshop4663
    @scroungasworkshop4663 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    This could be ten times longer and it would still be fascinating. 👍👍👍

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Haha! So glad that you enjoyed it! Have you seen the other videos on my channel yet?

    • @scroungasworkshop4663
      @scroungasworkshop4663 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@ThompsonAtomicRanch Not yet but I will be👍👍👍

  • @labman9912
    @labman9912 2 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    What a great video. Should be played at the Titan Missile Museum Green Valley Arizona. These weapons systems never should have been deactivated instead they should have been updated and retrofitted.

    • @dundonrl
      @dundonrl 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I'd guess it's cheaper to build new than completely removing all the old stuff and building new in it's place.

    • @rubbermannequin6595
      @rubbermannequin6595 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Seriously? You're hilarious.

    • @ronjon7942
      @ronjon7942 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      The Titan missiles used liquid propellant, which was expensive and difficult to maintain and replenish; the solid fuel Minuteman had a much longer shelf life. If you’re referring to repurposing the massive silo complexes, they were decommissioned and made unusable per START treaties with the Soviets.

  • @Pricklyhedgehog72
    @Pricklyhedgehog72 2 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    Can't get enough of these vids, the construction and the operation of the facilities is fascinating stuff. Watching them being repurposed is a journey of Cold War discovery.

  • @blueboats7530
    @blueboats7530 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I was born in Tucson and was in First Grade in school right after these were finished. Even that young I remember the "duck and cover" drills, and I remember the huge windows I was looking out of from under the desk. Now I grasp the gravity of those drills, though now I'm pretty sure those flimsy grade school desks wouldn't have done much for us.

  • @JoshHookerJoshhook123
    @JoshHookerJoshhook123 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    The museum in Tucson is definitely a must see

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It really is! They do such a good job over there of preserving this awesome history!

  • @taxpayer6079
    @taxpayer6079 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Proud to be an American. We were much more capable than.

  • @destinationunknown7857
    @destinationunknown7857 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    This is one of the best vids I have seen about a missile silo's construction. Thank you.

  • @byronking9573
    @byronking9573 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Fascinating presentation. Love the background music. Great narration and information. Visuals are excellent. Many thanks for creating this video and posting it.

  • @chinesechicken20
    @chinesechicken20 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Undertakings such as these and the Manhattan project show the awesome capabilities of Americans when there is a common goal. This is what is needed to bring America together.

    • @blipco5
      @blipco5 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Vote Blue 🇺🇸

  • @marvinschmitz3442
    @marvinschmitz3442 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I grew up with the silo at cheney lake kansas, I would work our farmland about five miles from it. When I got bored I would try to imagine it going off. Thank God it never did. Then in the beef packing house in Wichita, KS. I worked with a guy who said he was on a construction crew that built it. Funny how lives mingle with each other. Those were the days.

    • @SteveWright-oy8ky
      @SteveWright-oy8ky 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Watch the movie/video, " THE DAY AFTER " and there you will get a much more detailed viewing of what you had imagined !

  • @MauricioVives
    @MauricioVives 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Thank you for putting this together! I wondered how such an underground complex could be built, and your explanation definitely satisfied that curiosity.

  • @michaeldumais1784
    @michaeldumais1784 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Very informative piece of Cold War history. When I served in the Navy I knew , in general, about their existence, but never these details.
    Kudos for posting.

  • @GermanMic
    @GermanMic 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Fascinating, mindblowing & truly shocking!
    What a waste of precious earth & minds!

  • @pi.actual
    @pi.actual 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    One of the sites near Tucson was preserved and made into a museum. We visited it back in August of 2023 and I highly recommend taking the tour if you get a chance. They even run a mock simulated launch procedure with all of the bells and whistles. Pretty spooky.

    • @FlyGuy2000
      @FlyGuy2000 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      We took the tour a few years back but didn't get the launch simulation, that sounds pretty cool. We did have a guy who worked in the control room for a decade while it was operational though; the one thing that really stuck in my mind was that the final destination for the warheads is still classified. Really neat seeing it live and in person, just the way it was when it was operational.

    • @insideoutsideupsidedown2218
      @insideoutsideupsidedown2218 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@FlyGuy2000that is one thing that will remain classified, if not Top Secret.

  • @ForbiddTV
    @ForbiddTV 2 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    I made an effort to see many of the missile sites in 2017 and I gotta say the Titan was the most interesting.
    Also saw;
    Atlas E in KS,
    Minuteman in SD,
    Nike in CA,
    Titan in AZ.
    Always wished I had the money to buy one, instead I'm building underground structures now for myself.

    • @JamsheedRpgGodBoss
      @JamsheedRpgGodBoss 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Grew up around the Kansas City area, seen and been in my fair share of Nike bases. There’s one in Missouri that I used to play airsoft at. Never have gone down into the magazines but would love to. My favorite site would have to be a Titan 2 and I’ve never been to one.

    • @ForbiddTV
      @ForbiddTV 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@JamsheedRpgGodBoss If you ever go to San Francisco there is a Nike site just north of the Golden Gate bridge that you can tour that has fully operational hydraulics to open the doors, raise the missile to the surface from the magazine and orient the missile into the near vertical launch position. You can observe this from inside the magazine, then from the surface when returned to the magazine. I made a video of the entire process and posted it on my channel. My understanding is it's the most complete Nike site left in the country that you can visit.

  • @riverman4798
    @riverman4798 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    WOW.. And thank you. I have always wondered how these were built.

  • @donchaput8278
    @donchaput8278 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    You can tour the last remaining one in Tucson, worth the visit! If you want to volunteer you can turn the launch key as well. The engineering of this is absolutely amazing and it's over 60 years old.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      The museum is such a great experience! I’m glad you’ve been able to go there :)

  • @sscalf31
    @sscalf31 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I spent a great deal of time in one of those silos. Hooah SAC elite. USAF retired

  • @jamesthompson8008
    @jamesthompson8008 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Thanks for posting this, I think it's a cool video myself. Amazing how much was put into these so fast, & then equally amazing how much work it is for guys like yourself to bring them back just for your own use. More updates as you can please. Thanks

  • @ropeaccessinspection9472
    @ropeaccessinspection9472 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Excellent video, thanks so much for all the photos and video of such a great piece of history.

  • @sganzerlag
    @sganzerlag 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Amazing system! Thanks so much for sharing this. Best regards from Brasilia, Brazil.

  • @brentmiller7075
    @brentmiller7075 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    BMAT at 570-3, 570-7, 570-5 (ACP) and other 570 sites from 1969 to 1975. Long boring days and nights with a few times of WTF mixed in. Wouldn't trade the experience.

  • @shanew8158
    @shanew8158 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Let’s not forget about the titan 2 that exploded in Arkansas and almost wiped us off the map, only thing keeping the warhead from detonating was a simple switch wasn’t flipped, crazy to think a small switch is what kept a huge nuke from insta-wiping Arkansas off the map!

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      This weapons system did pack a punch! Thankfully the warhead was unharmed in the Damascus incident. Crazy to think tho that the warhead was unaccounted for until they found it laying out in a field nearby. :P

  • @fw1421
    @fw1421 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Amazing that anybody would want to live anywhere near these cities out of fear of what could happen. I sure wouldn’t!

  • @chefchemist7343
    @chefchemist7343 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I live 1/4th of a mile from the Titan II missile museum in Sahuarita, AZ...there are many abandoned sites around this area that are just absolutely fascinating to visit. Thanks for the video...the site you have here is near Madera Canyon recreational area...Continental 571-5, Site 6.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Nice! We must live pretty close to eachother actually. My brother and I both live in Sahuarita and have always loved to go to the museum. We still remember when the long cableway at 571-5 was topside just sitting there. Eventually it was hauled off and scrapped, sad day!

    • @BPerezsr
      @BPerezsr 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      The missile site in Madera Canyon recreational area 571-5, is Site 1-5. Former MCCC 571SMS Site 5-1. Retired Major Ben Perez Sr.

  • @user-hw1cr5uq4z
    @user-hw1cr5uq4z 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Remember the Martin plant southwest of Denver where the Titan Missiles were built. They would be trucked under canvas covers to Lowry AFB and Buckley ANG, to be loaded on USAF cargo aircraft for deployment around the US.

    • @eatcommies1375
      @eatcommies1375 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Still work with some old timers that built them….

  • @robertslugg8361
    @robertslugg8361 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    The portable concrete plant that my dad used for highway construction began its life building silos.

  • @Veldtian1
    @Veldtian1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    They're a sturdy shelter, worthy of 'The Withstandinator' moniker.

  • @sebell69
    @sebell69 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    WOW
    They certainly made them well!

    • @GM8101PHX
      @GM8101PHX 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      The blast doors are still perfectly balanced in 2024, they were placed in about 1960!!

  • @travelinman70
    @travelinman70 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    wow, what perspective on the enormity of this construction. Thank you for the reference.

  • @garypillischafske1425
    @garypillischafske1425 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I spent a lot of time in these silos as QC&E. Loved it all.

  • @georgesealy4706
    @georgesealy4706 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Very interesting video. Thanks for posting.

  • @barriewright2857
    @barriewright2857 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Absolutely amazing. These buildings have to be put back in to use. For civilian usage otherwise it's a waste of a brilliant asset.

  • @kilokslr
    @kilokslr 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Very informative. Good video! Thnx

  • @robertkerby2581
    @robertkerby2581 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Very informative!

  • @timmotel5804
    @timmotel5804 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    This is excellent and very educational for me. I've been to the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley Arizona several times, as I lived in Phoenix. My young son at the time of our visits, turned the launch keys 3 times. A wonderful, educational and historic place for anyone to visit. Thank you for filling in so many "blanks" for me. My son is in his early 40s now. I will make sure that he watches this video. Thank You Very Much.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      So cool! Glad you enjoyed it :)

    • @timmotel5804
      @timmotel5804 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@ThompsonAtomicRanch I told my son earlier and he said that he is one of your subscribers. Best Regards.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@timmotel5804 awesome! Glad to have y’all following along on the Titan ii journey!

  • @rogers7884
    @rogers7884 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you great video

  • @geniferteal4178
    @geniferteal4178 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    1:29 My first thought when starting to watch this video.
    We need more of those kind of Presidents. The ones that stand up to stuff like that.

  • @cruisemissle87
    @cruisemissle87 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Seeing this in a new light since the war in Ukraine. We under-appreciate how vital these efforts have been for global political stability even today.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      So true! They play a key role in keeping the peace in this crazy world!

  • @cstraws
    @cstraws 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    My father was an electrician on the Rock, Ks. sites in the mid 1960's. He said it was interesting work but scary to think about what could happen if the missile had to be launched. Once that job concluded he went to work at Boeing in Wichita, Ks. building...what else but B-52 bombers that are still in service today.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That’s awesome! He was part of sometime great, that’s for sure

    • @williamwisener5778
      @williamwisener5778 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Unfortunately the site at Rock Kansas was to be the site of 2 major events. On August 21st 1978 during a propelent transfer, a accident took place that killed and injured many personnel. Many of the personnel that responded were exposed to chemical residue, and were not given proper discharges, and never received any treatment or benefits for their injuries or disabilities caused by the incident.

    • @cstraws
      @cstraws 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@williamwisener5778 I had never heard of that situation. Could it have been covered up by the powers that be?

    • @dods2002
      @dods2002 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@cstraws Check out the History Guy. He has done stories on several near US nuclear detonations. Very interesting Stuff.

  • @JustinHunnicutt
    @JustinHunnicutt 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Those inflation costs seem to be off by at least a factor of 10x. I quickly checked multiple cpi inflation calculators for 1960 and the highest I got was much less than 180 million which would be 1/10 of the value you mentioned. Awesome video though. Would have been cool to hear about what's happened to them since the 80s if you want to make a follow up.

  • @dahur
    @dahur 2 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    I would love to have one of these in my backyard.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      It is SO fun to go out and work at our Titan ii site. Lots of work but it is a blast! Get it?! Jk

    • @reallyhappenings5597
      @reallyhappenings5597 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You can buy one if you don't mind the flooding

  • @insideoutsideupsidedown2218
    @insideoutsideupsidedown2218 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    The Titan II was a retaliatory weapon, not a first strike weapon. The sites were designed to withstand a near miss, and then retaliate, not the other way around.

    • @anotherguy9402
      @anotherguy9402 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Who told you that the government? 😂

    • @insideoutsideupsidedown2218
      @insideoutsideupsidedown2218 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      1. Because if they were first strike weapons, they would not have based silos in Arkansas or Arizona. They would be in Alaska. 2. The US Air Force would not have spent that much money to insure they could survive a near miss.

  • @kiereluurs1243
    @kiereluurs1243 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Yes, makes me realize what a gigantic task this was.
    And costs.

  • @Anolbea
    @Anolbea 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Very interesting. Thank you.

  • @bubbaseth1
    @bubbaseth1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    My dad helped build those. Cool video!

  • @blurglide
    @blurglide 2 ปีที่แล้ว +30

    The distance between sites is to protect them from a first strike by the Soviets. In a retaliatory strike by the Soviets, the silos would already be empty.
    I'd love to see something about Titan 1. Colossally expensive, MUCH bigger facilities, and were only used for a few years.

    • @marzsit9833
      @marzsit9833 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      3 former titan 1 sites in my state, i've visited 2 of them and they are crazy big..... and yes they were only active for about 5 years, then abandoned...

    • @blueboats7530
      @blueboats7530 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Yeah, the Titan I had to be fueled-up just before launch, so the whole facility was much more elaborate and vulnerable. The big change with the Titan II was the fuel could be in the rocket all the time that it was waiting for Armageddon.

    • @krashd
      @krashd 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      The distance was in case the US was a retaliatory strike, if the US was a first strike it wouldn't matter where the silos were located.

    • @blurglide
      @blurglide 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@krashd Why would we care if our empty silo's were targeted? The distance is to survive a Soviet first strike so WE can retaliate- not to survive a Soviet retaliatory strike after we strike first

    • @user-yd4rn4ez6m
      @user-yd4rn4ez6m 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      US first strike could’ve been from a bomber or submarine instead of these silos though.

  • @kennethwallace4338
    @kennethwallace4338 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thanks. Seen someone do a view through of one for training exercise and thought how the world they get that underground. Excellent video.

  • @allenludwin
    @allenludwin 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    The titan missile museum off Duval mine rd in Sahuarita Arizona is well worth the visit.

  • @BeechSportBill
    @BeechSportBill 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    btw… there are three missile Titan II Missile launch complexes at Vandenberg… They were built first and went on alert during the Cuban Missile Crisis…. and were used for many test launches. They are still there.

    • @roostercogburn2600
      @roostercogburn2600 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      One is a museum that is no longer in use. A few years ago when I had the opportunity to tour it everything was still in place.

    • @silopedia
      @silopedia ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@roostercogburn2600 what year did you visit 395-C (the museum), and what condition was it in?

    • @roostercogburn2600
      @roostercogburn2600 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@silopedia 2015 or so. It was leaking ground water at the time due to the high water table. Power was still on. Dead animals inside. All of the equipment was still in place as if it was walked away from yesterday. A couple of k-spans with equipment are still rotting away topside.

    • @silopedia
      @silopedia ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@roostercogburn2600 very interesting! So far, you’re the most recent person I’ve talked to that’s been underground at the site. A former care taker said mold and “bad air” was becoming an issue back in 2012, but didn’t mention water infiltration. Could you see how much was at the bottom of the silo? There’s literally only four pictures of the site on the internet.. somewhat of a “holy grail” for enthusiasts

  • @machstem6390
    @machstem6390 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Id love to havr a scaled down yet just as impressive one. Thats so cool

  • @tommycolton4971
    @tommycolton4971 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I live in tucson the green valley one is now a museum it's fun as hell to visit

  • @tomblah
    @tomblah 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Phenomenal that they built this all in a year and have it fully operational

  • @dundonrl
    @dundonrl 2 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    The only thing I have to disagree with, 12.6 million in 1960 is worth 124 million in 2022, not the over a billion as the video said.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Not sure. I read it in a book. Perhaps it is not accurate

    • @robdavy4468
      @robdavy4468 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @@ThompsonAtomicRanch certainly isn't. Probably worth calculating yourself as you present if with some confidence, even though it doesn't pass the sniff test

    • @omnianti0
      @omnianti0 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Amethyst for sure it is the calculation but duno how it translate in 60years

  • @johngaither3830
    @johngaither3830 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    In the summer of 1968 the oil company seismograph crew I worked on had permission to cross a corner of a Titan II missile site near Greenbrier, Ar. The permit said we were to give 24 hours notice in advance of our operations. That detail failed to be passed along and we entered unannounced. Yes, our operations literally stirred up a hornets nest of activity. Helicopters full of armed men and then trucks descended upon the 5 of us making the trespass. We had guns pointed at us for the 45 minutes it took to sort things out.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Wow! Quite that made for quite the story to tell! Haha

  • @SteveStoltz
    @SteveStoltz 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I love the documentary's.

  • @PaletoB
    @PaletoB 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wow, that some impressive engindering.

  • @DJ-sn2xj
    @DJ-sn2xj 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    As someone who did security on these missiles in Tucson, and stayed in the control center when on duty, I can say with out a doubt, that there were actually 19 missile silos in Arizona, NOT 18. The one in Green Valley is now a museum. The missiles were in 5 security sectors, had 4 missiles in each, and the 5th one had 3 missiles.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      No way!? Where is the 19th? I’d love to go and see it :)

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Are you talking about the facility up on Mt Lemmon?

    • @DJ-sn2xj
      @DJ-sn2xj 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@ThompsonAtomicRanch There were 19 missiles around Tucson. Davis-Monthan AFB was the home base. No, on MT. Lemmon was a communications tower I believe. They started de-activating the missiles in 1983, I believe, and the first one they got rid of was in north Tucson, that was right next to a school. The only one still up is the one in Green Valley as a museum.

    • @markclark1654
      @markclark1654 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Absolutely not! There were only 54 operational sites, 18 each at DMAFB, MCAFB, and LRAFB. McConnell lost one in 1978 at Rock, KS and of course the Damascus incident took out one at LRAFB. IF it existed, where was it? What squadron did it belong to? Sorry, you are incorrect. I spent 3.5 years as a Titan Senior DMCCC and I know the numbers. Major Mark Clark, USAFR Ret

  • @geniferteal4178
    @geniferteal4178 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Fun to watch this after having seen many of the current recovery videos. people that bought these and tried to make something of them again.

  • @devinhallsworth5531
    @devinhallsworth5531 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    When you look at how much goes into building these silos the soviets decision to base their ICBMs on mobile platforms like large trucks or rail lines looks really smart and cost effective in comparison.

  • @SJR_Media_Group
    @SJR_Media_Group 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Amazing what man can build when presented with a negative outcome if not built. They did the almost impossible, in an almost impossible location. Glad we were never 'tested' for our resolve. I have seen where some of these silos have been repurposed; private home, high end doomsday bunker, etc.

  • @milesinfront
    @milesinfront 2 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    While it's intended purpose was in many ways a shame, you must be so proud to now own one of the most over-engineered structures ever created by man... I wonder how they will fare over the next 1,2 or 3,000 years?

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Time will tell! :)

    • @SeeLasSee
      @SeeLasSee 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      It depends on how wet or dry future climate is.

    • @ChatGPT1111
      @ChatGPT1111 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@SeeLasSee We'll be long overdue for another ice age in 3,000 years so everything north of Arizona will be raked by glaciers anyway. Anything we can do to slow that down would be a bonus for perhaps one generation.

    • @sanfranciscobay
      @sanfranciscobay 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I believe Concrete Buildings have a lifespan of 100 years. After that, the Concrete starts deteriorating.

    • @GaiusCaesarAugustusGermanicus.
      @GaiusCaesarAugustusGermanicus. 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Unless it’s preserved by man or nature it will return to its original form, dirt.

  • @raymondebbs
    @raymondebbs 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Was on Titan II missile crew from 1975-1978 at McConnell AFB, Kansas (Wichita). My first AF operational assignment. Loved it.

  • @VasE1980
    @VasE1980 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Безумие просто. 44 закопанных небоскрёба.

  • @montanaplease
    @montanaplease 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Imagine adjusting for inflation just in the past 18 months for this build😳 The price of everything has just skyrocketed since the 2000 mules did their thing.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Prices are nuts right now! Hoping it starts to come down :)

    • @montanaplease
      @montanaplease 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      There’s nothing indicating price is coming down unfortunately. They just keep printing more money causing inflammation for all of us to pay

  • @BlueMoonday19
    @BlueMoonday19 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Incredible story. Thanks!

  • @motog4-75
    @motog4-75 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wow & nuts.

  • @eddjordan2399
    @eddjordan2399 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Mad

  • @Bikepacking
    @Bikepacking ปีที่แล้ว

    Wow

  • @westrotter7847
    @westrotter7847 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    My Dad worked on the Atlas and i worked on a rebuild of the a Titan site at Rock Ks.

  • @williamhaynes7089
    @williamhaynes7089 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I have visited the Titian missile museum outside of Tucson, az... If you have the chance its worth every penny of the tour...

  • @LeicaM11
    @LeicaM11 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I assumed, the US is modernized and do not use inches, feet and miles anymore. 😮

  • @deejayimm
    @deejayimm 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Imagine being a part of something like that.

  • @gakab2209
    @gakab2209 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    You is damn quick for an old fella ;-)

    • @gakab2209
      @gakab2209 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      PS that site ain't mine, nor do I know the owner ;-)

  • @bruceparker985
    @bruceparker985 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    It's amazing at the price then and now!! Any other ones out there for sale in Arizona?

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Not currently. Within the last 4 years, there have been four that have sold, ours included. Are you interested in buying one?! :)

    • @bruceparker985
      @bruceparker985 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@ThompsonAtomicRanch if I had the money, most definitely would buy one!! Would really like to have one in all 3 states, and get them linked up to play War Games. Just seeing what price and other stuff they would have..

  • @lorriecarrel9962
    @lorriecarrel9962 ปีที่แล้ว

    this would be ultra bad ass to own...

  • @montanaplease
    @montanaplease 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I’d love to know how much water Has to be pumped out of these things in just a 24 hour span ?

  • @ldr9146
    @ldr9146 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    During 1966 I was in the Air force stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson AZ 390th SMS. While there I worked with a SGT Brewer, we were good friends but lost contact, would like information where he lives

  • @jungleb
    @jungleb 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great video! You should like Isaac Arthur btw

  • @robertsimmons3556
    @robertsimmons3556 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Good video. Very informative! Forgot to ask you last post, your new to you case 540...did you get a 4x4, 4 and 1 with the extend a hoe? It definitely will come in handy for you guys.

  • @goulartaf66
    @goulartaf66 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I bet we're still paying for these. Unbelievable.

  • @nick-un9pk
    @nick-un9pk 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I live within 25 miles of 3 of these sites in North Central Kansas.

  • @krashd
    @krashd 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    0:40 This documentary only covered one of the four phases...

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Check out my video page and you’ll see that part 2 is there as well :)

  • @803mastiff9
    @803mastiff9 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I toured the one in Tucson. If I rembwr correctly, the monthly electric build for a site was close to $90,000.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yikes! Ours stays at 65 degrees year round since we have no computers or other equipment running.

    • @803mastiff9
      @803mastiff9 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@ThompsonAtomicRanch I could be wrong but as I remember the rocket propellant required the temperature to be maintained at specific degree otherwise it went boom.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@803mastiff9 correct! It has to be maintained at about 60 degrees or so

    • @DJ-sn2xj
      @DJ-sn2xj 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@803mastiff9 Yes, Titans were liquid fuel. More dangerous than the Minute Man missile, which used solid fuel. I was a security policeman for the Titans in Arizona.

    • @803mastiff9
      @803mastiff9 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@ThompsonAtomicRanch You live in a silo? For what ever reason, I have always found the idea of subterranean living fascinating . What is the most interesting thing you have noticed about living under ground and how does it affect the quality of sleep?

  • @michaelhawk8230
    @michaelhawk8230 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    We’ve several abandoned sites built the same time frame in Northern California

  • @sanfranciscobay
    @sanfranciscobay 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    8:24 You can claim you own a 60 year old Nuclear Missle Silo Complex that you bought for 1 Million Dollars and would cost 1.8 Billion Dollars today.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Pretty cool eh!

    • @sanfranciscobay
      @sanfranciscobay 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@ThompsonAtomicRanch Kind of like buying a retired Nuclear Reactor that cost Hundreds of Billions of Dollars New, then was intentionally disabled by being partially destroyed. You're buying at a fraction of penny's on the hundreds/thousands of dollars. Now the question is, "what do you do with it?"

  • @Matt-re8bt
    @Matt-re8bt 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Great documentary. Thank you.
    One of the things that has always confused me is the usability of fixed ground locations for these missiles. Their location is almost certainly programmed as a tier-1 target for US' adversaries. So their utility is almost certainly for first strike. Wouldn't a larger number of subs or bombers be a better option for survivable response?

    • @aRareKindOfMonster
      @aRareKindOfMonster 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Wether offensively or defensively, once fired they will have served their purpose. If they get launched they will all get launched. It's not like will be a second wave of nukes fired. And even if it were the case, the nuclear missile carrying subs would be it. Once the order is given to launch, they will be no more reason for them to exist, as any silos that were not fires would be as you say targetted.
      That is why they have early warning detectection for nuclear missile launches, so they can fire all they got to the predetermined targets before the enemy destroys their nuclear deterrent.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I would say that youre right! Perhaps these were the "hard hitters" mainly which was a show of strength?

    • @SteveWright-oy8ky
      @SteveWright-oy8ky 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Back in those days, any viable method was needed to created deterrent systems and missiles were so new and experimental that it was a matter of ," Waste ANYTHING but TIME " to get workable systems up and running ! So much so that a missile system was basically OBSOLETE before it became OPERATIONAL, .... BUT , it was all we had at the moment, so it got built ! The progression of each missile, Short Range, Medium Range, Intermediate Range and Inter-Continental Range . First was Surface Launched , then COFFIN LAUNCHERS, then SILO LAUNCHED. The final but never built was the MX Mobile Missile Underground Rail Garrison ! For Submarines, it was Top Deck Launched Cruise Missiles, then Silo Launched at the surface and immediately, Silo Launched below surface ! Each system was an improvement over the pre-existing one while the next generation was being designed ! TITAN 1 was abandoned only 5 years after it became operational in favor of the TITAN 2. Next came MINUTEMAN 1, then MM-2 and later MM-3 ! Bombers were going that same general direction but economies of scale became the policy !

  • @mccunecp
    @mccunecp 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    man I want one.

  • @StapleMaster5
    @StapleMaster5 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    unless im missing some math here, the cost should only be about 103 million in 2018 money. not 1.8 billion.

  • @buckmanriver
    @buckmanriver 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Correction. There is a complex in Colorado of HY 70.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I think there are some Titan I complexes in Colorado. The only places Titan ii complexes are located are in California, Arizona, Kansas and Arkansas.

  • @Jesusisyhwh
    @Jesusisyhwh 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    We have old Titan II missile bases here in Washington state. They were the coffin style bases.

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I believe y’all have some Titan I bases up that way. Cool facilities :)

    • @Jesusisyhwh
      @Jesusisyhwh 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@ThompsonAtomicRanch maybe that's what they were. I don't remember which type.

    • @silopedia
      @silopedia 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Jesusisyhwh sounds like Atlas E!

  • @FJ80Coop
    @FJ80Coop 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You couldn't even begin construction on something this size today due to satellites always watching and tracking... Back then there were none and no one saw anything unless they were in country and eyes on..

    • @josephbennett3482
      @josephbennett3482 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      With how there is so much construction work here in the US it wouldn't be very obvious what is being built and there is technology to block satellites from viewing certain areas of the country. But these days we don't need to have underground silo's because we have other ways of launching warheads.

  • @Allan_aka_RocKITEman
    @Allan_aka_RocKITEman 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    👍👍