Building a Titan II Missile Silo

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  • Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
  • 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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КОМЕНТАРІ • 425

  • @fido2006
    @fido2006 2 роки тому +159

    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 роки тому +1

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

    • @gatorshd
      @gatorshd 2 роки тому +6

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

    • @Telephony954
      @Telephony954 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +2

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

    • @fido2006
      @fido2006 2 роки тому +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 Рік тому +38

    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 роки тому +33

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

    • @gmcinnis6304
      @gmcinnis6304 2 роки тому +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 5 місяців тому

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

  • @sscalf31
    @sscalf31 4 місяці тому +3

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

  • @warrenjones744
    @warrenjones744 2 роки тому +80

    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.

  • @markclark1654
    @markclark1654 2 роки тому +91

    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 роки тому +15

      Thanks for your service and thanks for watching :)

    • @ibbylancaster8981
      @ibbylancaster8981 2 роки тому +3

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

    • @Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P
      @Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +1

      Thanks for your service Sir.

  • @labman9912
    @labman9912 2 роки тому +17

    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 роки тому

      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 роки тому +2

      Seriously? You're hilarious.

    • @ronjon7942
      @ronjon7942 9 місяців тому +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.

  • @scroungasworkshop4663
    @scroungasworkshop4663 2 роки тому +7

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

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 роки тому +1

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

    • @scroungasworkshop4663
      @scroungasworkshop4663 2 роки тому +1

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

  • @chinesechicken20
    @chinesechicken20 Рік тому +4

    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 11 місяців тому

      Vote Blue 🇺🇸

  • @Pricklyhedgehog72
    @Pricklyhedgehog72 2 роки тому +25

    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 роки тому +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.

  • @gregdevlin2162
    @gregdevlin2162 Рік тому +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 Рік тому +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 6 місяців тому +1

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

  • @xrayguy65
    @xrayguy65 2 місяці тому

    I was a combat crew member (BMAT) in early 70's. The four man crew would maintain readiness for 24hrs. This was a very cool film. It gave me a new perspective of the site. We were kids and took so much for granted back then. Except for the serious part.

  • @michaeldumais1784
    @michaeldumais1784 Рік тому +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.

  • @destinationunknown7857
    @destinationunknown7857 2 роки тому +10

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

  • @MauricioVives
    @MauricioVives 2 роки тому +8

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

  • @JoshHookerJoshhook123
    @JoshHookerJoshhook123 2 роки тому +3

    The museum in Tucson is definitely a must see

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 роки тому +1

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

  • @chefchemist7343
    @chefchemist7343 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +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 роки тому +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.

  • @timmotel5804
    @timmotel5804 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +1

      So cool! Glad you enjoyed it :)

    • @timmotel5804
      @timmotel5804 2 роки тому +1

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

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 роки тому

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

  • @riverman4798
    @riverman4798 Рік тому +2

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

  • @byronking9573
    @byronking9573 9 місяців тому +1

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

  • @marvinschmitz3442
    @marvinschmitz3442 Рік тому +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 Рік тому

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

    • @albertoclipper
      @albertoclipper 2 місяці тому

      2-9 was my favorite site to visit. The lake always looked nice. It was the last site for me as my discharge in 76 was coming up.

  • @ForbiddTV
    @ForbiddTV 2 роки тому +26

    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 роки тому +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 роки тому +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.

  • @travelinman70
    @travelinman70 2 роки тому +3

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

  • @robertslugg8361
    @robertslugg8361 2 роки тому +5

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

  • @user-hw1cr5uq4z
    @user-hw1cr5uq4z 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +2

      Still work with some old timers that built them….

  • @sganzerlag
    @sganzerlag 2 роки тому +6

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

  • @donchaput8278
    @donchaput8278 6 місяців тому +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  6 місяців тому +1

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

  • @tomblah
    @tomblah Рік тому +1

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

    • @ateamfan42
      @ateamfan42 Місяць тому

      Shows what our government could do when properly motivated.

  • @Veldtian1
    @Veldtian1 2 роки тому +4

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

  • @philipem1000
    @philipem1000 2 місяці тому

    My brother worked in construction of the Titan sites near Tucson; a decade later I was stationed at DM and did maintenance at the two ACP sites as well as the Command Post.

  • @GermanMic
    @GermanMic 10 місяців тому +1

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

  • @pi.actual
    @pi.actual 9 місяців тому +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 8 місяців тому +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 6 місяців тому

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

  • @garypillischafske1425
    @garypillischafske1425 10 місяців тому

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

  • @jamesthompson8008
    @jamesthompson8008 2 роки тому +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

  • @cstraws
    @cstraws 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +1

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

    • @williamwisener5778
      @williamwisener5778 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +1

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

    • @dods2002
      @dods2002 2 роки тому +2

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

    • @albertoclipper
      @albertoclipper 2 місяці тому

      @@williamwisener5778 What was the other event? I asked that once before but no one answered. I went to the sites the mid seventies and had heard of an incident but I don't remember what it was. I thought at the time 3-7 was jinxed. I was there also in Rock when an F105 went down. We could see the smoke from topside.

  • @BeechSportBill
    @BeechSportBill 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +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 Рік тому +1

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

    • @roostercogburn2600
      @roostercogburn2600 Рік тому +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 Рік тому +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

  • @sebell69
    @sebell69 9 місяців тому +1

    WOW
    They certainly made them well!

    • @GM8101PHX
      @GM8101PHX 7 місяців тому

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

  • @cruisemissle87
    @cruisemissle87 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +3

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

  • @brentmiller7075
    @brentmiller7075 2 роки тому +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.

  • @insideoutsideupsidedown2218
    @insideoutsideupsidedown2218 11 місяців тому +3

    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 9 місяців тому

      Who told you that the government? 😂

    • @insideoutsideupsidedown2218
      @insideoutsideupsidedown2218 6 місяців тому

      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.

    • @albertoclipper
      @albertoclipper 2 місяці тому

      That's true. I was stationed at McConnell. The thing that got me was we would have known an attack was launched against us {I was out once when they went on alert, going through the procedure to launch ours. We had the DEW line and other ways of telling. The point being, if Russia targeted the sites they would be firing out an empty hole. That made no sense to me.

  • @kiereluurs1243
    @kiereluurs1243 2 роки тому +2

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

  • @shane41225
    @shane41225 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +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

    • @dickiebrewer1232
      @dickiebrewer1232 17 днів тому

      I guarded complex 47 the month after it exploded. 308th Security Police Squadron, SAC. I worked in the silos from 1981 -1984.

  • @allenludwin
    @allenludwin 9 місяців тому

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

  • @bubbaseth1
    @bubbaseth1 2 роки тому +2

    My dad helped build those. Cool video!

  • @ropeaccessinspection9472
    @ropeaccessinspection9472 2 роки тому +3

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

  • @JustinHunnicutt
    @JustinHunnicutt 9 місяців тому +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.

  • @shaggyduder
    @shaggyduder Рік тому +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.

  • @barriewright2857
    @barriewright2857 7 місяців тому +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.

  • @blurglide
    @blurglide 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +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 роки тому +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 роки тому +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 роки тому +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 роки тому +3

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

  • @tommycolton4971
    @tommycolton4971 2 роки тому +2

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

  • @geniferteal4178
    @geniferteal4178 9 місяців тому

    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.

  • @taxpayer6079
    @taxpayer6079 7 місяців тому +1

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

  • @dahur
    @dahur 2 роки тому +13

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

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 роки тому +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 роки тому +1

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

  • @robertkerby2581
    @robertkerby2581 9 місяців тому

    Very informative!

  • @rogers7884
    @rogers7884 Рік тому

    Thank you great video

  • @SJR_Media_Group
    @SJR_Media_Group 2 роки тому +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.

  • @Anolbea
    @Anolbea 2 роки тому +1

    Very interesting. Thank you.

  • @geniferteal4178
    @geniferteal4178 9 місяців тому

    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.

  • @machstem6390
    @machstem6390 9 місяців тому

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

  • @kennethwallace4338
    @kennethwallace4338 9 місяців тому

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

  • @SteveStoltz
    @SteveStoltz 2 роки тому +1

    I love the documentary's.

  • @georgesealy4706
    @georgesealy4706 9 місяців тому

    Very interesting video. Thanks for posting.

  • @fw1421
    @fw1421 9 місяців тому

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

  • @kilokslr
    @kilokslr 2 роки тому

    Very informative. Good video! Thnx

  • @dundonrl
    @dundonrl 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +1

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

    • @robdavy4468
      @robdavy4468 2 роки тому +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 роки тому

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

  • @devinhallsworth5531
    @devinhallsworth5531 10 місяців тому

    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.

  • @johngaither3830
    @johngaither3830 2 роки тому +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.

  • @PaletoB
    @PaletoB 2 роки тому

    Wow, that some impressive engindering.

  • @westrotter7847
    @westrotter7847 11 місяців тому

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

  • @raymondebbs
    @raymondebbs 8 місяців тому +1

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

  • @montanaplease
    @montanaplease 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +1

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

    • @montanaplease
      @montanaplease 2 роки тому +2

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

  • @milesinfront
    @milesinfront 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +3

      Time will tell! :)

    • @SeeLasSee
      @SeeLasSee 2 роки тому +7

      It depends on how wet or dry future climate is.

    • @ChatGPT1111
      @ChatGPT1111 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +2

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

    • @GaiusCaesarAugustusGermanicus.
      @GaiusCaesarAugustusGermanicus. 2 роки тому +1

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

  • @StapleMaster5
    @StapleMaster5 2 роки тому +1

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

  • @williamhaynes7089
    @williamhaynes7089 2 роки тому +1

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

  • @803mastiff9
    @803mastiff9 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +1

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

    • @803mastiff9
      @803mastiff9 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +1

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

    • @803mastiff9
      @803mastiff9 2 роки тому +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?

  • @gakab2209
    @gakab2209 2 роки тому +1

    You is damn quick for an old fella ;-)

    • @gakab2209
      @gakab2209 2 роки тому

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

  • @michaelhawk8230
    @michaelhawk8230 2 роки тому +1

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

  • @ldr9146
    @ldr9146 2 роки тому +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

  • @Matt-re8bt
    @Matt-re8bt 2 роки тому +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 роки тому +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 роки тому +3

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

    • @SteveWright-oy8ky
      @SteveWright-oy8ky Рік тому +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 !

  • @VasE1980
    @VasE1980 9 місяців тому +1

    Безумие просто. 44 закопанных небоскрёба.

  • @lorriecarrel9962
    @lorriecarrel9962 Рік тому

    this would be ultra bad ass to own...

  • @eddjordan2399
    @eddjordan2399 2 роки тому +1

    Mad

  • @jungleb
    @jungleb 2 роки тому

    Great video! You should like Isaac Arthur btw

  • @montanaplease
    @montanaplease 2 роки тому +2

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

  • @schwags1969
    @schwags1969 2 роки тому +94

    Wow, the government sure knows how to get things back then. Nowadays it is nearly impossible to build a family house without some form of bureaucracy.

    • @Name-ps9fx
      @Name-ps9fx 2 роки тому +9

      Weapons can be quickly designed and built, when one is staring down many Soviet missiles, and orbiting objects (Sputnik).

    • @Fossillarson
      @Fossillarson 2 роки тому +5

      Remember gov can when they have to

    • @c1ph3rpunk
      @c1ph3rpunk 2 роки тому +4

      The environmental impact study alone would take 5 years today.

    • @alanrogers989
      @alanrogers989 2 роки тому +10

      This is a weird comment. Do you think they were building Nuclear Missile Silos, costing 1.8 billion dollars each in today's money, without any bureaucracy?

    • @david7384
      @david7384 2 роки тому +3

      That's because it was built when men were men

  • @motog4-75
    @motog4-75 2 роки тому

    Wow & nuts.

  • @bruceparker985
    @bruceparker985 2 роки тому +3

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

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 роки тому

      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 роки тому +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..

  • @nick-un9pk
    @nick-un9pk 9 місяців тому

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

  • @goulartaf66
    @goulartaf66 5 місяців тому

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

  • @franknsnodge
    @franknsnodge 2 роки тому +2

    How many schools or hospitals or houses could have been built for the same cost?

    • @montanaplease
      @montanaplease 2 роки тому +1

      Or think about how many more welfare checks could’ve been cut to all those that didn’t feel like working for the price of just one of these stupid Silos

  • @Jesusisyhwh
    @Jesusisyhwh 2 роки тому +1

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

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 роки тому

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

    • @Jesusisyhwh
      @Jesusisyhwh 2 роки тому

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

    • @silopedia
      @silopedia 2 роки тому +1

      @@Jesusisyhwh sounds like Atlas E!

  • @BlueMoonday19
    @BlueMoonday19 2 роки тому +1

    Incredible story. Thanks!

  • @radsdad1
    @radsdad1 28 днів тому +1

    That's 2 billion dollars in 2024.

  • @klettersteig599
    @klettersteig599 2 роки тому +4

    Great presentation, curious how you calculated inflation though, 12.6 mil would be a lot closer to $115 mil today..

    • @robdavy4468
      @robdavy4468 2 роки тому +2

      Yeh that's what I got too. Over a billion just didn't pass the sniff test

    • @montanaplease
      @montanaplease 2 роки тому +1

      Perhaps inflation of the materials but now you have to pay so much more per worker especially by the time you include a 401(k), healthcare.

    • @montanaplease
      @montanaplease 2 роки тому +2

      1960’s at maybe $5 an hour compared to $30 plus today for 5000 workers

  • @sanfranciscobay
    @sanfranciscobay 2 роки тому +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 роки тому

      Pretty cool eh!

    • @sanfranciscobay
      @sanfranciscobay 2 роки тому +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?"

  • @LeicaM11
    @LeicaM11 9 місяців тому +1

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

  • @deejayimm
    @deejayimm 2 роки тому +2

    Imagine being a part of something like that.

  • @buckmanriver
    @buckmanriver 2 роки тому +1

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

    • @ThompsonAtomicRanch
      @ThompsonAtomicRanch  2 роки тому

      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.

  • @brandontanis388
    @brandontanis388 2 роки тому +1

    I would have thought the price tag was much higher on these. Seems like they were a better deal than an f-35.

    • @startide
      @startide 2 роки тому +1

      If you paid a billion for a carrot that would still bea better deal than an f35 :p