It's been many years since exploring back in the early 80's when I was stationed at Buckley ANGB. Thanks for posting your adventure there are many videos and pictures of Deer Trail but yours are exceptionally good photos with good lighting thanks for sharing. Vert. The Titan I was unique among the Titan models in that it used liquid oxygen and RP . I was stationed at "5B" in the mid 60's. ToorCamp will be held July 2nd-5th, 2009 at a former missile silo in central Washington state. [58], These early complexes while safe from a nearby nuclear detonation, however, had certain drawbacks. you could live in the bottom of one of the 155' tall MISSILE SILOS and retrofit the 150 ton SILO DOORS so you could push a button and open them up - 155' above the floor!! Powell was working on a Titan II missile fitted with a thermonuclear warhead, tucked away underground in Damascus, Arkansas. (from March AFB) Horizontal, SM-61 60-3706 Gotte Park, Kimball, NE (only first stage standing, damaged by winds in '96?) It centers around a 1960s era Titan 1 site and missile which was buried and then reactivated decades later. I have heard from a few different people that there is a really cool homeowner nearby with a huge American flag. Apr 6, 2021. Love, love, LOVE your site! I have always been a fan of exploring abandoned cave mines and buildings, and think this would be a good one. Produced by the Martin Company, each missile had a range of 6300 nautical miles reaching speeds of 18,030 mph. Unfortunately, a broken hydraulic line caused the Titan's engines to gimbal hard left almost as soon as the tower was cleared. Clemmer, Wilbur E..1966, Phase-Out of the Atlas E and F and Titan I Weapon Systems, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Historical Research Division Air Force Logistics Command, 1962, p. 49. And then people could go legally. Clemmer, Wilbur E..1966, Phase-Out of the Atlas E and F and Titan I Weapon Systems, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Historical Research Division Air Force Logistics Command, 1966, p. 22-23. [36] Titan I utilized radio-inertial command guidance. These are MAJOR nuclear war targets, each one of these silo's will be hit with minimum one warhead with a fairly large yield as part of a Russian counterforce attack. A piece of Cold War history is now available as an Airbnb property.. Titan Ranch, located at 23 Missile Base Road in Vilonia, Arkansas, offers renters the chance to spend a night underground in a converted intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) facility.The facility was one of 18 underground Titan II missile silos in Arkansas that helped form the backbone of the United States' nuclear . Coordinates: Often quite a bit of work. Kaplan, Albert B. and Keyes, Lt. We spent so much time and money on these silos and they were only operational for 3 to 5 years in the early 60s. This was a part of the Stanley R. Mickelesen Safeguard Complex located in NE North Dakota. Spent about an hour exploring only the power house and surrounding tunnels but had to leave when we encountered a group of 15 highschoolers. United States Air Force, The T.O. They I went to yahoo. Going once, going twice, sold, it's not often you hear about an auction that includes a bit of missile history. (acq. Thanks for the outstanding pictures and views in this post. On 8 febrer, 2022 8 febrer, 2022 by savaniee ravindrra husband on . Besides, the greater the length you go to get in, the less credible your defense will be if you do get caught.It's a shame. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Allen Pollard/Released), A photo of what used to be the 851st Strategic Missile Squadron, Titan 1 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Complex 4C missile silo at Chico, Calif., May 23, 2013. 255257. [30], Twelve more Titan Is were flown in 196365, with the finale being Missile SM-33, flown on 5 March 1965. If you'd like more info on how to get there, shoot me an email at missilesilostoose@gmail.com, One of the silos outside of Bennett is for sale and from the pictures, seems to be in really good shape and have electricity: https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/41811-E-County-Road-30-Bennett-CO/7974879/. With its proximity to the Soviet Union, the area made it an ideal location to build silos. I wish I knew of another site like this that was open to explore. Exploration finds a way. All that rust and that graffiti of the white eyed creature. What state has the most nuclear silos? Titan I 568-B Missile Silo Larson AFB Washington. The power house and control center were above water, but we made entry through an escape hatch in the middle of the complex and dove silos 2 and 3. Did you see anything interesting down there? While in operation, these missile sites were manned by the US Air Force 24 hours day/365 days a year. One question, going into the TITAN or the PHX Trotting Park, do you go alone? Missille Silos. Some have already been converted to housing ("Spacious marble bath complex, with high ceilings, heavy beams and red cedar 1100 gallon tiled hot tub"). I used to be acquainted with Fred Epler, who was known for being kind of an expert on the Titan system: he had massive piles of documents, blueprints, everything you could imagine (sadly he passed away in 2013 of cancer, but he was a great guy and saved tons of related documentation from the landfill. [45] As North American Aviation's Rocketdyne Division was the only manufacturer of large liquid propellent rocket engines the Air Force Western Development Division decided to develop a second source for them. [33] After a brief period as an operational ICBM, it was retired from service in 1965 when Defense Secretary Robert McNamara made the decision to phase out all first generation cryogenically fueled missiles in favor of newer hypergolic and solid-fueled models. [2] The Titan was developed in parallel with the Atlas (SM-65/HGM-16) ICBM, serving as a backup with potentially greater capabilities and an incentive for the Atlas contractor to work harder. Stay safe! I'll admit it's pretty dangerous and nuts, but I've found it nearly impossible to convince anyone to come along with me. Watching a couple of videos. This former titan air force missile site is situated on 57 + or - acres in the middle of farm country in Adams County Wa. The Titan I was first American ICBM designed to be based in underground silos, and it gave USAF managers, contractors and missile crews valuable experience building and working in vast complexes containing everything the missiles and crews needed for operation and survival. You do need to get permission from the owner. The Martin Marietta SM-68A/HGM-25A Titan I was the United States' first multistage intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), in use from 1959 until 1962. Sutton, George P, History of Liquid Propellent Rocket Engines, Reston Virginia: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2006, Hansen, Chuck, Swords of Armageddon, 1995, Chukelea Publications, Sunnyvale, California, page Volume VII Page 290-293. Leave11 Company, F.E. 21M-HGM25A-1-1 Technical Manual Operation and Organizational Maintenance HGM-25A Missile Weapon System, United States Air Force, 1964, page 3-100. Although Titan I's two stages gave it true intercontinental range and foreshadowed future multistage rockets, its propellants were dangerous and hard to handle. So did you get permission from the property owner? There wasn't a whole lot to see after salvage, but it was eerie to swim through an industrial complex and see all of the warning signs and eyewash stations a hundred feet under water.I would love to find some more to explore! I saw a 9 news article that says 30 people have been arrested there in one month in 2016. Latitude: 46 54.9973333333333 By August 1961, one site had pumps removing 175,000 gallons a day. Great writeup and pictures, thanks for posting. I take as many safety precautions as I can, and if anything terrible should ever happen to me, at least I'll have died doing what I love most. Glad you could make it! Monday, September 22, 2014 3:45pm. Buy your own Titan I missile silo for $1.5M. The depth of the silo was around 105-110 ft. I have heard conflicting reports on the internet of whether or not you can. [10], The Titan I represented an evolution of technology when compared to the Atlas missile program, but shared many of the Atlas' problems. Clemmer, Wilbur E..1966, Phase-Out of the Atlas E and F and Titan I Weapon Systems, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Historical Research Division Air Force Logistics Command, 1962, p. 25. missile silo for sale. It was excavated for some reason, but nobody was sure if it was due to site salvaging after it had been decommissioned, or if a later property owner had done it (yes, that site is on private property. In September 1955, The Martin Company was declared the contractor for the Titan missile. FEDERAL - STATE - JURISDICTION - TITAN MISSILE BASES IN GRANT COUNTY. "For some reason, I always wanted to own a nuclear silo," he says. Because I wanted to see some illustrations of a Titan 2 missile silo complex. By all accounts, the Titan-1 sites were the largest missile complexes ever built. Hoselton, Gary A., Titan I Guidance System, Brekenridge, Colorado: Association of Air Force Missileers, Volume 6, Number 1, March 1998, p. 7. Anyways, about a month or two after my heated discussion with the man signs went up, blocked entrance, and everything I addresses was done. Schriever devised an entirely new organization for program management. An explosion that lit up the night sky like daylight destroyed an underground Titan II missile silo here early today, killing one airman, injuring at least 21 . We have nothing like this in Europe.Word of advice : Please use a good P3 filter mask next time (asbestos fibers) and bring a geiger counter which is also useful for visiting abandoned hospitals which can have old (low) radio-active devices/waste there. I would love to explore one of these sites but I'd probably end up at the bottom of a shaft! Green, Warren E.. Originally designed as a backup in case the U.S. Air Force's SM-65 Atlas missile development ran into problems, the Titan was ultimately beaten into service by Atlas. Young Construction Company, and Morrison-Knudsen Company, Incorporated. In storage, SM-86 61-4513 Beale AFB (not on display, was horizontal, removed 1994) Horizontal, SM-89 61-4516 (st. 2) Pima Air Museum, outside DM AFB, Tucson, Arizona, now WPAFB Horizontal, SM-92 61-4519 (st. 1) Kansas Cosmosphere, Hutchinson, Kansas. That appears to have been a drawing from the era that they were active and knowing where that system was would have been a very large security issue. It was so scary and exhilarating to stand at the edge of that huge drop. Beale was once home to the 851st Strategic Missile Squadron and had three missile silo complexes, 851-A in Lincoln, 851-B in Sutter Buttes and 851-C in Chico, from Feb. 1, 1961-March 25, 1965. The sight of my car filled me with relief; I half expected it to be towed away, or to find a police officer waiting for me to emerge, but this time I lucked out. SPOKANE Back in 1961 the U.S. Air Force, without any attempt at secrecy or stealth, hauled nine long-range ballistic missiles by truck . The missile was released 3.9 seconds earlier than intended before it had built up sufficient thrust. Horizontal, SM-79 61-4506 former Oklahoma State Fair Grounds, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Green, Warren E., The Development of the SM-68 Titan, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Air Force Systems Command, 1962, AFSC Historical Publications Series 62-23-1, p. 128. [25], The next launch at the end of the month (Missile J-4) suffered premature first stage shutdown and landed far short of its planned impact point. I would love to a Titan I missile Silo complex. Each missile complex had three Titan I ICBM missiles ready to launch at any given time. 2 only) former SDI laser test target (whereabouts? Length 5.1 miElevation gain 177 ftRoute type Loop. By the time I looked into this place. The contractor broke ground on December 1, 1959. See, Earl , Titan Missile Memoirs, Huntington Beach, California: American Aviation Historical Society Journal, Summer 2014, p. 118. Date Activated: April 1st 1961 List of all Titan I site Coordinates, 30th LRS air terminal: a small shop with large responsibilities - Santa Maria Times (subscription), U.S. Senate OKs amendment requiring annual missile defense tests - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, US missile site in Ravenna to get first public airing - Akron Beacon Journal, Pentagon Launches Test Missile from Vandenberg - NBC 7 San Diego, Law Enforcement Torch Run crosses VAFB - Santa Maria Times (subscription), Iridium's SpaceX launch slowed by Vandenberg bottleneck - SpaceNews, US Air Force test-launches Minuteman missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base - LA Daily News, Missile-Defense Interceptor Flies From Vandenberg Air Force Base - Noozhawk, Seven detained at Vandenberg missile protest - Santa Maria Sun, L-3 Wins Consolidated Air Force Satellite Control Network Contract - Signal Magazine, Final Titan Rocket Launch Ends an Era (10/20/2005), Peacekeeper nuclear missile officially deactivated (9/20/2005), Blue Origin rocket plans detailed (6/13/2005). When the storable-fueled Titan II and the solid-fueled Minuteman I were deployed in 1963, the Titan I and Atlas missiles became obsolete. Total production missiles built: 163 Titan 1s; 62 R&D Missiles 49 launched & 101 Strategic Missiles (SMs) 17 launched. The first missile was moved to complex 4A in Lincoln on Feb. 28, 1962, and the last was placed in Chico complex 4C on April 20, 1962. I believe it has been completely closed at this point. [76], Most of the ATHENA guidance computers were given to universities. The property includes three 160-foot missile silos and two gigantic domes, each more than 100 feet across. The chosen method was the Service and Salvage contract, which required the contractor to remove the equipment the government wanted before proceeding with scrapping. It had guided over 400 missiles. This preserved Titan II missile site, officially known as complex 571-7, is all that remains of the 54 Titan II missile sites that were on alert across the United States from 1963 to 1987. Not sure if this is true because I haven't tried and not sure which house it is, a there are 4 or 5 pretty close to the location of the silo. The Atlas E and Titan I missiles were installed, and during 1961-1962, the ICBM bases became operational. I wish more of these old complexes were open to explore. Divine, Robert A., The Sputnik Challenge, New York: Oxford University Press, 1990. The gap between the bars and the dirt ground is only about 10 inches and the hardest part of getting through is your legs because if you go face up underneath, your legs end up being straight as they go through which places lots of stress on your knees if you're a bigger person. The sites were salvaged by the Air Force after they were decommissioned, although some salvage companies did a more graceful job than others. The bottom of the missile launchers are approximately 110 ft deep, and there is no ambient . The fact that Titan I, like Atlas, burned Rocket Propellant 1 (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX) meant that the oxidizer had to be loaded onto the missile just before launch from an underground storage tank, and the missile raised above ground on the enormous elevator system, exposing the missile for some time before launch. By Alyssa Donovan. They're giant concrete stacks sticking out of the ground less than 100 feet from the access portal. United States Air Force, The T.O. There is rumored to be asbestos inside and to be safe I wore a P100 rated mask. I hope if I ever get a lot of money. Hey Jim, I would love to go see this place some time. Dane County, Wisconsin. It would be bought, sold & renovated. I was lucky to see it once, and was lucky I came the second time when he was already out, or I'd have a mark on my record now.By the way, fantastic walkthrough. I bet you have some great stories from you time there. Most silos were based in Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Montana, Wyoming and other western states. The absolute best website on Titan 1 is https://www.chromehooves.net/missile_silos2.htm most of the images on this site are 724-C. Another Titan 1 which is still in pretty good condition is Larson 568-A. One of the most fascinating sites I've ever visited. I tried to return about four months ago here in 2016, however, and the owner was patrolling his land with his dog. It really is a claustrophobic nightmare. h/t "The Titan 1 missile system was kind of. [36] From that point the AN/GRW-5 guidance radar tracked a transmitter on the missile. Development cost: $1,643,300,000 in 1960 dollars. The location of the Intake and exhaust stacks are fairly well know. House is located 30+ mins out of Madison WI. Decimal: Green Warren E..1962, The Development of the SM-68 Titan, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Air Force Systems Command, 1962, AFSC Historical Publications Series 62-23-1, p. 85. Green, Warren E., The Development of the SM-68 Titan, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Air Force Systems Command, 1962, AFSC Historical Publications Series 62-23-1, p. 93. Great work! The guidance radar fed missile position data to the AN/GSK-1 (Univac Athena) missile guidance computer in the Launch Control Center. Last appraised 2020 for $420,000 W/ out bunker or greenhouse. The intercontinental ballistic missiles served as a warning to the Soviet Union that any attack on the United States would bring about its destruction. Construction on the complexes began Jan. 22, 1960. Previous . 1 only) Science Museum, Bayamon, Puerto Rico (top half from Bell's Junkyard) Vert. It will have to remain a dream. The Mk 4 RV also deployed penetration aids in the form of mylar balloons which replicated the radar signature of the Mk 4 RV. The basement of Oyster-Adam school. Looks very dangerous! The silo has been decommissioned, but it was once the home of the titan ii, which was the largest intercontinental ballistic missile in the air. United States. I went SCUBA diving in one of these a few years back, in Royal City, WA. I have a very extensive document detailing how to get to and how to enter the silo. I'll write you back with coordinates, advice and other info that might be of use. One hundred and one SM-68 Titan I missiles were produced to equip six squadrons of nine missiles each across Western America. Longitude: 119 3'15.54"W I've had no choice but to go alone to most of the places I've explored. The flashlight I brought barely made a dent in the oppressive darkness of that huge space. The bids were on fire, quickly jumping from the starting price of $100,000. Most are sealed today, with one in Colorado that is easily entered but also very unsafe. 1 only) former Spaceport USA Rocket Garden, Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Cleary, Mark, The 6555th Missile and Space Launches Through 1970, 45th Space Wing History Office, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, Chapter III Section 6. Hoselton, Gary A., Titan I Guidance System, Brekenridge, Colorado: Association of Air Force Missileers, Volume 6, Number 1, March, 1998, p. 5. I would love to hire you on as a expert in Titan 1 silo complex's so that everything is how it should be. The plan was to load the missile with propellant, raise it up to firing position, and then lower it back into the silo. [20][30], With attention shifting to the Titan II, there were only six Titan I flights during 1962, with one failure, when Missile SM-4 (21 January) experienced an electrical short in the second stage hydraulic actuator, which gimbaled hard left at T+98 seconds. An Eastern WA man records 180,000 UFO sightings, even if others debunk them. Titan 1 Missile display at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum. He is quoted as being concerned about the potential for liability and technically he would be liable since it is foreseeable that someone would trespass to visit the complex which has many identified potential dangers and could likely be injured. Missile SM-2 experienced early first stage shutdown; although the second stage burn was successful, it had to run to propellant depletion instead of a timed cutoff. I wonder if the whole place is filled in or if it's still possible to explore. Vandenberg Launch Complex 395 continued to provide for operational test launches. I do wonder if any of the other sites have a way in, worst case repeal in through the ventilation shaftunlikely the blast doors for the ventilation are closedmost were missing in the DearTrail complex. Weapon System 107A-2 was a weapon system. Even started to so some renovations on it. It's a strange sensation to be down there. This silo was once filled with many levels of equipment to service, fuel and guide the missile. Even brought out a couple of Ambulances to check us out, but we didn't get a bill for these either. He's not going to scour the insides for people, he probably just checks for cars then calls the police. Green, Warren E., The Development of the SM-68 Titan, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Air Force Systems Command, 1962, AFSC Historical Publications Series 62-23-1, p. 94. As I said before the entrance is nearly barred off but people have come and dug underneath the bars. Horizontal, SM-67 61-4494 Titusville High School, Titusville, Florida (on Route US-1) removed, was horizontal, SM-70 61-4497 Veterans Home, Quincy, IL Vertical (removed and sent to DMAFB for destruction in May 2010), SM-73 61-4500 former Holiday Motor Lodge, San Bernardino (now missing?). Two of the four firms which responded, Martin and Avco, proposed using Titan I as the booster.[80][81]. I'll have to visit again sometime. With no attitude control, it began tumbling end-over-end and quickly lost thrust. The Cold War Era drove a need to maintain missile sites around the country. When you're driving up to the silo you need to go by houses and they obviously know what you're doing if they see you. These abandoned military bases housed some of the most devastating nuclear weapons ever built during the cold war. They're concrete reinforced with ridiculously thick rebar, with steel plating on the underside. Aerojet produced the excellent LR87-AJ-3 (booster) and LR91-AJ-3 (sustainer). Brendan Smialowski/ Getty In 1961, President John F. Kennedy sent out a letter to American citizens warning them about the threat of nuclear war. Nine Titan I silos split between three sites (3 x 3) at Odessa, Warden, and Quincy would be built along with support facilities at Larson AFB. I'd love to fix up an old missile silo and live there. 21M-HGM25A-1-1 Technical Manual Operation and Organizational Maintenance HGM-25A Missile Weapon System, United States Air Force, 1964, Pg 7-1 - 7-3. I assumed it was State Land maybe even federal. After reading your comment, I watched the part where I get to launcher silo #3. Latitude: 46.916622 It's been so long I forgot where it was. The silo itself is divided into 2 separate silos. Prices range from $133K ("Underground structures flooded") to a 210-acre Titan-F site for $1.45M. If you talk to the guy at the gas station, he will tell you too that people have indeed been arrested there, that it all started when the place first got posted online. So dangerous. The comment is from me Mike Rindos. [55] Both antenna terminals and all three launchers were isolated with double door blast locks the doors of which could not be open at the same time. Fred Epler sounds like an amazing person whom I wish I'd known. Also, people have been visiting it for decadesuntil now.Yeah, you'd probably have to recruit a friend to do a night drop-off and coordinate the pick-up. The USAF removed equipment it had uses for, the rest was offered to other government agencies. Rapid launching was crucial to avoid possible destruction by incoming missiles. This time however, I parked to the east of the silo instead of the west and walked in on a dirt road which was much easier than walking through a field like I did last time. (stg 1 mated to stg 1 above), SM-?? The MIRACL Near Infrared Laser, at White Sands Missile Range, NM was fired at a stationary Titan I second stage that was fixed to the ground. It must have been amazing to see in the 80s, before everything was removed. On a different note, the Titan Missile museum outside Tucson is amazing and a fully intact missile complex that is open to the public. DO NOT GO HERE! . This complex is currently privately owned and is not open to the public. Drop some gas down there or something much worse and there goes the crew. Titan was originally planned for a 1 X 10 (one control center with 10 launchers) "soft" site. Green, Warren E., The Development of the SM-68 Titan, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Air Force Systems Command, 1962, AFSC Historical Publications Series 62-23-1, p. 4. If I got super rich. 21M-HGM25A-1-1, Technical Manual, Operation and Organizational Maintenance USAF Model HGM-25A Missile Weapon System, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 04:22. The last time I was in the the bars were not in place. Cryogenic liquid oxygen oxidizer had to be pumped aboard the missile just before launch, and complex equipment was required to store and move this liquid. The Titan fell over and exploded on impact with the ground. Green, Warren E., The Development of the SM-68 Titan, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Air Force Systems Command, 1962, AFSC Historical Publications Series 62-23-1, p. 11. United States Air Force, The T.O. The main improvements of the Titan I over the first Atlas's deployed were vertical storage in a fully underground silo and an improved fully internal inertial guidance system. Though the SM-68A was operational for only three years, it spawned numerous follow-on models that were a part of the U.S. arsenal and space launch capability. Vertical, SM-?? only an hour from Spokane WA., 3 hours and 15 minutes from Seattle, and 10 minutes from I-90. The second attempt at a Lot C Titan failed at T+52 seconds when the guidance compartment collapsed, causing the RVX-3 reentry vehicle to separate. In the summer of 1957 budget cuts led Secretary of Defense Wilson to reduce the Titan production rate from the proposed seven per month to two a month, which left the Titan as a research and development program only. Of the 18 silos commissioned, nine were in . Titan I's were configured with three missiles per site, with the first missile taking at least 15 minutes, and the 2nd and 3rd missiles in 7 1/2 minutes to launch. [69][70], The final launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) occurred on 5 March 1965. Every time I visit, I am blown away and filled with wonder at the enormity of the location. It is his property though and he has a right to not want people on it. Like I said before, if you park far enough away from the silo to not be seen and if you're quiet on the walk in, there is little risk of being caught. [50] Longitude: -119.054317 Green, Warren E., The Development of the SM-68 Titan, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Air Force Systems Command, 1962, AFSC Historical Publications Series 62-23-1, p. 96. [59] The missiles sites of a squadron were placed at least 17 (usually 20 to 30) miles apart so that a single nuclear weapon could not take out two sites. At that time, the disposition of the 101 total production missiles was as follows:[citation needed], (three at VAFB, one at each of five bases, one at Lowry, and 20 in storage at SBAMA elsewhere), The 83 surplus missiles remained in inventory at Mira Loma AFS. 6 acres. You may have noticed the giant tank sitting aboveground: that used to be where the "entrance pit" is, decades ago. The 12.58-acre property is just a 20-minute drive from Tucson, in an otherwise remote patch of . Owner called the cops on us because we parked in plain site. I made a few corrections based on the information your provided. [31][32], Although most of the Titan I's teething problems were worked out by 1961, the missile was already eclipsed not only by the Atlas, but by its own design successor, the Titan II, a bigger, more powerful ICBM with storable hypergolic propellants. [23] On 1 July, the newly opened LC-20 hosted its first launch when Missile J-2, an operational prototype, was flown.