A collection of pictures
This a picture of Site
532-5 which was about 30 miles west of Wichita. This was taken from on
top of the Entry Portal building on a cold Kansas evening.
These
are the main equipment racks on Level 2 in the control center. The one
in the back with the three white dials at the top is the Facility Power
Control Board. From this panel the Missile Facility Technician could monitor
the electrical power (voltage and frequency) coming into the site. If it
went out of tolerance the diesel generator should automatically start and
come on line. This transfer would be monitored from here. Also the power
could be switched to the diesel manually if needed. The next two racks
are where the missile and launch sequences would be monitored in case of
a real launch of a test. Next to these are two racks that controlled power
distribution. They also provided monitoring and control of the backup batteries.
One circuit breaker was very important. It was CB-103. This CB controlled
power to the missile ordinance. With this breaker off the missile could
not be launched because the explosive bolts holding it down, the squibs
to start the fuel pumps and squibs to start the missile batteries would
not fire. This CB was normally off and sealed. It was checked every day
at crew change over. In the front is a part of the Launch Control Console.
Next to it is a document safe with the RED SAFE on top. This is where the
Launch Documents and Keys are kept. It has two locks and takes both officers
to open it.
This is a cover from the magazine that concerned itself with crewmembers.
This particular one is fron 1975 as you can see and it had coverage of
the competition at Vandenberg AFB. There are pictures of most of the teams.
If you were there and are interested I can scan in these pictures too.
This
is a map of the locations of all the sites assigned to the 381SMW. The
map is a little rough but it was taken from an original blueprint type
wall map.Click on map here to see it.
This is
a large drawing from an old Combat Crew magazine. It shows the three level
control center to the left, the entry portal and stairs in the center and
the 11 story equipment area and missile silo. The crew spent most of their
24 hour alert in the control center. Missile and site operations were directed
from Level 2. Living quarters (bedroom, kitchen, bathroom) were on Level
1, the upper level. Level 3 contained all of the telephone, radio, power
supply and battery equipment needed to run the control center and missile
operations.
The Entry Portal was the way that everyone
gianed access to the underground portions of the complex. Three flight
of stairs starting with an entrapment area were here. A tv camera gave
the crew a view of the entrapment area. As personnel came in, this is where
they gave either their Entry Code or the Duress code depending on the situation.
They were required to be locked alone in this area as they gave the code.
This would isolate them from any 'intruder' trying to gain entry.
The Silo section contained the airconditioning,
water storage, standby power generation and propellant transfer equipment.
Eventhough the site was underground it was necessary to cool and dry the
air all year around. The Missile Silo required the temperature to be kept
within an exact range to insure the volume of the popellants.Click on it
to see it.
The front gate of McConnell AFB from 1974 when it was home
to the 381st Strategic Missile Wing.
Below are some 1997 pictures of a salvage yard where a lot of ex-complex
equipment still lies. There are fans, and elevator drives, water pumps,
power supplies and battery power supplies. The picutre to the left shows
a Blutterfly Control Valve Lock training device. This is no longer at the
salvage yard but in my garage in the process of being repaired and made
to semi-operate. Everybody needs a hobby!!!!!
Home
This
is a map of the locations of all the sites assigned to the 381SMW. The
map is a little rough but it was taken from an original blueprint type
wall map.Click on map here to see it.