That sure brings back memory's Mayf.
I worked on ATLAS F sites in Kansas and New Mexico in the early '60's.
I heard a lot of scary stuff primarily related to LOX. Most of what was
being done was new to EVERYONE. The learning curve as almost vertical.
I don't think the USAF ever had a successful launch from a real military
silo, but did have some interesting attempts. The problem was the missile
was not locked to the launch elevator. If both boosters didn't have
identical power up curves. tilt - boom.
I was allergic to LOX. That's what I told my boss. We were still learning
how to handle the stuff and some of the construction folks couldn't
understand
why they had to be so picky about keeping the LOX system clean. The idea
of blowing 22,500 Gal. of LO2 into a stainless steel balloon in 90 seconds
always struck me as a little bit crazy.
I got to see a SAC scramble at Walker AFB. Very impressive. The ride in the
last B-52 must have been a lot of fun, if you were drunk.
Cheers,
Bryan
OBTW - A Titan-1 blew a Vandenberg during a test. A buddy of mine lived on
Base and said there were small pieces of "stuff" everywhere.
drmayf wrote:
> Did you hear about the Titan that blew up in Arkansas? One of the guys
> who worked for me was on the MArtin investigation team... That caused a
> 750 ton door to actually disappear, blown into very small fragments. 750
> tons. All because a tech in a space suit dropped a wrench that bounced
> off the missile and cause a weeping leak in the oxydizer, ed fuming
> nitric acid... I suspect you folk were very lucky to be alive. Although
> the corporal was a small battlefield tactical weapon.
>
> mayf
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