Unearthing a TITAN II Missile Silo in 2 Years - Commentary - Part 1

[@lorenthurman3298]

As a very young Airman, my first assignment was as a Titan II Radio Repairman at Wichita, McConnell AFB. I have spent untold hours in those Silo’s and crawled all up and down all over them. I have often wondered what they look like today. One, I believe in Wichita, has a flooded 9 story deep launch silo being used as a dive site. Responsible for maintaining level 1 comm gear with SAC Hq, provided me the luxury, as a two striper, of having my own pilot and L6 Beaver Airplane on standby for the highly sensitive “Secret” LES system equipment which had to have a repairman “on-site” within 30 minutes. A LOT of status and S T R E S S for this young Airman. Glad to have left when I did!

[@glenndavisson8085]

Thanks for this. I worked at Vandenberg for many years. I volunteered at the Titan II museum there and have been in the complex in its entirety. They were amazing examples of engineering.

[@silopedia]

You’ve been inside 395-C?!

[@glenndavisson8085]

@@silopedia Yes.

[@silopedia]

@@glenndavisson8085 you’re one of very few! I’d love to ask some questions in regards to the site. 395-C is the “holy grail” for me, as it’s the only intact Titan II site left, besides the museum. Could we exchange emails and you reply at your leisure? [e-mail] Thanks for the response!

[@moparmike2535]

I've been obsessed with these silo's since visiting the Titan II Missile Museum in 2017. If I get back out there, I will be going through it again.

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

It is some awesome history isn't it?! Thank God none of these were ever used but I am glad we had them as a deterrent. Thanks for watching!

[@southwestxnorthwest]

I've been to this site after you guys did all of this work! Back in 2022 I believe, I was doing some research on some of these sites in the area and found this one, then checked its location on Google Maps and drove out there one weekend around Christmas. It looked a lot different at the time and I did find the escape hatch filled with sand but it was the same site. I left everything as I found it though since it was clearly private property.

[@cgoodwin2875]

Really interesting and nice to see it looking dry. My heart sinks when I see them flooded.

[@wes11bravo]

This is just beyond amazing, my friend.

[@gwpsr58]

Appreciate the longer video.

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

Not a problem! It was fun to see all these old videos I've taken in our journey so far. I'm working on part 2 :)

[@JimsEquipmentShed]

Its amazing how much work the earth moving is on its own. It really gives a better sense of project scale when you see it from the beginning. I think my biggest problem would be going home at the end of the day, I'd probably only be stopped when the fuel ran out. ;-)

[@dingymon]

Love seeing fellow firefighters tearing it up!

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

Thanks! It’s so fun! What dept or district are you with?

[@pops1966]

Thank you very much for your interesting video. Its so nice to stumble on something I would never think about looking up on my own.

[@craigschofield3222]

I'm enjoying your progress , so thanks for posting the videos

[@jamesharrison2570]

I spent over seven years under ground with the Titan ii

[@southwestxnorthwest]

Damn you must have really been insubordinate if the Air Force didnt let you come back up to ground level for 7 years.

[@missyd0g2]

Greetings from Prescott Valley Arizona

[@danielmarshall4587]

Thank you for your time and effort filming and posting this video.

[@bobertmcboberty1385]

Dude this is soooo awesome!!!

[@michaellauritsen5433]

Great looking and working Allis Chalmers.

[@justinbell1265]

This is the coolest thing ever

[@Bender24k]

Great - thanks!!!! Happy Holidays!!!

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

Thanks! Same to you! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

[@aussiedazvk4djh889]

Very nice video. 👍🍻

[@SocialistDistancing]

Interesting adventure. Have you considered using two dump trucks and wheeled front end loader with about 3-3.5 yard bucket? That would move be a lot of aggregate in shorter amount of time.

[@jameschang8122]

very cool guys keep up the great work and happy new year and be safe jim

[@mkbarber65]

Very cool series of videos, I really enjoy what you’ve done. I enjoy history and you got a wonderful piece of history there. Good luck with you project.

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

Thanks! It's been a fun adventure and we're glad we can share it with others around the world :)

[@banshee8989]

Nice job and interesting video. As someone who has been running heavy equipment for years, I probably would have rented a huge bulldozer like a D8 for a week. I think that would have been the way to go... but I'm not there and opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. I cant wait to see your next video.

[@benjamindickey4511]

If I was gonna rent equipment I would just rent an excavator

[@TheSynthnut]

@@benjamindickey4511 The original massive holes were dug without modern excavators. If you want to move a lot of dirt a distance then they aren't the best choice nescesarily, unless you are trucking it. A big blade would have got down quicker for sure, given a skilled operator.

[@sergeantseven4240]

Was the access shaft not accessible? Most people just dig it out and get in that way. Its interesting that you decided to dig out the entrance to the removed cable way.

[@johnross6314]

Thank you for the narrated video journal snippet! Informative. Enjoy the update in the family silo journey. Did I see in one scene the concrete cap for the silo exposed? I saw something round in the distance of one shot that looked something like that.

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

Of course, thanks for watching! The cap was exposed for a short time but we have since covered it again

[@TheSynthnut]

Amazing project and much enthusiasm indeed. It's painful to watch you diging with a trenching bucket on the excavators though, needed a bigger bucket! The poor track loader could have pushed a whole lot more dirt too if it had been fitted with growsers on the tracks, as she had almost no grip in the loose soil. Anyhow, a bit late, but I tip my had and am very jealous too!

[@kdw75]

My parents house is completely under ground. It is 5,400 square feed and the roof has 4 foot of dirt on it. One side has a garage with a ramped driveway out of the pit. The entire pit was dug in the early 80s and the guy they hired to dig it did it all with an Allis Chalmers 7G.

[@rykerbill6832]

Nice job. Happy new year

[@tomjoad1363]

Every other silo's owner I follow on KZbin have started with the Access Portal. You choose not to. Is it because the removal of the long cableway makes it easier to access the launch center?

[@jefflovejoy2997]

My question, too.

[@johndowe7003]

if you gotta move dirt more than 100ft you need a dump truck, get a cheap one and youll be set with that hd6 loader. it brings up productivity by a bunch

[@hampter2724]

I want one eventually these things are so cool

[@TheUserid82]

Do you plan to replace the long cableway with the original style of a round pipe or will you go with concrete so you can add rooms off it for more storage/living areas? A simple slip form inside the replacement tunnel so you can make it an arch with a flat floor could be fun to see and you could do the setup in batches so not the full cost all at once since you don't need to insure it is water tight like the sites under the water table.

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

We would love to do that but for two career firefighters, it'll be a bit out of our price range, haha. Also, the missile silo isn't very useable due to the extensive demolition that took place in it when they decommissioned these sites. It would be better to just buy an old Atlas missile site instead and put the money toward that, rather than try to remove all the rubble and debris in our silo.

[@TheUserid82]

@MJW The Russians solved that issue with the RT-21

[@brianharper344]

Weld a drag on those rippers to pull soil too. Pile loose soil up to get a full bucket. Less movement per yard equals efficiency

[@TC-zi2yp]

Amazing that this was buried never to be seen again....

[@Stratos53100]

Look at the many other sites, that are here on YT many of which were flooded DWBS has the most viewed site, converted & highly modified at this point. Though yes, only a certain few go to the effort & the cost

[@TheBadAssNinjaDude]

you are an inspiration sir! this is a pipe dream of mine. please let me know, is there internet infrastructure available? I wonder what communications infrastructure was included originally.

[@tomjoad1363]

Is that an army jeep I see @11:03 ?

[@9mmsafetyalwaysoff00]

Did they leave anything resembling air conditioning that you could run again?

[@seangc4763]

Love the channel same as the other Titan 2 guys on here. It would be cool to hook up some 220 power to see if anything still worked in the silo. Just have the fire extinguisher on hand lol. Being in the military myself I love seeing cold war era infrastructure.

[@prettyfardotcom]

Like what ? Lucky to have a lightglobe and it's wiring at best

[@Maybe1Someday]

@@prettyfardotcom Like contacting star command

[@rupe53]

Sean ... likely there's an old diesel gen set in the complex for power outages. He could do another video on a "first start" and see how bad it smokes!

[@Bbendfender]

Very interesting and spooky for an old Titan II MFT. (McConnell AFB)

[@5000go2]

Is this Yuma? Or possibly somewhere near the whitetanks?

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

This is near Tucson Arizona actually.

[@darploin5071]

Yes and also in Kansas and Arkansas most of those Titan 2 missile installations are underground shipwrecks because of all the water infiltration

[@greatplanesman]

Is this in Tucson?

[@86FxBdyCpe]

So the previous owner went through the enormous effort to excavate this area, only to fill it back in? For what reason?

[@Maybe1Someday]

Zombies

[@StrongLikeBullTV]

Interesting video, shout to the taxpayers of Tuscan for lending the K Saw

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

Haha, its actually our own personal saw but it worked out great!

[@bobthompson4319]

i was one of the last people to be in there before these guys where

[@grantottaviano7445]

Is your access portal unusable?

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

It will be but currently it has about 12' of concrete rubble and 2 large round foundations dropped in the bottom of it. Each foundation weighs nearly 40,000 lbs. We will eventually crane those out and clean the rubble so we can use the access portal as well.

[@mgrabo1024]

@@ThompsonAtomicRanch could you jack hammer the foundations apart to take it out in small pieces?

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

@@mgrabo1024 We certainly can. They are 4'x10' circular disks reinforced with rebar. We've also looked into using a product called Dexpan. Pretty cool stuff.

[@michmvp]

What is your end goal for the complex?

[@SteveStoltz]

How are you handling the water runoff during the monsoon season?

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

I actually cover that in the next video, part 2. I'm working on it right now :)

[@SteveStoltz]

@@ThompsonAtomicRanch cool 😎

[@Kaus5221]

I thought you couldn't dig on these properties past two feet?

[@gardentractorfanatic301]

Looking forward to more videos

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

Next one is coming later tonight hopefully 😃

[@ldr9146]

During 1966 I was in the Airforce stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB 390th SMS. While there I worked with a SGT Brewer as electricians. we were close friends and have lost contact with him, would like any information where he lives.

[@jamessmith7691]

Thank you for sharing it. It's a wonder they didn't sensor it.

[@darploin5071]

If you ever get the money to do this painted in the original Alice Chalmers livery that their tractors came in I think they'll be real pretty and make it look real nice and make it extra special

[@iteotwawkiaiff8948]

So awesome to see the work you guys are doing! I too wonder what the ultimate goal is? Not judging...just curious. If I had the money, I would have bought this site or the other one in NW tucson. But both are sold and I’m poor so... Any chance you will let public In to see the site someday?

[@bdblazer6400]

Imagine what it took to put all that concrede underground. missile ready in 2 years. When it takes a men with a hackhoe and a dozzer 2 years to uncover the walkway.

[@cliffyracer6933]

The military built these by digging out a huge bathtub of dirt and then building the silo in the pit. Then once the below ground sections were finished, the dirt was back filled around the silo

[@chaleowin7732]

Zombies!!! That is exactly where my brain went.

[@darploin5071]

Yes that is a nice looking dozer but with the implements you have attached it's called attract payloader but you can use it for dozing so your name is not wrong either for it there's a lot of people will see the tracks and just refer to it as a bulldozer so what you trying to do enter through the decontamination room cuz I took the tunnel out that would probably be the safest way to get in and then just plug up that side or build a new tunnel between it and the missile launch silo have an excellent Sunday

[@darthrevan2063]

My god this would be so much fun to me

[@lapatriot9268]

Cool! Just curious as to how much 12 acres with a missile silo cost nowadays? Asking for a friend.

[@9mmsafetyalwaysoff00]

this is so fucking cool.

[@charlesfitton9677]

What is your goal?

[@jasonjamrs7413]

So you were never supposed to access to the solos

[@craigschofield3222]

They were not meant to be used again for housing missiles hence the state of them. However for other purposes :) it's fine

[@JSG-vo7eh]

why was the silo covered?

[@Stratos53100]

Look up decommisioning...The Gov does that at end of life use and never see the light of day again..to keep the regular person out, Only a select few dedicated people can convert these to shelters etc or even attempt to gain access...

[@JSG-vo7eh]

@@Stratos53100 thankyou for your knowledge

[@jeremyfinn7684]

God, I wouldn't want to run that thing without rollover protection

[@darploin5071]

At least you didn't have to deal with a underground shipwreck like some of those are especially when they fill with water and that's the true advantage of purchasing a Titan2 nuclear missile insulation in the desert

[@darploin5071]

You might want to weld a roll cage on it even though it looks very stable on its tracks it's good just to take a little extra precaution I mean I would hate to see anything bad ever happened to you or your family

[@stanleybest8833]

Why destroy the effort of a missile silo? Convert it. A mushroom greenhouse. A warehouse. A bed and breakfast. A bodega. A diner. Just don't try to make it a gymnasium. Underground, a gym will stink worse. Lex Luthor's girlfriend said her idea of a good time was a night on the town, not under it.

[@ashboy225]

5700? To repair that hydraulic ram? They bent you over backwards, get them rebuilt for less than that...

[@smokeymacpot76]

imagine if Alice had pads with grouzers and corks :)

[@tomshon175]

cool video man, why are you wearing IDF paratrooper shirt ? lol, cheers from Israel .

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

Thanks! Well, it’s an awesome symbol and I definitely support Israel! :). Thanks for watching!

[@tomshon175]

@@ThompsonAtomicRanch thanks man. How can I contact you? Cheers

[@edgarw5919]

Have you ever tested for atomic residue radiation, Would be interesting ? LOL. from down under. Have a happy new year,, 6 hrs to go fort the same old old ?

[@MegaDave1962]

Wow! And I thought watching demolition hitlers bunker was fascinating 👍

[@killmimes]

1 to 2 mph? Slow down hotrod!

[@dirtypaws6328]

WTF the previous owner find to make him re-bury and sell?

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

Haha, that guy actually buried back up because he didn't want people going in and getting hurt. He then stopped making payments and the property was foreclosed on and it went back to the original owner. He then put it up for sale again and we bought it :)

[@mattbaker5574]

I own a mining excavator if u want to use it to move a ton more dirt

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

No way?! That would definitely speed things up! Where are ya from?

[@mattbaker5574]

Fort McMurray

[@benjamindickey4511]

It's called a demolition saw

[@philmoore71]

wow.

[@jimclarke1108]

The silo should be full ( not dirt))

[@bennapier9260]

I'm surprised the government doesn't still consider that their property. And stop you

[@Stratos53100]

After time goes on & the the land is eventually auctioned off, you can do what you want with it, Otherwise the land would never be put up for auction if the Gov really wanted to keep it that way. Thus the reason for the decommisioning to keep people out & avert rebuilding, Because only a said few would go to the effort, of the limited channels and known sites that have done so.

[@mikaelc5539]

I know of a launch center in ND that was sold off with conditions. The Govt won't allow you to dig more than 2 feet in the ground still. Elevator shaft was filled in. First owner sold it after finding out how inefficient the main "house" was and spent over $40k in propane for heat in one winter.

[@ballardja1972]

Seems to me you could have hired a professional with a decent size dozer and excavator for less money than you have spent playing...

[@lapatriot9268]

But the playing is part of the fun!

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

We've spent about $25,000 on heavy equipment but if we were to pay an excavation company to do what we've done, it would be close to $500,000 from some estimates we've gotten.

[@mrmotofy]

Probably could have bought a used backhoe and still have it at the end to use/sell

[@rupe53]

@@mrmotofy ... if you watch part 2 that's pretty much what they did.

[@oscillate1284]

always get the damage clause,$5k woo

[@ThompsonAtomicRanch]

Yep, that was definitely a learning experience for us! Dohhhh!!!!

[@mudslinger995]

Alice needs some track work, need hem grossers replaced.

[@mrfunkington]

So, yah.

[@DennisDuboisLifeview]

So may I be so bold as to ask what the point of all this work and money is?

[@janeuler3262]

emmm - just asking - so much effort - 2 do what? that thing is full of asbestos - what a waste of resources (fuel & your time)

[@phenry5083]

You sound like an idiot.