36th MUNITIONS MAINTENANCE SQUADRON
SCHILLING AFB
ATLAS F
PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN IN 1962
NOSE CONE BEING PLACED IN NOSE CRADLE
NOSE CRADLE BEING PLACED ON DOLLY PRIOR TO CHECKOUT
NOSE ABOUT TO BE MATED TO WARHEAD
REMOVAL OF NOSE CRADLE
AFT FLARE SECTION PRIOR TO INSTALLATION IN IT'S CRADLE
INSPECTION OF ADAPTER
NOTE: THE ADAPTER IS EVENTUALLY BOLTED TO THE MISSILE
ADAPTER BEING PLACED OVER SEPARATION MECHANISM
APPLYING TENSILE LOAD TO ADAPTER
NOTE: OVER 60,000 POUNDS OF PRESSURE ARE APPLIED TO THE ADAPTER SECTION HELD BY A NUT ON THE SEPARATION MECHANISM. WHEN THE SIGNAL FOR RV SEPARATION IS GIVEN, EXPLOSIVE SQUIBS CAUSE THE HOLDING NUT TO SLIP OFF. THE STORED TENSILE LOAD PUSHES THE RV AWAY FROM THE MISSILE.
RV AND HOLDING CRADLE PLACED ON TRAILER FOR TRANSPORT TO THE SILO
FOLLOWING PHOTOS TAKEN AT SITE 8
MARCH 9, 1962
MK 4 BEING ROTATED TO VERTICAL POSITION PRIOR TO MATING
NOTE: SITE 550-8 MARCH 9, 1962
RV FULLY ROTATED PRIOR TO BEING LOWERED INTO SILO
NOTE: DIESEL COOLING TOWER IN BACKGROUND
LOWERING RV INTO SILO
PICTURE OF HYDROSET
NOTE: INSERTED BETWEEN THE CRANE AND THE RV, THE HYDROSET ALLOWED THE MOVEMENT IN .001" INCREMENTS FOR FINAL PLACEMENT
RV APPROACHING MISSILE INTERFACE
NOTE: SINCE THE ATLAS WAS NOT FUELED DURING INTERFACE, TWO SUPPORT MECHANISMS (RODS COMING INTO MISSILE INTERFACE) KEEP THE MISSILE IN STRETCH
RV CLOSER TO MISSILE INTERFACE
NOTE: LARGE TUBE ENTERING MISSILE IS FOR VENTING GASEOUS LIQUID OXYGEN DURING FUEL LOADING
RV BEING CENTERED OVER INTERFACE
MOUNTING BOLTS BEING INSERTED
NOTE: MISSILE STRETCH MECHANISM
RV MOUNTED PRIOR TO REMOVAL OF CRADLE
NOTE: SUPPORT MECHANISM AND VENT TUBE
RV CRADLE BEING REMOVED
NOTE: LAUNCH PLATFORM ELEVATOR DRIVE MOTOR AND CABLES
MK 4 RV INSTALLATION COMPLETE
NOTE: PERSONNEL LOCATED ON LEVEL 2 OF SILO
MANY THANKS TO GARY L. MOLIVER FOR SHARING THESE PHOTOS