36th MMS

 

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

 

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