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Nike missile museum · 06:58 PM

The only Nike missile museum...

Arrived just in time.

Assembly building for non-fuel, non-nuclear parts.

Missile parts...

Old-style timer.

Old equipment.

The warhead assembly building is where the nuclear warhead was fitted.

Our ranger-guide told us not to stand on the yellow-striped doors...then disappeared.

He returned...

About 10 seconds after the missile was raised, a pair of unrelated F-5E jets flew by. I'm sure they were surprised.

We all got on the elevator and rode down to the missile magazine.

Sentries during the day, patrol dogs at night.

Target acquisition radar

Missile guidance radar.

**usn ret** · 09-30-2012, 10:49 PM

An interesting series Kyle, thanks for sharing. I bet those F5 jockys were surprised!!!! Cliff

RoxnDox · 10-01-2012, 10:58 AM

Cool set! It's nice that they've kept at least one Nike site preserved and open like this...

Jim

SpecialK · 10-01-2012, 04:58 PM

Originally posted by usn ret

An interesting series Kyle, thanks for sharing. I bet those F5 jockys were surprised!!!! Cliff

Glad you liked them. The pilots probably laughed at 50-year old technology, though it could still put a ballistic dent in your day..

Originally posted by RoxnDox

Cool set! It's nice that they've kept at least one Nike site preserved and open like this...

Jim

Yep. I managed to see the Minuteman missile museum in South Dakota. I don't know of any others. Perhaps Nevada?

**Bruce Clark** · 10-01-2012, 07:21 PM

Fascinating series. A truly awesome weapon

SpecialK · 10-01-2012, 09:40 PM

Originally posted by Bruce Clark

Fascinating series. A truly awesome weapon

Thanks. Actually some drawbacks of this 1957- 1974-era weapon are...short range and only one at a time could be controlled. ICBMs doomed them. As the park ranger explained it, they were intended as the last line of defense, after most everything else had failed.

**Bob Harris** · 10-01-2012, 09:46 PM

another very interesting adventure Kyle, I really enjoyed the tour. I bet that was quite an experience to view in person. Thanks for the thread.

SpecialK · 10-02-2012, 08:04 PM

Originally posted by Bob Harris

another very interesting adventure Kyle, I really enjoyed the tour. I bet that was quite an experience to view in person. Thanks for the thread.

The equipment was interesting, but raising up the missile was awesome :-)

-K

Stan · 10-02-2012, 08:54 PM

Great set of photos SpecialK, brings back some memories. In the last image (the plaque) at the bottom center shows the missile trajectory -- interesting in itself. I participated in some test firings of Nike and Hawk systems (I was with HAWK), what that trajectory chart does not include is the interesting aspect of standing at the test firing range after a launch on a low cloud cover day.

As shown, the rocket motor cluster is dropped (after going through the low cloud cover of course), and you can hear the air whistling through the chambers as gravity brings it plummeting back to earth. With the wind coming in-range, pushing the cluster back towards the launch site, got kinda intense waiting for the cluster to break through the clouds so we knew exactly where it was going to come down at. Never had one actually come close to us, but ya never knew for sure.....

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09-30-2012, 10:49 PM	#2
usn ret Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Ridgecrest, Calif Posts: 1,274	An interesting series Kyle, thanks for sharing. I bet those F5 jockys were surprised!!!! Cliff

10-01-2012, 10:58 AM	#3
RoxnDox Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gig Harbor, Washington, USA, Terra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,494	Cool set! It's nice that they've kept at least one Nike site preserved and open like this... Jim

10-01-2012, 04:58 PM	#4
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482 Original Poster	Originally posted by usn ret An interesting series Kyle, thanks for sharing. I bet those F5 jockys were surprised!!!! Cliff Glad you liked them. The pilots probably laughed at 50-year old technology, though it could still put a ballistic dent in your day.. Originally posted by RoxnDox Cool set! It's nice that they've kept at least one Nike site preserved and open like this... Jim Yep. I managed to see the Minuteman missile museum in South Dakota. I don't know of any others. Perhaps Nevada?

10-01-2012, 07:21 PM	#5
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458	Fascinating series. A truly awesome weapon

10-01-2012, 09:40 PM	#6
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482 Original Poster	Originally posted by Bruce Clark Fascinating series. A truly awesome weapon Thanks. Actually some drawbacks of this 1957- 1974-era weapon are...short range and only one at a time could be controlled. ICBMs doomed them. As the park ranger explained it, they were intended as the last line of defense, after most everything else had failed.

10-01-2012, 09:46 PM	#7
Bob Harris Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Canon City, Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 18,477	another very interesting adventure Kyle, I really enjoyed the tour. I bet that was quite an experience to view in person. Thanks for the thread.

10-02-2012, 08:04 PM	#8
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482 Original Poster	Originally posted by Bob Harris another very interesting adventure Kyle, I really enjoyed the tour. I bet that was quite an experience to view in person. Thanks for the thread. The equipment was interesting, but raising up the missile was awesome :-) -K

10-02-2012, 08:54 PM	#9
Stan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Northwest Montana Photos: Gallery Posts: 108	Great set of photos SpecialK, brings back some memories. In the last image (the plaque) at the bottom center shows the missile trajectory -- interesting in itself. I participated in some test firings of Nike and Hawk systems (I was with HAWK), what that trajectory chart does not include is the interesting aspect of standing at the test firing range after a launch on a low cloud cover day. As shown, the rocket motor cluster is dropped (after going through the low cloud cover of course), and you can hear the air whistling through the chambers as gravity brings it plummeting back to earth. With the wind coming in-range, pushing the cluster back towards the launch site, got kinda intense waiting for the cluster to break through the clouds so we knew exactly where it was going to come down at. Never had one actually come close to us, but ya never knew for sure.....

Machinery Nike missile museum

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