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SF-88 Maintenance There is an excellent book "The Last Missile Site - An Operational and Physical History of Nike Site SF-88 Fort Barry, California". Highly Recommended - and a real bargain !!
However, this book does not cover the restoration (heavy duty maintenance ;-) nor current maintenance of Site SF-88.The restoration was organized and led by Bud Halsey, also, a retired Infantry Colonel. Bud was a large, imposing, determined, persistent, "horse-trading" individual who spent his abundant energy and probably not so abundant retirement money on the restoration of SF-88. At some time, the National Park Service appointed/hired him to be manager of the site.
Bud attracted about a dozen Nike veterans with various skills into the restoration effort.
The story of the restoration of SF-88 from 198? through 1995 will have to be told by others. I (Ed Thelen) blundered into SF-88 in about 1995 when it was almost at its current state of restoration. The last remaining major problem was inability to raise a missile. This was soon solved by eliminating the voltage droop to the launcher due to long cables.
This was the solution - place the source of 400 Hz power much closer to the launcher motors, much reducing cable length and line resistance. And for techies who want to see everything ;-)
Launcher Section B (pictures taken December 7, 2013)
is not on the regular tour - just off to the south-south-east. This is where much of the launcher area restoration/maintenance/storage currently takes place.You might ask what drives the missile elevator up and down, and when raising the elevator performs the sequence of raising the elevator a little too high, activating the locking bars, and gently lowering the elevator onto the locking bars - and related sequences.
You might ask what drives the launch rail and missile vertical and horizontal, hydraulics again.
We need a smile - the above is serious business.
How about overhauling the carburetor for the 5 ton truck so that it doesn't cough and sputter so much ?? Here is Frank, enjoying a day off, with smelly chemicals, grimy glop, tiny parts to lose, "rebuilding" that carburetor. Do you get the idea that restorers are a bit deranged ??
If you have comments or suggestions, Send e-mail to Ed Thelen
Originated Dec 7, 2014
Updated Dec 8, 2013