Warbird Information Exchange

I have been checking some of the old military structures that have been left open to the public in the SF bay area. Even though SF and the surrounding cities try to hide there military back grounds, the area is rich in old bases and abandon military structures. If these pix intrests anyone, let me know and I can post more.
This is the Nike Control station 88c in the Marin headlands at Fort Cronkite
it was abandon in 74 and left to the goldengate park service. This is where they would find, track and signal launch to the actuall launch sites.

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Some people are like slinkys, good for nothing but bring a smile to your face when pushed down stairs.

Those are awsome pics. I would love to see some more. Ther is one here South of Pittsburgh that I would love to go and photo, but I don't know how to get permission to do so.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Hey, I think we just found a West Coast Helipad to use. No "x" on it, so it's still legal! I wonder if it'll hold a Hind?

Anyway, great shots. There are several Nike sites around D/FW, but I've never taken the time to go see them. Oddly enough, the Dallas ISD owns one of the sites now. Talk about irony.

These photos are of the coastal battery Townsley. This gun emplacement had two 16 inch guns that were 64 feet long. Built in 1938, the guns were in use only until 1949 and then cut up. They were fired to 25 miles accuratly. They figured they could fire to 30 miles with no problem. The battery was altered in the 60's to test the effects of explosions on different items. They in the process to restore battery townsley and trying to get one of the guns back from the navy.








this photo below is the end of the shock tube for explosion testing



original chalk writing showing the inventory







I have pix of nike missle site 87C in san bruno if you would like.

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Some people are like slinkys, good for nothing but bring a smile to your face when pushed down stairs.

Deleted

Hi Keith,

We had a look inside the one that was sitting at the top of Sharp Park Road back in the late 1970's (is this the San Bruno site you refer to?). Most of the buildings were still standing then, and could be wondered through. The railroad tracks that were welded across the hatch opening in the elevator room had been cut and we went down inside. The water was still working on the faucets, and I had the misfortune to slip and faul into a shallow pool of hydraulic fluid from the elevators. After hosing me down the best we could, I had to ride home in the back of my buddy's truck. In one of the control/blast rooms in the Nike bunker was a neat mural of SF back in the late 50/60's without all the skyscrapers. If you scroll down our website page there's a couple of pictures from the Marin base during it's operational days, they have tours there regularly: http://www.sfahistory.org/meetings2005.htm

I presume you've been there by now, there was also a site up at Fort Funston in Daly City where the hang gliders fly from. Haven't been there in years, but most of it was/is paved over, and the gun emplacements have been sealed for safety reasons.

We also hiked through the areas you photographed, snuck into the bowels of Battery Hill 129 in the Marin headlands which lead to quite a few smaller gun emplacements and bunkers down the hill, and quite a few others in the area and down at the beachbelow 129.

I just grabbed a scrap book of horrible pictures I took back in the mid-70's with pictures of Batteries Wallace, Alexander, and Davis, to mention a few........

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Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.

Thank you for posting those pictures. They brought back some memories. In fifth grade my glass took a field trip up to that base and the artillery battery. There were some barracks close by that were maintained as a camp that we stayed at for three nights. I remember a group of us sneaked out to the girls barracks to get some kisses lol. It reminded my of "Stalag 17" trying to sneak over and see the Russian female prisoners lol.

These are the "look-out" stations in the headlands









This is the Fire control station in San Bruno 88C











The actual launch site 88L is still there but the only the doors for the missle storage are left. They are cemented over and full of water so entry is not available. I might get a run to Fort Funston soon and Ill get more photos then. Cheers!

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Some people are like slinkys, good for nothing but bring a smile to your face when pushed down stairs.

Learn something new every day. When I first saw this thread, I thought "since when did a shoe company start sponsoring weapons?"

Keith, is 88L the same one as the one I refered to just North of Sharp Park Road above Pacifica, or the trail leading up from Skyline College?

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Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.

the graffitti sucks. the cops / u.s. park service needs to protect these historic sites from the gang bangers & crack heads!!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Unfortunately, these are all over the place here in the SF Bay Area Coast , and short of severe fencing and a permanent guard, it just isn't possible. And yes I strongly agree with your statement.

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Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.

Battery Townsley being built, 1938



Installing the 16-inch tube in Battery Townsley



16-inch Gun mounted in Battery Townsley



This Fire Control station was for Battery Townsley, the stations for Battery Townsley were as far north as Wildcat and as far south as Devils Slide.

I had the sites mixed up. But yes the launch site off sharp park is 51L at milagra ridge and the control site in San Bruno is 51C. There is a Battery of the coastal defence system on the Sharp Park emplacement. I don't know what it was used for but I'll try to find out. The Nike Doors at 51L are cemented over now and there is no access. But for the all of the Nike sites, there is no security at all. Thats why there is extreme vandalizim. I'm just surprised anyone would hike that far just to vandalize. Both C sites are a very long hike and have to be in good shape to get there.

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Some people are like slinkys, good for nothing but bring a smile to your face when pushed down stairs.

Here is a map of Milagra Ridge showing the Battery construction 244 and the 4 Fire control stations one of which is for Battery Townsley, one for Battery Davis, one for Battery 129 and the last one is the Battery Commanders station for Battery 244. On top the hill was a SCR-296 Radar site. BTW I have site maps and plans to all the Batteries built in the US and the Philippines if someone needs one or two......


Milagra Ridge

Battery 244 2-6inch Guns