Thomas P. McIninch
UNCLASSIFIED
The following (S), (C), and (U) marks indicate Secret,
Confidential, and Unclassified security ratings that are for
historical interest only. This page and the document it comes
from, entitled OXCART History (DON:SC-86-010115), has been
UNCLASSIFIED according to Senior Crown Security Class Guide
dated 11/01/89, approved and dated 25 Feb.91.
(U) One thing to be decided in the earliest stages of the
program was where to base and test the aircraft. Lockheed
clearly could not do the business at Burbank, where the
aircraft were being built, if for no other reason that its
runway was too short. The ideal location ought to be remote
from metropolitan areas; well away from civil and military
airways to preclude observation; easily accessible by air;
blessed with good weather the year round; capable of
accommodating large numbers of personnel; equipped with fuel
storage facilities; fairly close to an Air Force
installation; and, possessing at least an 8,000 foot runway.
There was no such place to be found.
(S) Ten Air Force bases programmed for closure were
considered, but none provided the necessary security, and
annual operating costs at most of them would be unacceptable.
Edwards Air Force Base in California seemed a more likely
candidate, but in the end it also was passed over. Instead a
secluded site in Nevada was finally picked. It was deficient
in personnel accomodations and POL storage, and its long-
unused runway was inadequate, but security was good, or could
be made so, and a moderate construction program could provide
sufficient facilities. Lockheed estimated what would be
needed in such respects as monthly fuel consumption, hangars
and shop space, housing for personnel, and runway
specifications. Armed with the list of major requirements,
Headquarters came up with a construction and engineering
plan. And in case anyone became curious about what was going
on at this remote spot, a cover story stated that the
facilities were being prepared for certain radar studies, to
be conducted by an engineering firm with support from the Air
Force. The remote location was explained as necessary to
reduce the effect of electronic interference from outside
sources.
(S) Excellent as it may have been from the point of view of
security, the site at first afforded few of the necessities
and none of the amenities of life. It was far from any
metropolitan center. Lockheed provided a C-47 shuttle service
to its plant at Burbank, and a chartered D-18 (Lodestar)
furnished transportation to Las Vegas. Daily commuting was
out of the question, however, and the construction workers
arriving during 1960 were billeted in surplus trailers. A new
water well was dug, and a few recreational facilities
provided, but it was some time before accomodations became
agreeable.
(S) Among the lesser snags, one existed because the laws of
Nevada required the names of all contractor personnel staying
in the state for more than 48 hours to be reported to state
authorities. It was generally felt that to list all these
names and identify the companies involved would be likely to
give the whole show away. The Agency's General Counsel,
however, discovered that Government employees were exempted
from these requirements. Thenceforth all contractor personnel
going to the site received appointments as Government
consultants, and if questions were asked the reply could be
that no one but government employees were at this site.
(C)Construction began in earnest in September 1960, and
continued on a double-shift schedule until mid-1964. One of
the most urgent tasks was to build the runway, which
according to initial estimates of A-12 requirements must be
8,500 feet long. The existing asphalt runway was 5,000 feet
long and incapable of supporting the weight of the A-12. The
new one was built between 7 September and 15 November and
involved pouring over 25,000 yards of concrete.
Another major problem was to provide some 500,000 gallons of
PF-1 aircraft fuel per month. Neither storage facilities nor
means of transporting fuel existed. After considering
airlift, pipeline, and truck transport, it was decided that
the last-named was the most economical, and could be made
feasible by resurfacing no more than eighteen miles of
highway leading into the base.
(C) Three surplus Navy hangars were obtained, dismantled, and
erected on the north side of the base. Over 100 surplus Navy
housing buildings were transported to the base and made ready
for occupancy. By early 1962 a fuel tank farm was ready,
with a capacity of 1,320,000 gallons. Warehousing and shop
space was begun and repairs made to older buildings. All
this, together with the many other facilities that had to be
provided, took a long time to complete. Meanwhile, however,
the really essential facilities were ready in time for the
forecast delivery date of Aircraft No. 1 in August 1961.
(S) The facilities were ready, but the aircraft were not.
Originally promised for delivery at the end of May 1961, the
date first slipped to August, largely because of Lockheed's
difficulties in procuring and fabricating titanium. ....
[Which they later obtained from the USSR by covert means...ironic huh?]
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Wayne Busse
Email: wings@sky.net