Mini 2 Cold War Remnant - AT&T Long Lines Comms Tower

[GrayHornet]

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I grew up in the late '50s and '60s in this neighborhood and always wondered about this concrete tower. Turns out it was built by AT&T Long Lines Division in 1949 using the concrete form construction method. The walls are 1 foot thick reinforced concrete top to bottom. There are old bunks in the lower levels and comm control panel stations in several floors. There is a dolly system too. It was built to withstand indirect nuclear blasts at the time during the start of the Cold War soon after WWII. (Most likely would not survive by today's weapons). At the time, AT&T transmitted microwave communications to other similar towers throughout the Midwest region. If one tower was destroyed the other towers would take up the slack to continue emergency broadcasting during a nuclear war. The tower is 147 feet tall. Interesting to note, the last 5 years the red strobe beacon has been turned off.

I used the Litchi app in pre-programming the entire flight. I edited the orbit in post to change directions. I am just learning Litchi and PP to keep my mind active. Thank you kindly for watching.

 

[dozzn]

Excellent

 

[GrayHornet]

Excellent

Thanks!

 

[JayOHIO]

Nice job, I live across the street from one of the towers in Elyria Township about 5 miles south of Lake Erie. A year back they stripped the microwave horns from the top of the tower so a cell company can populate it but nothing has happened yet. It's cool to fly around it as large birds love to roost there.

 

[GrayHornet]

Nice job, I live across the street from one of the towers in Elyria Township about 5 miles south of Lake Erie. A year back they stripped the microwave horns from the top of the tower so a cell company can populate it but nothing has happened yet. It's cool to fly around it as large birds love to roost there.

Curious, is the beacon strobe still on? Thanks!

 

[JayOHIO]

Curious, is the beacon strobe still on? Thanks!

Well being a Helicopter pilot I know it was a lighted tower in the past on a sectional, and the beacon has been off for at least 3 years now and it's well above 200ft, not sure how they are getting away with that...

 

[GrayHornet]

Well being a Helicopter pilot I know it was a lighted tower in the past on a sectional, and the beacon has been off for at least 3 years now and it's well above 200ft, not sure how they are getting away with that...View attachment 146755

Yes, I read the FAA rule on tower strobe lights. 200' and above is required to be on. That tower was, I believe, poured by Cleveland Concrete Company, same as in Cincinnati tower. Quite interesting. Thank you for the picture and input.

 

[bcfd29]

very cool video, likely part of a command and control and/or autovon node with Offut AFB the predecessor to SAC's mountain HQ. Lots of this rode the coat tails of "normal" att tower sites. If interested there is a cool book about all of this: Raven Rock, that describes all of the evolution of the command and control networks like these and how they were abandoned over time.

 

[GrayHornet]

very cool video, likely part of a command and control and/or autovon node with Offut AFB the predecessor to SAC's mountain HQ. Lots of this rode the coat tails of "normal" att tower sites. If interested there is a cool book about all of this: Raven Rock, that describes all of the evolution of the command and control networks like these and how they were abandoned over time.

Very interesting. Thank you!

 

[GrayHornet]

Very interesting. Thank you!

Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government's Secret Plan to Save Itself--While the Rest of Us Die.......the title alone speaks volumes.

 

[-MavicMiniPilot]

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I grew up in the late '50s and '60s in this neighborhood and always wondered about this concrete tower. Turns out it was built by AT&T Long Lines Division in 1949 using the concrete form construction method. The walls are 1 foot thick reinforced concrete top to bottom. There are old bunks in the lower levels and comm control panel stations in several floors. There is a dolly system too. It was built to withstand indirect nuclear blasts at the time during the start of the Cold War soon after WWII. (Most likely would not survive by today's weapons). At the time, AT&T transmitted microwave communications to other similar towers throughout the Midwest region. If one tower was destroyed the other towers would take up the slack to continue emergency broadcasting during a nuclear war. The tower is 147 feet tall. Interesting to note, the last 5 years the red strobe beacon has been turned off.

I used the Litchi app in pre-programming the entire flight. I edited the orbit in post to change directions. I am just learning Litchi and PP to keep my mind active. Thank you kindly for watching.

Nice!

 

[GrayHornet]

Thank you!

 

[GrayHornet]

Excellent

Thanks!