Customer Reviews

Disaster at Silo 7 [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a True Story of an actual disaster that might have been catastrophic !!! I worked with one of the people who was at this silo when the accident happened, and he told me that it was just like this movie portrayed. Bacially, While doing some routine maintenance on a nuclear missile ( Titan II ??? ), a worker accidentally drops a socket down from the top of the silo, and it then makes a small puncture in the missile's gas-based fuel tank below. When the silo's alarms start going off, they send in a team of Experts to try and repair the leak. They only have a small amount of time to repair the leak though, because if all the gas escapes, the missile colapses in the silo :-( Not to mention, the gas is explosive, and they CANNOT use any tool that will create a spark. I won't reveal the ending, but it's definately a good film.

Over-worked and under-paid is a fair description of the men and women of the Air Force who are charged with maintaining nuclear tipped ballistic missiles. The Titan missile was a liquid filled beast that demanded constant attention. One slip of the tool and the chain reaction began. Brave souls gave their lives to try and salvage the bird in silo 7. But, does anyone know that the warhead was blown out of the silo and landed in a nearby field? Are there others we don't know about? You will admire the bravery of the enlisted men, and you will be disgusted at how they were treated. The silent war continues to this day across the plains of Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. The Minuteman III has solid rocket fuel and is far less vulnerable than the Titan; nonetheless, young men and women risk their lives regularly to keep these birds on alert. We should never forget the sacrifices of the silent heroes that maintain our fleet of nuclear missiles!

The two previous reviews were sufficient to describe the film, but I felt it important to add that the events depicted took place in Arkansas. The Damascus Titan II site (launch site 374-7, one of 18 missiles in the Strategic Missile Wing at Little Rock Airforce Base)suffered an accident September 18, 1980. A worker dropped a large wrench socket down the silo which bounced up and punctured a fuel tank on the missile. The resulting explosion (some 8 hours later) killed one worker, knocked the door off the silo, and propelled the (live!) nuclear warhead 600 feet into the air before it fell to the ground nearby.

I bought this for a friend who was stationed at silo seven at the time of the disaster. He loaned me his and I lost it. However, I found it and returned it to him so I kept mine. If you are into military history and movies based on real life events, this is a good one. According to my friend, its a very accurate true-to-life movie. You'll probably like it. Suspenseful and interesting oldie but goodie. I don't think you can find it on DVD.

Having been on a TitanII missile crew for 9 years, I was critical of this movie the first time I watched it because of minor deviations from authenticity of the way life was on missile crew.

Now it is part of my collection ... This accident occurred a year after I got out of the Air Force. I had pulled several alerts at the site that actually blew up in Arkansas and I had pulled alerts at the site near Tucson where the movie was filmed.

Those 9 years in SAC as a Missile Combat Crew member, instructor, and standboard evaluator were some of the best of times in my life. Looking back, I was fortunate to work with some of the best minds and best friends more than any other time in my life, so far.

Can't imagine anyone who was involved with the Titan system not wanting this movie.

Love this movie ! Served on Titan II Launch Combat crew in Arizona (390th SMW, 570th SMS)before the event took place at another Titan Base years after I got out of the USAF. Movie was filmed at the Titan Missle Museum in Tucson, AZ where I had pulled an occasional alert in the '70s when it was an actual on-alert site (571-7).

Movie is pretty much factual except it was set at a fictional Titan II "base...wing....squadron" in Texas ...which didn't exist. Bases were in AZ, AR, KS, and test launch site(s) existed at Vandenberg AFB, CA.

Not having been in or at the actual event, the sequences were fairly good. Some thngs were 'off' due to the museum limitations.....buildings topside did not exist during the operational site days... etc.

The best Titan II movie ever made, too bad that it had to be about such a horrible event.....

An Ex Titan II BMAT, '71-75

I was a Titan II combat crew member in Arkansas just before this accident occurred. The accuracy of the details of the site and the actions taken by the men and women reacting to the catstrophe was amazing. The only thing in the movie that wasn't accurate was the wooden building topside inside the perimeter fence. Operational Titan II sites did not have any buildings of any kind topside. However, since this movie was made at the Titan II museum Site in AZ, they couldn't very well take the building down. Other than this everything was as I remembered it and it sent chills up my spine and I cried tears of pride for the men that sacrificed to save the missile and its payload. The re-entry vehicle was found a quarter of a mile from the complex after having blown the 750 ton silo door off. They had always told us the warhead would not explode even if engulfed in flames or the missile exploded. They were right; sure was a hard way to find that out. I was stationed in Arkansas after completing Tech school in texas and Combat Crew trining at Vandenberg AFB, Ca. It was an interesting 6 years; a total of 488 days undergournd in northern Arkansas.

Absorbing drama that tells the aftermath of a disastrous fuel leak in a nuclear missile-silo. The dramatic events derived arouse all kind of conjectures around supine actions, a powerful document that will engage you from start to finish.

This is a good made for TV movie. Easily worth the $5. Im glad to see it available on VHS even though it didnt make it to the theaters. This movie is based on an actual airforce event that took place at a Silo in New Mexico. The movie was filmed just south of Tuscon Az in the only formerly active silo from the cold war that is open to the public. One of the Airman involved in the actual explosion played a small role in the movie and worked to keep the facts straight on this "Fictional Movie". Two actors Reggie Jones and Cordell Rich were left out of the credits but did well on their respective bit parts. Reggie as an Air Force Airman and Cordell as the Medic who worke on Michael and "Pepper" in the ambulance.