Dayton HML has vanished

[Orionblamblam]

According to THIS, the Hard Mobile Launcher (big nuke-blast-resistant truck that was to haul Midgetman missiles around) at the US Air Force Museum in Dayton is "in storage." I looked for it on the "new" Google maps and all I found was the shadow of where it once stood.

It is, I suppose, too much to hope that it's being reverse engineered for the new generation of small ICBMs that the USAF has been secretly developing...

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7854273,-84.1069346,64m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

[SOC]

It's sitting over next to the restoration hangars.

 

[sferrin]

Looks like they've got a couple Bomarcs sitting there too. B)

 

[sferrin]

It is, I suppose, too much to hope that it's being reverse engineered for the new generation of small ICBMs that the USAF has been secretly developing...

That's not how it works these days. These days we'd have hysterical press releases from the MSM, lot's of "we're not studying this because we forgot how to do things, it's just because we know better than the old guys and need a laugh" from industry, powerpoints of Russian Topols on the news, a powerpoint or two complete with crappy powerpoint "art" of a notional launcher, and then cancellation two weeks after the initial hysteria broke. Because, "it's the sensible thing to do" and "the Cold War is over".

 

[Orionblamblam]

It's sitting over next to the restoration hangars.

I reject your reality and substitute my own, and choose to believe my own crackpot theory, photos be damned...

 

[SOC]

I reject your reality and substitute my own, and choose to believe my own crackpot theory, photos be damned...

Hey, if I couldn't find it, they'd fire me ;D

 

[Orionblamblam]

Hey, if I couldn't find it, they'd fire me ;D

Well, you could probably get a job at the NSA...

 

[SOC]

Yeah, but working for the private sector means that 1) I'm not working for the US government, 2) I get to travel to places that aren't sand pits, and 3) I get paid a lot better. Not to mention I do the bulk of my work from my desk at home, although that means I'm constantly observed/assaulted/used as a climbing post by two idiot 2-year old felines.

At any rate I wonder how long that thing will sit there now. Hopefully it's being prepped for re-display and not shipped off like the B-1A. I imagine all of the sequestration BS has affected their restoration activity, which is too bad. At least they were able to re-open the R&D hangar last October. Anyone who goes to the museum and is deprived of the sheer "holy crap" moment when you see the hugenormousness of the XB-70 is missing out!

 

[Orionblamblam]

Yeah, but working for the private sector means that 1) I'm not working for the US government,

Unless you've figured a way around income taxes... yes, you really do. And you will be for the next month or so.

Not to mention I do the bulk of my work from my desk at home,

How the hell do *I* get in on that action?

although that means I'm constantly observed/assaulted/used as a climbing post by two idiot 2-year old felines.

Compared to getting crawled by Human Resources or corporate lawyers? I'll take it.

At any rate I wonder how long that thing will sit there now.

Well, the HML at Hill was on display when I passed through on vacation in 2001. When I moved to the area in 2004, it had been moved next to the restoration building. It's *still* there. Fortuantely, the restoration building is literally right next to the entry road, but still...

Anyone who goes to the museum and is deprived of the sheer "holy crap" moment when you see the hugenormousness of the XB-70 is missing out!

Indeed. However, the B-70 needs new digs, where it's not packed in tight in the least photogenic environment on Earth.

 

[SOC]

Unless you've figured a way around income taxes... yes, you really do. And you will be for the next month or so.

BOO! No fair pointing that out!

How the hell do *I* get in on that action?

Hell it took me about ten years to get to this point. I still have no idea how all of this happened. The key appears to be finding something you're good at, and then waiting for people to notice that you're good at it.

Compared to getting crawled by Human Resources or corporate lawyers? I'll take it.

At least I've got an ocean of separation between me and any bureacracy, whereas the Catarded Association views me as their employee. Those jackholes can be demanding bosses!

Indeed. However, the B-70 needs new digs, where it's not packed in tight in the least photogenic environment on Earth.

Their plans for a new hangar adjacent to the main museum are still on, and the plan is to put the R&D stuff in there, probably associated with a general re-arrangement of stuff. When they get around to moving planes around I am so going over there to watch!

 

[Orionblamblam]

The key appears to be finding something you're good at, and then waiting for people to notice that you're good at it.

Ah. So it'll be one of those "starve to death *then* they notice you" things...

the Catarded Association views me as their employee. Those jackholes can be demanding bosses!

Demanding, perhaps... but ultimately understandable. Compare and contrast with the ever-changing world of "sensitivity training" and "diversity is our strength" and suchforth. Cats... food, water, litter, a warm place to sleep, you've pretty much got it covered.

 

[Yellow Palace]

Unless you've figured a way around income taxes... yes, you really do. And you will be for the next month or so.

BOO! No fair pointing that out!

I prefer to think of it that you spend your mornings working for the government, and the afternoon working for yourself. Therefore you do all the unproductive crap (diversity training, progress reviews, filling timesheets) on the government's time, and the useful stuff on your own.

 

[markfward]

The Dayton HML was sold for scrap on 07/16/2015 for $27,500. Onsite demilling was a condition of sale. I've attached photos from the auction (http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?auctionId=9802149).

One wonders why it was disposed of and not offered to other museums / foundations.