# Magician in the Mountain (Building 210)



## sYnc_below (Nov 16, 2011)

In the 1950's Skunkworks (Lockheed Advanced Development Projects) created a single engined, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft to be used in the Cold War to help determine Soviet capabilities and intentions. Elements of previous Lockheed designs such as the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter were incorporated to build what became the Lockheed U-2 Spy Plane (and later the TR-1). The first live flight was in August 1955 at Area 51 in Nevada and soon a variety of intelligences packages were developed for use with the plane that could be switched around depending on the mission (Interchangeable nose sections were fitted with large format cameras, radar and other cutting edge surveillance equipment). They flew so high that the pilot had to wear a space suit and breath bottled oxygen.

When the USAAF 17th Reconnaissance Wing was activated the 95th Reconnaissance Squadron was formed at RAF Alconbury bringing with them a fleet of TR-1 Spy planes. Building 210 was the Avionics and Photography Interpretation Centre for the TR-1/U2 Spy plane taking two years to build at a cost of $39 million and was later given the nickname Magic Mountain. The building was linked to various other US bases and also to the Strategic Air Command in Omaha, Nebraska.

Inside the stainless steel lined entrance corridor are a series of large rooms with raised access flooring for computer cabling. Building 210 has its own power plant, closed air conditioning, decontamination chambers, water supply and sewage systems. A Positive Air Pressure system was used to prevent any fallout or poisonous gas getting inside the facility. The bunker is on two floors and built of steel and reinforced concrete, sitting on a bed of gravel and giant 'spring coils' allowing the structure to shift during an attack and absorbing the impact. Allegedly it could withstand a direct hit from a nuclear bomb.

*One of the rooms inside - Photo Copyright - English Heritage ©*






The political situation changed in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall and within six months of opening Magic Mountain was obsolete. By July 1991 the USAAF 17th Reconnaissance Wing was deactivated and by 1993 the entire base was handed back to the MoD.

On this visit I could not gain access to the subterranean bunker itself so you will have to make do with the few photo's I could get, I will however be going back so watch this space...

*TR-1 Spyplane*
















































































Thanks for looking


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## Seahorse (Nov 16, 2011)

As an aside, Skunk Works famously lost a domain name battle against a small British purveyor of *ahem* Smoking Accessories.

After winning their battle, the wee shop commented on the likelihood that there may have been some confusion about the two different companies' products:

"We do not sell or offer military services, stealth bombers, yo-yos, [or] decorations for Christmas trees."


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## UrbanX (Nov 16, 2011)

Y know when you see somewhere and it just makes you go "whoa!" how thick are those Walls ?!
Nice bit of history too.


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## night crawler (Nov 16, 2011)

You know I thought the walls on the place I work were think but that takes the bisquit. Wonder what it is like inside?


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## oldscrote (Nov 16, 2011)

That's awesome matey, always was a sucker for cold war architecture.Thanks for sharing.


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## godzilla73 (Nov 16, 2011)

Yeah - amazing Hal. That's proper cold war architecture right there; the kind of stuff, that when I was a kid, I imagined that the entire government would retreat to in the event of the balloon going up. Thanks for sharing!

Godzy


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## Priority 7 (Nov 16, 2011)

Nice find as always Tocsin


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## oldscrote (Nov 17, 2011)

My favourite bit of cold war architecture weighs 25tons and reputedly takes 15 mins to close

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NORADBlast-Doors.jpg


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## sYnc_below (Nov 17, 2011)

oldscrote said:


> My favourite bit of cold war architecture weighs 25tons and reputedly takes 15 mins to close
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NORADBlast-Doors.jpg




You win the Top Trumps - Big Fuck Off Nuclear Blast Doors game


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## King Al (Nov 17, 2011)

Good stuff tocsin! super find as usual


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## smiler (Nov 17, 2011)

I Liked That, lovely bit of history and good pics, I enjoyed it, Thanks.


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## Foxylady (Nov 18, 2011)

Wow, yes. Fantastic piece of history and architecture. Cheers Hal...nice one.


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## flyboys90 (Nov 18, 2011)

Very, very interesting.has anybody been inside?


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## sYnc_below (Nov 18, 2011)

flyboys90 said:


> Very, very interesting.has anybody been inside?



Yeah but not for a few years.....I'm hoping to soon though


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## John_D (Nov 19, 2011)

Great post! I had realised that spy planes were flying out of Alconbury, because in 1992 I was driving down the A1 past there and a U2 flew over the road in front of me, quite low and landed there. Shame 'Megatron Services' has gone now, my kids used to get a real kick out of eating a burger in a 'real' flying saucer just outside the base gates How it used to be


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## TeeJF (Nov 19, 2011)

oldscrote said:


> My favourite bit of cold war architecture weighs 25tons



I think she was sat behind me on the plane last night...

Nice report Tocsin. You've been quite for a while and we wondered what you'd been up to!


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## sYnc_below (Nov 19, 2011)

TeeJF said:


> You've been quite for a while and we wondered what you'd been up to!



Researching mainly....new virginous untouched places


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## tigger2 (Dec 13, 2011)

How did the arty shots of "Oh Johnnie" come out Hal?


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## Pincheck (Dec 13, 2011)

very nice mate


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## sYnc_below (Dec 13, 2011)

tigger2 said:


> How did the arty shots of "Oh Johnnie" come out Hal?



Oh Johnnie still needs sorting along with Sally Ann and Building 4105...must pull my finger out


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## rapidman (Dec 13, 2011)

Nice one!!
I'ive been wondering when someone would do a report on this place,i can see the base from my house and always wanted a peek inside and also whent to there open day the other month.would love to have a chance to have a look around but i spoke to some guy there and he was on about the fire+health+safty so thet cant open it to the public :-(


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## sYnc_below (Dec 14, 2011)

rapidman said:


> Nice one!!
> I'ive been wondering when someone would do a report on this place



30-40 more shots coming when I get time to sort them out


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## skeleton key (Dec 14, 2011)

Good man 
How did i miss this when first posted
Great mate 

SK


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## MD (Dec 14, 2011)

i think i know where this is 
and IM looking forward to seeing more !! 
great work mate


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## tigger2 (Dec 14, 2011)

tocsin_bang said:


> Oh Johnnie still needs sorting along with Sally Ann and Building 4105...must pull my finger out



Downloaded mine from the cameras but not had chance to take a good look at the yet!


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## rapidman (Dec 23, 2011)

tocsin_bang said:


> 30-40 more shots coming when I get time to sort them out



Thank you would like to see more ;-)


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## P Bellamy (Dec 24, 2011)

tocsin_bang said:


>



Interesting to see some covers have been put over the grilles in the vehicle bay since last year.
Understandable really, as stepping out of the Land Rover we'd parked on the grille and realising you're over a drop right down to the sub-basement level can be quite dizzying... 

Random photo from my last visit:
1989 Soviet Navy issue watch outside 1989 Magic Mountain, something unthinkable at the time they were both built.






I'll try to find the photos I took inside the bunker in 2010.

PB


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