Naval Air Station Fallon, Power Plant, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NV-33-B. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The 800 Complex (Fig. 1) is located in the southeast comer of the Naval Air Station Fallon, Fallon, Churchill County, Nevada. The Power Plant (Building is located east of the Radar Tower (Building and north of the Headquarters building USGS Grimes Point Quadrangle UTM Coordinates: 11

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NV-33-B. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Power Plant (Building is significant due to its association with the 800 Complex. The Air Force-built buildings in the 800 Complex are significant for their role in the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (Project SAGE) air defense system, and as exceptionally important examples of the architecture of the Cold War. The period of significance of the property extends from when construction started, through its abandonment by the Air Force in Built in the Power Plant served the Fallon Air Force Station, especially the fallout shielded Building The Fuel Tanks (Building are proposed to be demolished and the pipes from the Fuel Tanks to Building 806 will be cut at the pipe boxes (Fig. 2).

Interior to Building the floor level tanks are proposed to be removed as will the lower level Day Tanks and Make-up Water Tank (Fig. 3). PART 1. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: The Power Plant (Building was constructed in (Mikesell 2. Architect: The architectural firm responsible for designing this type of fallout shelter is Richard J. Donovan Inc., Architects-Engineers, of Winchester, Massachusetts. 3. Original and subsequent owners: The original owner was the Air Force who used the 800 Complex as the Fallon Air Force Station from to the early After the Air Force left, NAS Fallon has been the owner. 4. Builder, contractor, suppliers: Unknown 5.

Original plans and construction: The Power Plant (Building appears as it did when constructed and has not been altered. NAVAL AIR STATION FALLON POWER PLANT (BUILDING HABS NO. Page 2 6. Alterations and additions: The Power Plant (Building appears as it did when constructed and has not been altered. B. Historical Context 1. Description: Descriptive information for the 800 Complex and Power Plant (Building was gathered from the Inventory and Evaluation of National Register Eligibility for Cold War-Era Buildings and Structures, Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada (Mikesell The Power Plant (Building is the power plant for the 800 Complex on what was the Fallon Air Force Station.

The 800 Complex includes a group of buildings and structures located near the southwestern corner of Main Side at Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon. The fenced complex is about 5.5 acres in area and includes nine permanent buildings, fuel tanks, seven trailers, and temporary buildings. Of these buildings, only buildings 806 and 820 contribute to the significance of this property. The 800 Complex is a distinctively Cold War property. It was built to house a state-of-the-art computer, radar interpretation system, and counter-measure control office, designed to assume control of part of the American response to a nuclear attack, should the primary control center be disabled.

Although it is not the only such Back-up Interceptor Control (BUIC) building, there can be no doubt that the building was associated directly with leading edge technologies and strategies. Architecturally, the heavily fortified buildings are uniquely Cold War structures, individually and as a group. Building which housed BUIC system, was built to withstand a near-miss nuclear attack. The 100-Man Fallout Shelter (Building the bomb shelter, was similarly designed to be "fallout shielded." The Power Plant was built to power the radar and computer as that they drew more power than was available on the grid at that time.

The 800 Complex represents exceptional significance within the Cold War context on the basis of its close association with an important element of the Cold War defense strategy and because it embodies the distinctive architecture of the Cold War. 2. Historical information: Descriptive information for the 800 Complex and the Power Plant (Building was gathered from the Inventory and Evaluation of National Register Eligibility for Cold War-Era Buildings and Structures, Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada (Mikesell The significance of Power Plant (Building is tied to the significance of the whole of the 800 Complex. What follows is a review of the 800 Complex at NAS Fallon in history.

The 800 Complex includes remnants of an Air Force Station built within the boundaries of a Navy Auxiliary Air Station. The Air Force first came to Fallon in when the Aircraft Control & Warning (AC&W) squadron was assigned to what was called Fallon Air Force Station. The squadron initially operated mobile radar units. In however, plans were approved for construction of a permanent radar tower, unit and necessary control and auxiliary buildings. These permanent buildings were completed by and all still exist. 3. Function of the 800 Complex with the SAGE system: The 800 Complex at NAS Fallon was a BUIC I, II and III back-up unit to the Winnemucca, Nevada Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Control Center.

A BUIC was capable of handling the important work of the SAGE Control center, should the control be destroyed or disabled. There were two components to the operation at the 800 Complex: day-to-day monitoring of the skies and the presence as a back up for the control of American NAVAL AIR STATION FALLON POWER PLANT (BUILDING HABS NO. Page 3 counter-measures in the event of an air attack. The first function operated daily; the second function was fortunately never needed. The Air Force moved on to the Navy Station at Fallon (then a Naval Auxiliary Air Station) in at about the same time that the Navy was just beginning to build a permanent station there. The Air Force would call the facility Fallon Air Force Station. The function of this facility changed over time.

Initially, the Air Force assigned the AC&W Squadron. It was tasked with the operation of two sets of mobile radar units: an AN/MPS-7 and an AN/MPS-14 unit. Briefly in an AN/FPS-3 unit was assigned there as well. The AN/FPS-7 was one of the first radar system designed specifically to be compatible with the SAGE network; General Electric built it. The AN/FPS-14 was what was called "gap finder" radar and was also specifically built to be SAGE compatible; Bendix built it. In the early the mission of the Fallon Air Force Station was upgraded substantially. The bulk of the 800 Complex was built in The mission of the 1961-built station was to operate an AN/FPS35 radar unit. The specifications of the AN/FPS-35 are discussed below.

Briefly, this unit was one of the more ambitious SAGE-compatible radar units from the early it was first deployed in making Fallon Air Station one of the first stations to use it. The movable radar antenna weighed seventy tons and drew an enormous amount of electric power. The construction at the 800 Complex reflected the needs of this huge unit. The radar tower, Building was large chiefly because it was designed to hold this bulky antenna. The external power plant, Building as well as the fuel tanks, were constructed because there was insufficient power in the local grid system to supply the antenna, and to ensure a power supply in the event the local grid was inoperable.

The operations building, Building was initially a lightly reinforced concrete block building designed to control the radar operations and feed the data to other SAGE-related installations, probably to the SAGE control center in Winnemucca. In (only one year after the initial construction), Building 800 was upgraded with a "Concrete Fallout Shielding." The new construction did not increase the interior space of the building. Rather, the work was entirely exterior to the concrete block building. The new construction included a thick (generally l' 2") poured-in-place reinforced concrete wall around the exterior, leaving a three-foot airspace between the new and old walls.

The functions of the interior rooms did not change between and the improvement, however, suggests that the Air Force placed great value on the data coming from the radar at this site. The building was dramatically upgraded in and to transform it into a BUIC, or back-up SAGE center. The upgrade involved construction at the east end of the original building. As noted earlier, the BUIC program included three phases, called BUIC I, BUIC II, and BUIC The work on Building 800 was designed to upgrade it to a BUIC III status. The and additions had two things in common: they were heavily reinforced ("fallout shielded") and they were dominated by computer rooms and a large radar screen display room.

The BUIC II and III systems apparently relied upon a Burroughs-built computer that was compatible with the IBM-built SAGE computer. The computer room, built in included the thickest walls built at Building 800 - l' 4" - and was accessible from two small doors. A data display room, which accommodated twelve radar screens, was a thickly reinforced room measuring 40' x The construction brought Building 800 to its current appearance and NAY AL AIR STATION FALLON POWER PLANT (BUILDING HABS NO. Page4 included some rooms that were not defended to fallout-proof conditions. These included a briefing room and an entry vestibule.

By the building included the following rooms that had fallout-proof walls: the telephone line room; mechanical rooms; the computer room; the data display room; a room for programmers; and incidental rooms. such as the bathrooms' located near the center of the building. Other construction during the period supports the high-security nature of the operation. The 100-Man Fallout Shelter (Building was built in at the time in which Building 800 was fallout shielded." The guard shack, Building was built in and later expanded. The 800 Complex had two major functions: the operation of the radar unit; and the BUIC operation. The two were related but not identical. The AN/FPS-35 radar was but one of many radar units in the area, although it was a particularly powerful (although error-prone) unit.

The AN/FPS-35 was operated jointly by the Air Force and the FAA after about The radar unit was not protected in the manner of Building the antenna was totally exposed and the walls of the tower on Building 804 are not "fallout shielded." It may be concluded that the BUIC function of Building 800 was regarded as more important than that of the radar set nearby. The total operation at the 800 Complex, built no doubt at great expense, was surprisingly short-lived. The AN/FPS-3: antenna was removed in two generations of smaller radar units have been used since then. The Air Force abandoned the entire 800 Complex at about that time, turning the radar unit (Building over the FAA and the rest of the buildings to the Navy. Building 804 is still used as a FAA radar tower.

The range department of Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center uses building The other buildings inside the 800 Complex gate are used for incidental purposes, including a Sea Air and Land (SEALS) base, recently established in the 800 area (Mikesell PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement 1. Architectural character: Architectural and Engineering information for the 800 Complex and the Power Plant (Building was gathered from the Inventory and Evaluation of National Register Eligibility for Cold War-Era Buildings and Structures, Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada (Mikesell and from the Power Plant (Building design plans (Lockard, Casazza and Parsons The Power Plant (Building is a corrugated metal barn-like structure with shed roof side elements on the east and west.

The roof for the central portion is gabled. Plans identify it as the "Power Plant." This building supplied electricity to Buildings 800 and 2. Condition of fabric: The condition of the Power Plant (Building is roughly unchanged since construction. Wear on the building makes it look its age. NAVAL AIR STATION FALLON POWER PLANT (BUILDING HABS NO. Page 5 B. Description of Exterior: 1. Overall dimensions: The overall dimensions of the rectangular Power Plant (Building are 67' 4" across the front and 88' long. The Power Plant (Building has a two story central portion, open for the generators. The shed roof side elements are one story and the portion under the central gable roof is has a basement roughly six feet deep. 2.

Foundations: The floor of the Power Plant (Building is a eight inch concrete foundation on a concrete slab. Concrete blocks span from the concrete foundation to the corrugated metal. 3. Walls: The walls are corrugated metal above concrete blocks. 4. Structural system, framing: The structural system is steel framework set on the foundation. The steel girders are 9 by and the concrete foundation is 8" thick. 5. Porches, stoops, balconies, bulkheads: None. 6. Chimneys: There are two metal vent pipes. One vent pipe is located on the east side over the Boiler room and the other vent pipe is located outside of the office. 7. Openings: a. Doorways: There are three double doors, two located on the east face and one located on the north face. All are metal with a four-pane window, no trim.

There are two single doors, located on the north and south faces, made of metal with four pane windows. b. Bay Doors: One bay door is located on the north side to move big equipment in and out. This is a metal roll-up door with metal trim. c. Windows: There is one window located on the south face that has three panes, is barred and has metal trim over concrete blocks. d. Grates: There are four grates. The two located on the east face are 3' by 5' at head height to move air out of the ground floor area. The two grates on the west side are 9' by 4' and were used to ventilate the sub-floor. e. Pipe boxes: Two pipe boxes are located on the east face. They have wood and shingle shed tops and are used to access the fuel pipes as they enter the building. 8.

Roof: The roof has a central gable are where the generators were located and a shed roof on the east and west side. Every roof consists of gravel on built up insulation on top of steel decking. Metal gutters and down spouts insure movement of water off the relatively flat roof. Metal gravel stops frame the edges. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor Plans: The Power Plant (Building includes four rooms and a sub-floor: a main room, a bathroom, a boiler room and plenum/air intake area. The main room housed the four generators, sitting on concrete pads. The floor in the main room is a steel grate that separates it from the sub-floor plumbing area. On the northwest comer of the building is the office/ control room and the bathroom. The boiler room is located in the northeast comer.

The plenum area is on the east side and was where the air intake manifolds were located. 2. Stairway: There is one stairway located roughly in the center of the main room and descends into the sub-floor. The sub floor is a short area filled with plumbing connecting the generators to the fuel system, the coolant system and the ventilation system. 3. Flooring: The flooring is concrete in the buildings except in the main room where steel grates are used to separate the main room from the sub-floor. NAVAL AIR STATION FALLON POWER PLANT (BUILDING HABS NO. Page 6 4. Wall and ceiling finish: The interior walls are concrete, concrete block and corrugated metal. The ceiling reflects the construction of the building showing the steel framework structure and corrugated metal. 5. Openings: a.

Doorways: Excepting doorways to the outside, interior doorways are located to the boiler room, the office and the bathroom. These doorways are metal with four pane windows, similar to the exterior single doorways. b. Windows: There is one window from the office to the main room. This is a metal framed window of impact glass. 6. Hardware: The interior of this building holds two full electrical panels, five fuel tanks on the main floor, one overhead crane, sub-floor plumbing, fuel and make up water tank. 7. Decorative features and trim: None 8. Mechanical equipment: a. Heating, air conditioning, ventilation: There is a large ventilation that circulates air from the sub-floor and main floor to the outside.

There are two ventilation systems in the sub-floor on the west side and one system in the southeast comer that circulates air for the main and sub-floor. b. Lighting: The main floor is lit by overhead lamps with the shed roof area lit by candescent light bulbs. The sub-floor is not lit. c. Plumbing: The Power Plant (Building has one bathroom with piping to the outside sewer and water system. Plumbing also includes piping to the fuel tanks both interior and exterior at Building piping to the coolant system and piping connecting everything. 9. Original furnishings: Besides the equipment listed in the Hardware section, there was four generators that sat in the center of the main room. D. Site: 1.

General setting and orientation: The general setting of the Power Plant (Building is relatively flat, cold desert environment of shadscale vegetation. The immediate surroundings are a bladed flat compound with the original Fallon Air Force Station buildings and the more recent additions. The Power Plant (Building faces northeast on its long side and is located in the center of the 800 Complex. 2. Historic landscape design: The historic landscape design varies only by having the original 800 complex buildings, buildings 806 and 3. Outbuildings: There are no outbuildings associated with the Power Plant (Building Part III. Sources of Information Lockard, Casazza and Parsons United States Air Force, Power Plant for AC&W Stations.

Prepared by Lockard, Casazza and Parsons and Associates, Architects and Engineers, Reno, Nevada. NAVAL AIR STATION FALLON POWER PLANT (BUILDING HABS NO. Page 7 Mikesell, Stephen Inventory and Evaluation of National Register Eligibility for Cold War-Era Buildings and Structures, Naval Air Station, Fallon, Nevada. Prepared for Department of the Navy, Western Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, San Bruno, California. Part IV. Project Information This report is a mitigative report required by the Memorandum of Agreement between the Naval Air Station Fallon, the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation for the removal of fuel tanks from the Power Plant (Building The photographer is Mr. Dave Chawla of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Report Prepared By: C. Cliff Creger Archaeologist Natural Resources/Real Estate Division Public Works Naval Air Station Fallon Pasture Road Fallon, Nevada Date: September