Righto on the fuel. If you read my post you would see that they had a severe problem with static electricity during fueling and these things blowing up in the silo, was a consideration on its retirement.
The point of the base closing was there was no need for the missles once the SAC base closed. Had a flight instructor that was stationed there at one time as a B47 pilot.
The town was about 35,000 population or so and the closing took it to its knees for years. The salvation was when Pan Am and boeing needed a big, big runway for pre certification of the 747 and they picked Roswell because of the 12 or 13,000 ft. runway with high speed turn offs. I will never forget first seeing that thing in the air, it was so big it barely looked like it could stay in the air.
They used our little airport as an alternate in case of in flight emergencies but alas, never happened.
Anyway, the silos were neat and were kinda creepy to get down into and I have never been anyplace darker. Dark, dark, dark.
The Atlas F silos are 174 feet deep and 54 feet in diameter.
It would be possible to turn one into a 17 storey underground building.