In your July 2001 issue you report on Bigge’s entry for the SC&RA Rigging Job of the Year competition. The bridge crane that Bigge brought down was actually removed from a Shuttle launch pad missile service tower on a very active Air Force base (Vandenberg) and not a ‘disused base’ as stated in the article.
The launch pad, originally built for the AF Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program was converted and upgraded for the Joint NASA/Air Force Space Shuttle program. After the Challenger disaster, the launch pad went into a mothball/housekeeping status but actually launched a smaller Space Rocket in the late 1990s.
Vandenberg became ‘active’ in 1957 and has launched thousands of missiles, rockets and spacecraft since then.
Regarding Specialty Crane, they are number one in my book for any job involving our missile program. I have personally taken part in several of Specialty Crane’s critical lifts.
I have been receiving your magazine for years and thoroughly enjoy each issue. Keep up the good work.
