The strange secrets of the desert aircraft ‘boneyards’

Gerald · 09-18-14, 11:22 AM

(USAF)

Quote:

What happens when an aircraft is no longer needed? In the desert dry of the south-western US, vast ‘boneyards’ are homes to thousands of aircraft, Stephen Dowling writes.

Quote:

If you find yourself driving down South Kolb Road in the Arizona city of Tucson, you’ll find the houses give way to a much more unusual view; rows of military aircraft, still and silent, spread out under the baking desert sun. On and on, everything from enormous cargo lifters to lumbering bombers, Hercules freighters and the F-14 Tomcat fighters made famous in Top Gun.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2014...raft-boneyards

This was a huge aircraft parking.

Note: 18 September 2014

Wolferz · 09-18-14, 12:17 PM

It looks as though they all went to a drive-in movie and never left.

Buddahaid · 09-18-14, 02:22 PM

Some Gloster Meteors at 32^09'14.14" N x 110^50'14.69" W and nice looking Thunderchief in the bottom right zone.

Buddahaid · 09-18-14, 04:23 PM

Looks like an F-100 Super Saber at 32^10'15.76" N x 110^50'57.59 as well as a F-101 Voodoo.

Stealhead · 09-18-14, 06:20 PM

I have seen that place in person the AMRAG is an anex of Davis-Monthan AFB.
We used to sometimes to give them parts for generators stuff like that.

You see how the old B-52s are laid out in parts? That is part of the START and Clear Skies treaties they have to cut them up and then leave the sections out like that for a certain amount of time some that a Russian satellite can see that they are in fact being destroyed. If you look you'll see in various place in Russia Tu-95s chopped up the same way they. See the ones with the multi tone camouflage? Those are old the USAF stopped using that scheme in the early 80's. The solid green ones are old as well that scheme was phased out in 1993-96. Those F-4s might belong to the German Air Force other allied air forces also store aircraft there. I am surprised to see no C-141s I guess they already all got scrapped of course they had no plan to ever re-use them.

@ Buddahaid yeah there is a museum right near by I guess the people just bought planes from the boneyard they sell them for scrap all the time. there are a few companies that just get the scrap the Gloster Meteors must have been obtained from a different source.

09-18-14, 12:17 PM	#2
Wolferz Navy Seal Join Date: May 2007 Location: On a mighty quest for the Stick of Truth Posts: 5,963 Downloads: 52 Uploads: 0	It looks as though they all went to a drive-in movie and never left. __________________ Tomorrow never comes

09-18-14, 02:22 PM	#3
Buddahaid Shark above Space Chicken Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,319 Downloads: 162 Uploads: 0	Some Gloster Meteors at 32^09'14.14" N x 110^50'14.69" W and nice looking Thunderchief in the bottom right zone. __________________ "However vast the darkness, we must provide our own light." Stanley Kubrick "Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming." David Bowie

09-18-14, 04:23 PM	#4
Buddahaid Shark above Space Chicken Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,319 Downloads: 162 Uploads: 0	Looks like an F-100 Super Saber at 32^10'15.76" N x 110^50'57.59 as well as a F-101 Voodoo. __________________ "However vast the darkness, we must provide our own light." Stanley Kubrick "Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming." David Bowie

09-18-14, 06:20 PM	#5
Stealhead Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,421 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	I have seen that place in person the AMRAG is an anex of Davis-Monthan AFB. We used to sometimes to give them parts for generators stuff like that. You see how the old B-52s are laid out in parts? That is part of the START and Clear Skies treaties they have to cut them up and then leave the sections out like that for a certain amount of time some that a Russian satellite can see that they are in fact being destroyed. If you look you'll see in various place in Russia Tu-95s chopped up the same way they. See the ones with the multi tone camouflage? Those are old the USAF stopped using that scheme in the early 80's. The solid green ones are old as well that scheme was phased out in 1993-96. Those F-4s might belong to the German Air Force other allied air forces also store aircraft there. I am surprised to see no C-141s I guess they already all got scrapped of course they had no plan to ever re-use them. @ Buddahaid yeah there is a museum right near by I guess the people just bought planes from the boneyard they sell them for scrap all the time. there are a few companies that just get the scrap the Gloster Meteors must have been obtained from a different source.