The Bone Yard, near Davis_Monthan Air Force Base - Tucson, Arizona. As you inspect these amazing photos, bear in mind that each one of these babies had a multi-million dollar price tag!
For those of you that have never seen this, it is something to see.
The precision in the way they are parked is impressive.
It's difficult to comprehend the size of the 'Bone yard' and the number of aircraft stored there. Of course the important thing to remember is that they are all capable of being returned to service if the need ever arises.
If you are ever in the Tucson area, the weekly tours of the bone yard are still given through the Tucson Air Museum, located just south of Davis-Monthan AFB.
Both the museum and the bone yard are very popular attractions in the Arizona
desert. It is difficult to comprehend the number of military aircraft in dead storage
until you see these photographs!
Even if you have seen this before, look again. The 3rd largest Air Force in the world is sitting on the ground here.
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As part of one of the treaties we signed the B-52's were parked there for a designated time so Russian satellites could insure they were indeed removed from service. Then they used a guillotine to cut them into pieces and scrapped them.
ReplyDeleteYour comment about many of them being able to quickly be returned to service is true...
The dry, desert air slows corrosion.
There's another boneyard just North of Davis-Monthan at Pinal County airport with an amazing array of DC-10's, 747's, and L-1011's. There's another smaller boneyard I'm aware of at the Roswell, New Mexico airport. I'm sure there are more in the desert that others can point us to.
I went by when I was out there at a customers for meetings. Drove aroudn looking for someplace to eat afterwords and figured I should quit my job, move out there and buy a BUFF fuselage and open a Rib Joint just outside of base and call it "The Bone Yard".
ReplyDeleteYou're right though, the place is massive. The museum is pretty cool for an aerohead and downright technojunkie like me.
How serendipitous. I just flew into Tucson for some meetings today, having moved out of the area 4-1/2 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI had spend two years stationed at D-M, and another ten driving by the boneyard every day to and from work. Good memories.
The Pima Air and Space Museum has some unique stuff, and the Titan Missile Silo is a hoot as well. Just wish I had more time to re-visit my old stomping grounds.
pretty amazing stuff!
ReplyDeleteI see this "graveyard" of miliatry aircraft and it makes me sad. Even a little angry when considering that some relativly new, multi-million dollar fighters and bombers (e.g., B-1's,F-15's,F-16's and F-14's) are just basking in the desert sun. You would think there is a market out there for the 4th generation fighters at a good price??
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on having one of the most sophisticated blogs Ive come across in some time! Its just incredible how much you can take away from something simply because of how visually beautiful it is. Youve put together a great blog space --great graphics, videos, layout. This is definitely a must-see blog!
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We were a van of 9 guys on way to Tombstone and were amazed as we drove down the highway passing by this armada of aircraft on both sides. You really don't get a true perspective of just how many aircraft are parked. It is amazing and also amazing that they are just parked and wasting, albeit slowly, away. Cannot imagine them ever being used again.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great power.
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