Davis-Monthan, amazing aircraft storage area...

[glhs837]

Know to many as "the high desert", also as AMARG, Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group. where our old and surplus aircraft go to await service again. Some end up being sold to foreign buyers, some pulled back out for projects (F-4s get made into remotely piloted drones, for instance) some just get picked apart for parts for their brethren still flying.

davis monthan - Google Maps

I focused this link on some of the P-3 Orions here, I found others in maybe 4-5 places, but this was the biggest group. If you flew in it, or worked on, its a safe bet there are samples of it here. One thing of interest is the cut up B-52s you see down in the southeast corner. That process is deliberate, the aircraft are cut up by treaty, and must remain in sight of satellites to verify their destruction.

Spend some time scrolling around, simply astounding whats there. Tons of F-4s, just everything. Even a few I cant identify, and I know all of our stuff since the 70s pretty darn good.

[flomaster]

I could get lost in there for days!!! Thanks for sharing the link! Its amazing and the clarity of the zoom is remarkable.

[StadEMS3]

I've flown over the site many times and have had a private group tour of the place. It was VERY impressive!! Sad to see all those beautiful aircraft just sitting there waiting thier fate.

[Vince]

Delivered a few aircraft there some years ago.

[Rael]

What amazes me is how some of these old airframes (B-52, KC-135) are still flying rather than retiring to the boneyard. I've recently heard one reference to the tanker that states "the mother of the last crew member for the KC-135 hasn't been born yet".

edit: bold correction

[huntr1]

Originally Posted by Rael

What amazes me is how some of these old airframes (B-52, KC-135) are still flying rather than retiring to the boneyard. I've recently heard one reference to the tanker that states "the mother of the last crew member for the KC-135 hasn't been born yet".

edit: bold correction

Why retire if a better mousetrap hasn't been built?

[Rael]

Originally Posted by huntr1

Why retire if a better mousetrap hasn't been built?

Boeing definitely engineered the 707 right. Beautiful aircraft.

[Crewdawg141]

Originally Posted by Rael

Boeing definitely engineered the 707 right. Beautiful aircraft.

Now if only we could get the T.O.'s right after 50+ years, that would be a wonderful concept. My 64 model 141 is dead (we have probably had a few beers out of them by now), but my 62 135 is still flying. Shes a baby in hours though when compared to my 141. My tail retired with 46000+ hours when I got the 135 she only had 17000+ hours on her. Amazing what happens when most of life is spent on alert.

[StadEMS3]

Yup, T.O.s and Job guides... The 707 was a great aircraft, I crew dogged KC-135A, E and R's, AWACS, VC-135's, VC-137's and the big boy, the VC-25 (that's how I got private tour of the boneyard).

My brother is still an active duty boom operator on 135 after 22yrs. I retired last year after 22yrs.

[Crewdawg141]

Originally Posted by StadEMS3

Yup, T.O.s and Job guides... The 707 was a great aircraft, I crew dogged KC-135A, E and R's, AWACS, VC-135's, VC-137's and the big boy, the VC-25 (that's how I got private tour of the boneyard).

My brother is still an active duty boom operator on 135 after 22yrs. I retired last year after 22yrs.

So do you work still wrench on jets now? Whats your bro going to do in retirement? Fed Ex doesn't have an A/R capability!