Simviation Forums

Found these shots in a book about the Aircraft retired to sit in the desert sun near Tucson, Arizona out at Davis-Monthan air Base..    At this time there were 4,687 war-planes parked there.

The first batch are Grumman Tomcats, the most popular download for the last 12 months at No-Nodes..     I think the Swordsman was one of the paint-jobs available ...



This batch are Skyhawks, interesting to me bacause the New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) flew highly modified models of these up to a couple of years ago.



Last one is a B47 Stratojet, only one of hundreds of mega bombers etc to be seen there..



Anyone ever been lucky enough to visit one of these bases ?    I wonder what sort of clearance would be needed ?

Bazza

I wonder if they'd take my car part-ex for a Tomcat

Mark

Ozzys sister for that B-47 and one of my cousins for a h-bomb...

If these are recent photos I have to wonder why they bother storing all this obsolete equipment. Keep a few examples by all means but the sheer amount of aircraft stored in these places never ceases to amaze me. Most are never likely to be used again. That B-47 would be much better off in a museum where people can go & see it. IMHO

The desert air seems to preserve them in a reasonable condition. Back in the early 60s a friend of mine went to Arizona to find 3 B-17s for the film "The War Lover". He told me they picked the 3 with most air still in the tyres, fitted extra tanks in the fuselage, checked the oil & flew them back to England. I don't remember what happened to them. At least one might still be airworthy.

the key advantage to desert storage is the lack of rain, no rain little rusting.  The question then comes up what will happen when they run out of space

Bj

[quote]the key advantage to desert storage is the lack of rain, no rain little rusting.

sadly the military just sees them as pieces of metal. Its because of that there are so few flyable classics.

next year i'm probably going to the AMARC (Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Center) at Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson. they give guided bus tours there...trust me, it will be worth it!

sad they don't sell any of those planes. every single aircraft there is seen as a part of the US history and can't or won't be sold! sad because i'd love to have an old Buff in my garden  ;)

for more info: http://www.amarcexperience.com/Default.asp

Hagar, they strip most of the parts that they could resell or reuse, and the planes in the graveyards are pretty much just exoskeletons.

Every once in a blue moon, though, they'll call one of these things back into service.  It's very, very rare, but it happens.

Think of the cash they'd make selling this stuff to simmers though!  Imagine the simpit you could make!!!

Does anyone fancy popping down there with a truck and some spanners?
I need the following;
Allison engine
DC3 prop and spinner
instruments
oh and some decent suspension for a tail-dragger

Ozzy

next year i'm probably going to the AMARC (Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Center) at Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson. they give guided bus tours there...trust me, it will be worth it!

Good one Bones. Wish I could come with you. Just be careful. I've been told that rattlers & other creatures often make their homes in the aircraft.

sad they don't sell any of those planes. every single aircraft there is seen as a part of the US history and can't or won't be sold! sad because i'd love to have an old Buff in my garden  ;)

This seems ridiculous to me. I suppose they leave them until they evenually rot & fall apart. The British government sells off its obsolete aircraft & they can go for ridiculously low prices. These are usually purchased for scrap but sometimes saved by museums or restoration projects. The Bruntingthorpe Vulcan is one example. Don't quote me but I think it was purchased for something like

[quote]Bj

This seems ridiculous to me. I suppose they leave them until they evenually rot & fall apart.

believe me or not Hagar, but it's what i read on an AMARC site...

believe me or not Hagar, but it's what i read on an AMARC site...

I believe you Mr. Bones. I still think it's ridiculous.