The Boneyard: Where Airplanes Go to Die
Ever wonder how old airplanes are disposed of? Nestled in Tucson, Arizona’s vast desert landscape
Ever wonder how old airplanes are disposed of? Nestled in Tucson, Arizona’s vast desert landscape lies “The Boneyard,” which originally opened in 1946 to house planes, missiles, and other aircraft maintenance and disposal facilities shortly after WWII ended. Officially known as the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the Boneyard is the largest of its kind and has since expanded from short-term storage space to airplane tomb as planes became lost and forgotten with the emergence of newer models and aircraft technology. The Boneyard now holds approximately 4,400 military aircraft and 13 aerospace vehicles that have spent their days serving various federal agencies including the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy-Marine Corps, NASA and Coast Guard.