All good things come to an end. For thousands of aircraft that end is found on 2,600 acres of Arizona desert on Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, better known as the “boneyard.” The sprawling facility, run by the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (309 AMARG), is where U.S. military and government aircraft are scrapped or stripped for parts. The Boneyard makes an ideal place for aircraft storage, since the arid, high-altitude location slows down the processes of rusting and deterioration. The apocalyptic look of the Boneyard has made it an ideal place for movie sets. Scenes from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man were filmed here, two movies that have been confined to their very own Boneyard. Inspired by the Airman Magazine article about the boneyard from their January 2013 issue, we went searching for more photos. If these planes could talk…
A View of the “Boneyard” l Photos
Rows of fighter aircraft preserved inside the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group's "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. The Arizona desert is a natural selection to house the U.S. Defense Department's only aircraft boneyard due to the lack of humidity in the desert. Some of the aircraft shown here include F/A-18s, T-38s, A-10s, and F-15s. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
The cockpit section of an E-3 Sentry sits dissected and strapped to the ground of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group's boneyard. The Sentry was one of the first aircraft to deploy for Operation Desert Shield and is still being used today with advanced upgrades. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
A C-130 from the 43rd Air Wing, Pope Air Force Base, N.C. sits among other C-130s being scrapped by the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Rows of cocooned T-41 Mescaleros, the military version of the popular commercial Cessna 172. U.S. Air Force photo by Andrew Breese
Rows of dismantled KC-135 Stratotankers. While many Stratotankers have been retired, numbers will serve well into the 21st century. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Rows of F-15 Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons are seen from between the twin vertical stabilizers of a former 125th Fighter Wing Eagle. Some of the aircraft undergo a preservation process that allows them to be recalled into active service within 72 hours if needed. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Salvaged seats are all that remain of an aircraft inside the boneyard. In the background is the fuselage of a Korean War-era F-86 Sabre. U.S. Air Force photo by Andrew Breese
The Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser Testbed, (formerly Airborne Laser) weapons system now sits decommissioned at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. The YAL-1 was primarily designed to destroy tactical ballistic missiles with an airborne laser system. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
A C-5 Galaxy, its wings stripped to spars and ribs, is undergoing a complete tear-down of all important parts before being demolished for scrap, a process that takes nearly a year to complete. Many of its parts will keep other C-5s flying. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
The remains of a B-66 Destroyer seen through the shattered cockpit canopy of an F-86 Sabre. Both aircraft sit scrapped in place at the "Boneyard" of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
A UH-34D Seahorse helicopter, which began service in 1952 as a Navy anti-submarine warfare helicopter and served as the primary Marine Corps assault helicopter of the Vietnam War. This one now sits as part of the more than 4,400 aircraft deactivated in the boneyard. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
From a view high in the sky to a view of the desert and mountainous terrain of Tucson, Ariz., the gondola of an aged blimp lies flat on its belly. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
An F-4 Phantom II sits by itself in the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AIr Force Base, Ariz. The Phantom II served both the Air Force and the Navy in air superiority, fleet defense, fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
Dozens of F-15 Eagles sit in rows. The fighters can be recalled to action if needed or are used for parts. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
A North American F-86 Sabre sits in pieces under the night sky of Arizona. The Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft mainly used during the Korean War and the early parts of the Cold War era. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
A C-5 Galaxy waits to be broken down and turned into scrap metal. The 309th AMARG sells the scrap metal to other customers. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
Torn pieces of the fuselage are all that remain of a C-5 Galaxy after being ripped apart for scrap by an excavator crane. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
The boneyard hosts civilian aircraft as well, like this commercial cargo plane sitting at the back of the 2,600 acre compound. U.S. Air Force photo by Andrew Breese
Tails of decommissioned aircraft sit against the backdrop of a setting sun. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
The cockpit section of an E-3 Sentry sits dissected and strapped to the ground of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group's boneyard. The Sentry was one of the first aircraft to deploy for Operation Desert Shield and is still being used today with advanced upgrades. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
A C-130 from the 43rd Air Wing, Pope Air Force Base, N.C. sits among other C-130s being scrapped by the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Rows of cocooned T-41 Mescaleros, the military version of the popular commercial Cessna 172. U.S. Air Force photo by Andrew Breese
Rows of dismantled KC-135 Stratotankers. While many Stratotankers have been retired, numbers will serve well into the 21st century. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Rows of F-15 Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons are seen from between the twin vertical stabilizers of a former 125th Fighter Wing Eagle. Some of the aircraft undergo a preservation process that allows them to be recalled into active service within 72 hours if needed. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Salvaged seats are all that remain of an aircraft inside the boneyard. In the background is the fuselage of a Korean War-era F-86 Sabre. U.S. Air Force photo by Andrew Breese
The Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser Testbed, (formerly Airborne Laser) weapons system now sits decommissioned at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. The YAL-1 was primarily designed to destroy tactical ballistic missiles with an airborne laser system. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
A C-5 Galaxy, its wings stripped to spars and ribs, is undergoing a complete tear-down of all important parts before being demolished for scrap, a process that takes nearly a year to complete. Many of its parts will keep other C-5s flying. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
The remains of a B-66 Destroyer seen through the shattered cockpit canopy of an F-86 Sabre. Both aircraft sit scrapped in place at the "Boneyard" of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
A UH-34D Seahorse helicopter, which began service in 1952 as a Navy anti-submarine warfare helicopter and served as the primary Marine Corps assault helicopter of the Vietnam War. This one now sits as part of the more than 4,400 aircraft deactivated in the boneyard. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
From a view high in the sky to a view of the desert and mountainous terrain of Tucson, Ariz., the gondola of an aged blimp lies flat on its belly. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
An F-4 Phantom II sits by itself in the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AIr Force Base, Ariz. The Phantom II served both the Air Force and the Navy in air superiority, fleet defense, fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
Dozens of F-15 Eagles sit in rows. The fighters can be recalled to action if needed or are used for parts. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
A North American F-86 Sabre sits in pieces under the night sky of Arizona. The Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft mainly used during the Korean War and the early parts of the Cold War era. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
A C-5 Galaxy waits to be broken down and turned into scrap metal. The 309th AMARG sells the scrap metal to other customers. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Lee
Torn pieces of the fuselage are all that remain of a C-5 Galaxy after being ripped apart for scrap by an excavator crane. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
The boneyard hosts civilian aircraft as well, like this commercial cargo plane sitting at the back of the 2,600 acre compound. U.S. Air Force photo by Andrew Breese
Tails of decommissioned aircraft sit against the backdrop of a setting sun. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
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