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Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard

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In the Arizona desert, near Tucson the world’s largest aircraft storage and preservation facility is located. Here, at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, often called The Boneyard, is stationed.

In the Arizona desert, near Tucson the world’s largest aircraft storage and preservation facility is located. Here, at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, often called The Boneyard, is stationed. It takes care of more than 4,400 aircraft — from huge cargo planes and clumsy bombers to supersonic F-14 Tomcat fighters.

 

© AP Photo / Matt YorkThe 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) was established in 1946 as the 4105th Army Air Force Unit to house B-29 and C-47 aircraft. Originally, it was meant to store excess Department of Defense and Coast Guard aircraft, but in recent years has been designated the sole repository of out-of-service aircraft from all branches of the US government.
Above: US Marines play spades during a break at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
1/12
The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) was established in 1946 as the 4105th Army Air Force Unit to house B-29 and C-47 aircraft. Originally, it was meant to store excess Department of Defense and Coast Guard aircraft, but in recent years has been designated the sole repository of out-of-service aircraft from all branches of the US government.
Above: US Marines play spades during a break at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
© AP Photo / Matt YorkDavis-Monthan Air Force Base was chosen because of Tucson's low humidity, infrequent rainfall, alkaline soil and high altitude of 780 m, reducing rust and corrosion. The hard soil makes it possible to move aircraft around without having to pave the storage areas.
Above: Preservation servicer Katy Shank sprays a sealing paint on a former NAVY Blue Angel F-18 at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
2/12
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base was chosen because of Tucson's low humidity, infrequent rainfall, alkaline soil and high altitude of 780 m, reducing rust and corrosion. The hard soil makes it possible to move aircraft around without having to pave the storage areas.
Above: Preservation servicer Katy Shank sprays a sealing paint on a former NAVY Blue Angel F-18 at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
© AP Photo / Matt YorkThe graveyard covers an area of 11 square kilometers and is adjacent to the base. AMARG employs 550 people, most of them are civilians.
Above: A Polish LiM, a licensed copy of the Soviet MiG-17, is stored at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
3/12
The graveyard covers an area of 11 square kilometers and is adjacent to the base. AMARG employs 550 people, most of them are civilians.
Above: A Polish LiM, a licensed copy of the Soviet MiG-17, is stored at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
© AFP 2023 / Brendan SmialowskiThere are four categories of storage for aircraft at AMARG: long term (aircraft are kept intact for future use), parts reclamations (aircraft are kept, picked apart and used for spare parts), flying hold (aircraft are kept intact for shorter stays than Long Term), and excess of DoD needs (aircraft and their parts are sold off).
Above: A soldier secures the rotor blades of his Bell OH-58 Kiowa helicopter while dropping it off to be stored at the boneyard at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
4/12
There are four categories of storage for aircraft at AMARG: long term (aircraft are kept intact for future use), parts reclamations (aircraft are kept, picked apart and used for spare parts), flying hold (aircraft are kept intact for shorter stays than Long Term), and excess of DoD needs (aircraft and their parts are sold off).
Above: A soldier secures the rotor blades of his Bell OH-58 Kiowa helicopter while dropping it off to be stored at the boneyard at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
© AP Photo / Matt YorkThe Group annually in-processes an undisclosed number of aircraft for storage and out-processes a number of aircraft for return to the active service, either repainted and sold to friendly foreign governments, recycled or rebuilt as civilian cargo, transport, and utility planes.
Above: F-16 Fighting Falcons at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
5/12
The Group annually in-processes an undisclosed number of aircraft for storage and out-processes a number of aircraft for return to the active service, either repainted and sold to friendly foreign governments, recycled or rebuilt as civilian cargo, transport, and utility planes.
Above: F-16 Fighting Falcons at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
© AP Photo / Matt YorkA total of 400,000 equipment and hardware parts and pieces are stored at AMARG, including mothballed assembly lines. The total value of AMARG inventory exceeds $35 billion.
Above: Demilitarization work leads Phil Kovaric (left) and Dennis Varney remove the missile rails from an F4 Phantom slated for destruction at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
6/12
A total of 400,000 equipment and hardware parts and pieces are stored at AMARG, including mothballed assembly lines. The total value of AMARG inventory exceeds $35 billion.
Above: Demilitarization work leads Phil Kovaric (left) and Dennis Varney remove the missile rails from an F4 Phantom slated for destruction at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
© AFP 2023 / Brendan SmialowskiAMARG is a controlled-access site, and is off-limits to anyone not employed there without the proper clearance. The only access for non-cleared individuals is via a bus tour which is conducted by the nearby Pima Air & Space Museum.
Above: Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft are seen stored in the boneyard at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
7/12
AMARG is a controlled-access site, and is off-limits to anyone not employed there without the proper clearance. The only access for non-cleared individuals is via a bus tour which is conducted by the nearby Pima Air & Space Museum.
Above: Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft are seen stored in the boneyard at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
© AP Photo / Matt YorkAn aircraft going into storage undergoes the following procedures. All guns, ejection seat charges and classified hardware are removed. Then the fuel system is protected by draining it, refilling it with lightweight oil, and then draining it again. This leaves a protective oil film. The aircraft is sealed from dust, sunlight, and high temperatures. Finally, the plane is towed to its designated storage place.
Above: US Marines work atop an F/A-18 at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
8/12
An aircraft going into storage undergoes the following procedures. All guns, ejection seat charges and classified hardware are removed. Then the fuel system is protected by draining it, refilling it with lightweight oil, and then draining it again. This leaves a protective oil film. The aircraft is sealed from dust, sunlight, and high temperatures. Finally, the plane is towed to its designated storage place.
Above: US Marines work atop an F/A-18 at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
© AP Photo / Matt YorkAccording to the AMARG official website, for every $1 the federal government spends operating the facility it saves or produces $11 from harvesting spare parts and selling off inventory.
Above: C-130 Hercules cargo planes are lined up in a field at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
9/12
According to the AMARG official website, for every $1 the federal government spends operating the facility it saves or produces $11 from harvesting spare parts and selling off inventory.
Above: C-130 Hercules cargo planes are lined up in a field at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
© AP Photo / Matt YorkThe base itself was founded in 1925 and named after Tucson residents and World War I pilots Samuel Davis (died in 1921) and Oscar Monthan (died in 1924).
Above: A farewell message written by a crew member named "Roddy" and dated Sept. 17, 1982, is shown inside the nose cone of an F4 Phantom stored at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
10/12
The base itself was founded in 1925 and named after Tucson residents and World War I pilots Samuel Davis (died in 1921) and Oscar Monthan (died in 1924).
Above: A farewell message written by a crew member named "Roddy" and dated Sept. 17, 1982, is shown inside the nose cone of an F4 Phantom stored at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard.
© AP Photo / Matt YorkIn the 1990s, in accordance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I), the center was tasked with eliminating 365 B-52 bombers. The progress of this task was to be verified by Russia via satellite and first-person inspection at the facility. The B-52s were chopped into pieces with a 13,000-pound guillotine winched by a steel cable, supported by a crane. Later on, a more advanced technique was used which allowed producing salvageable spare parts.
Above: A Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, tail number 58-0171, nicknamed "Lil Peach II" is seen chopped up at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
11/12
In the 1990s, in accordance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I), the center was tasked with eliminating 365 B-52 bombers. The progress of this task was to be verified by Russia via satellite and first-person inspection at the facility. The B-52s were chopped into pieces with a 13,000-pound guillotine winched by a steel cable, supported by a crane. Later on, a more advanced technique was used which allowed producing salvageable spare parts.
Above: A Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, tail number 58-0171, nicknamed "Lil Peach II" is seen chopped up at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
© AP Photo / Matt YorkAMARG has also been site of filming for scenes in several movie and television productions, despite the rather heavy security of AMARG and the base in general. The most recent and notable of these is Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009).
Above: C-130 cargo planes are lined up in a field at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Rest in Peace: World's Biggest Military Aircraft Boneyard - Sputnik International
12/12
AMARG has also been site of filming for scenes in several movie and television productions, despite the rather heavy security of AMARG and the base in general. The most recent and notable of these is Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009).
Above: C-130 cargo planes are lined up in a field at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
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