When American fighters and planes fail or end their service life, they are sent to a special “graveyard” – the US Air Force Davis-Monten. We will tell you how this place is arranged and show how it looks from a bird’s eye view.
Aircraft graveyard
Where do the decommissioned planes go? For example, the famous “Concorde” or Tu-144 found their last refuge in an open-air museum. But most of them, after being decommissioned, end up in special “cemeteries”. For example, thousands of aircraft are stored at huge air bases in the deserts of the southwestern United States.
If you take the South Kolb Road in Tucson, Arizona, you will notice the familiar landscape of one-story America being replaced by rows of planes. From massive forklifts to heavy bombers, they stand motionless under the scorching desert sun.
What is it?
What’s in here?
This is the Davis-Monten base of the US Air Force, where the 309th Aerospace Repair and Maintenance Group is located. Here, on an area of 10.5 km², about 4,400 aircraft and 13 aerospace vehicles of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Marine Corps and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States live out their days. It has everything from cargo planes to bombers, military transport Hercules and F-14 Tomcat jet fighters-interceptors, known to viewers from the Hollywood action movie “Top Gun”.
Some of them seem brand new, while others are not visible – they are covered with protective covers that protect the aircraft from sand and dust. Not all jet fighters are lucky enough to survive retirement safe and sound. In some hangars, they are stored in a box with spare parts. Here, the remnants of the aircraft are being prepared to be sent to different places around the world to help other steel birds soar into the sky.
Why Arizona?
While Davis Montaigne is not the world’s only aircraft graveyard, it is by far the largest. Why was it built here in the desert?
There are several reasons for this. Arizona’s climatic conditions, with its dry heat and low humidity, are ideal for slowing down the appearance of rust and the destruction of aircraft. This makes them less susceptible to corrosion; keeping planes in good working order is also easier. Plus, there is plenty of space in the deserts at an affordable price.
Also, the geology of the desert, with its alkaline soil, is complex enough to prevent the plane from sinking into the ground. They can be parked in the desert without the need for expensive new ramps.
Airplane shelter
Despite the fact that the airbase is called the “graveyard” of aircraft, new models are also stored here. Site technicians look after them in the warehouse and make sure that no dirt, dust and wild animals get on the planes. They regularly check the operation of motors and other equipment to ensure that everything works without interruption.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when most airlines have suspended operations, more planes have landed here than at any time in recent history. They cannot be simply left at the airport, they require a lot of attention.
“It takes 250 hours to accommodate one plane. It also requires special checks every 7, 14 and 30 days, ”said Mark Blet, deputy director of the Roswell International Aviation Center, in an interview with Fox News.
Aircraft control surfaces or avionics must be maintained. Personnel should check the fuselage inlets. They need to be closed because they can become tempting nesting houses for birds or insects. Aircraft hydraulic systems contain fluids that must be drained. However, aircraft fuel tanks must remain partially filled to maintain lubrication and increase aircraft weight in windy areas.
Aircraft batteries must be disconnected and reconnected every 14 days. Jet engine launch areas should be covered, as should aircraft windows, to protect them from sunlight. Giant sachets of silica, similar to those found in pill bottles, are placed inside jet engines to keep them dry.
Aircraft tires need to be spun every one to two weeks to keep them from flattening. This means that the aircraft must be towed, taxied or jacked up. To prevent rusting, the chassis must be lubricated with hydraulic fluid.
How did the base appear?
The base was founded in 1925 and named in memory of Tucson residents, World War I military pilots Samuel Davis and Oscar Montenay. In 1940, the base was expanded, and bomber aviation crews were trained here. After the war, Davis-Monten was chosen as the “graveyard” of aircraft. However, already in 1946, with the beginning of the Cold War, combat units of strategic aviation again settled here – two Boeing B-29 Superfortress air groups.
In early March 1949, a B-50 Superfortress took off from Davis Monten and performed a non-stop round-the-world flight (94 hours long with four mid-air refuelings). From 1963 to 1976, Lockheed U-2 spy planes were based here, from the early 1960s. to 1984 – 18 Titan II silo-based missiles.
In 1976, the Strategic Air Command transferred the tactical aviation base represented by the 355th Fighter Wing, based at Davis Monten to this day. Despite the name, the main striking force of this unit is the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, and the 355th wing itself is the leading US Air Force training unit for training the crews of these machines.
How to get here?
Now the “cemetery” functions like the Pima Air and Space Museum, where you can book a tour of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Recovery Center (AMARG).
Photo from the archive of Carol M. Highsmith.
