The Boneyard: Where Aircrafts Go to Die

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[Carepedoit]

If visiting, be sure to visit the Pima Air and Space museum—they have the biggest air museum and had their pick of decommissioned aircraft. Then, be sure to visit the Titan II missile silo museum, which is a working decommissioned nuclear silo. They completely walk you through a launch. Seriously good museums.

[BryanW-bple]

I have a family member who works the yard. It’s mind blowing how much cool stuff is stored there.

[glennrugar]

Greetings from tucson! I can't believe Simon is covering us...

[masjuggalo]

Watching him break the wing off that f-14 kind of hit me in my heart

[whaler]

Lots of folks in the comments are mentioning the Pima Air Museum, which is literally across the street from the boneyard. It's the best air museum I've ever seen. They have great ex military tour guides that drive you around the outside displays in a covered tram. There are numerous buildings full of displays from different eras. There is also a bus that can pick you up at the front of the museum and take you on a guided tour of the boneyard. I believe you have to buy these tickets in advance of your visit. Well worth it.

[BVamp]

Pima Air and Space Museum is one of the best of any museums I have ever visited.

[bodihs]

I was a tour guide at the Boneyard in the mid-80s while stationed at DM. I later came back to Tucson and been working there for over 19 years.

[skyden]

Fyi: prior to any transformers trampling through the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB, two high-school students were breaking into the expansive aircraft storage facility to find something that could be used as a science project. This was the scenario depicted in the 1985 film, "My Science Project" which did have scenes filmed at the video discussed boneyard of Davis-Monthan AFB. (Btw, the reason you may not have heard of the film, "My Science Project" is because it was a "time-travel" type of film that was released and overshadowed by another time-travel film that same year, i.e., "Back to the Future.")

[haosbringer]

If you ever visit AZ please make an effort to go to the air museum in Tucson.

It was my favorite museum in AZ to go to when I lived in AZ.
And yes that dirt is a bugger to dig holes for trees.

[duffman]

I was stationed at DM from 02-07. Then came back in '15 - '20. I started out loaded and maintaining the weapons systems on the A-10 in the 357th Squadron "The Dragons". We had a barrel shortage one time on our A-10's and went to the boneyard to remove some from A-10's that were being retired. Also, pulled tons and tons of GCU's (gun control unit) for our aircraft out of ones in the boneyard. Its a cool place, on the backside of the boneyard where it backs up to the road leading to the shooting range. Is where alot of the older and completely mothballed aircraft and aircraft parts.

[lucasokeefe]

The idea that Iran is so desperate to keep their Tomcats in service that they'd pay Karen from Sedona millions of dollars for a new cockpit clicky bit is hysterical

[DeliveryMcGee]

Fun fact: Iran actually bought an even 80 F-14s, but the revolution happened while the last one was still on the production line, so the US Navy took it.

[WitnessWrath]

Sick! I'm from tucson AND I was born on DM! So happy you're finally covering it! I used to live off stella and kolb I was right next to the base and boneyard

[ignitionfrn]

1:15 - Mid roll ads
2:30 - Chapter 1 - The unseen force holding the US military together
7:20 - Chapter 2 - The blossoming of the military desert flower
10:30 - Chapter 3 - The care & handling of multimillion dollar hardware
15:50 - Chapter 4 - Notable boneyard operations

[Aaron-from-BroTrio]

I grew up on Davis Monthan A.F.B., and it was pretty cool. We went out to "the Boneyard" a few times. It is a truly enormous place!

Also I can confirm, the dirt out there is basically concrete at the surface. We went through a few shovels over the years digging to set up gardens and things. It does turn into more normal dirt once you get down a bit.

[DeaconBlu]

Ok…
I’ve just paused the video at 3:49(adds included).
Did anyone else see or notice the B52’s that litteraly had the wings Choped Off?

Yes?
No?

This is another function of AMARG…
The destruction of those B52’s were due to START & SALT talks between the US and the USSR.
Both had to show (via satellite) that the agreed up number of Nuclear capable aircraft had been rendered INOP.

Ya gotta remember…those talks and those agreements came down during the Carter and Reagan administrations.
That’s been a day or 2 in the past.
Yet…those birds still set there…

I promise…current satellite photo imagery could tell if they were…dummy’s.’

I’ve always found the concept of Davis Monthan fascinating.
It’s an incredible way to keep what you don’t currently need…
Yet, keep it available when you DO need.

Great stuff!
Thanks Simon!

[TheFleetflyer]

Aircrafts?!??!?
What next? Sheeps? Fishes?

[cranklabexplosion-labcentr]

Whenever Arizona is mentioned in big YouTuber videos, it’s always either UFO’s, the Grand Canyon, water shortage and our aircraft graveyards

[tango_uniform]

At 18:32, the F-16 at the rear is one I worked on in the 80s. And 'aircrafts' isn't a word. The plural of aircraft is aircraft. And the National Air and Space Museum IS the Smithsonian.

[paulbradford]

"Aircraft" is either a singular or plural noun. No need for the 's' at the end.