Man goes inside the world's largest aircraft boneyard in Arizona to find out what actually happens inside
- Arizona is home to the world’s largest aircraft boneyard
- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base has more than 3,000 aircraft
- There’s more to the facility than you might think
Published on Apr 18, 2025 at 5:50 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Mar 27, 2025 at 2:12 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
An aviation enthusiast headed out to Arizona to find out what actually happens inside the world’s largest aircraft boneyard.
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base near Tucson, Arizona is the world’s largest aircraft boneyard.
It’s packed full of old militry and governement aircraft, including kets, helicopters and even NASA space shuttles.
But the boneyard isn’t just a place where all aircraft go to ‘die’ – there’s actually a lot more to it than that.
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More goes on at the aircraft boneyard than you might think
America is home to some super-sized aircraft boneyards, including this one at the Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico and this old airport in North Carolina that is home to an apocalyptic aircraft boneyard.
However, when it comes to sheer size, the sprawling Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is the winner.
There’s around 3,000 aircraft – and $34 billion worth of airplane parts – at the facility, which spans more than 2,600 acres.
Aviation enthusiast and YouTuber Sam Eckholm visited Davis-Monthan Air Force Base back in October to see what goes on behind the scenes.
Now, you may have assumed that an aircraft boneyard is simply a spot for old and diused aircraft to go to ‘die’.
But at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base there’s actually a team of 800 mechanics who are on hand to repair, restore, and maintain many of them.
There’s a lot of work going on at the facility
The 309th Aerospace Maintenance & Regeneration Group works year-round to preserve and restore the old planes, jets, and helicopters in the hope they’ll be able to fly again.
When aircraft arrive at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base they have to undergo a lenghty process before they can be stored long-term.
This includes engine flushing, washing, and sealing before they’re transported to their storage spot.
All of this work is carried out to keep the aircraft in good condition and with the hopes that they might take to the skies again one day.
The team reclaims around 9,000 parts each year which they can use to repair and upgrade active aircraft.
As well as being a place for repairs, maintenance, restoration, and long-term storage, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is a bit of a treasure trove of aviation history with old planes and jets from across history, including the EB-57 Canberra and B-52 bombers.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
