Over 3,000 airplanes are sitting in the Arizona desert and this is why
Published on Oct 04, 2025 at 10:03 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Oct 02, 2025 at 2:33 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
This is why there are over 3,000 airplanes stored in the Arizona desert boneyard in what really looks like an aircraft graveyard.
The famous Arizona boneyard, located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, is the largest collection of aircraft in the world.
Over 3,000 ex-US Military planes are sitting here, ranging from F-15 fighters to C-130 Hercules transporters and even some B-52 bombers, and it looks like a mass graveyard.
However, that is not the case, and these aircraft serve a vital purpose, with some even getting the chance to fly again, as shown by YouTuber Sam Eckholm in 2024.
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Why are 3,000 airplanes sitting in the aircraft graveyard?
The base in Arizona is a huge storage facility operated by the 309th Aerospace Maintenance & Regeneration Group.
This is where retired American military aircraft go for long-term storage; however, they do not immediately go for scrap.
Instead, many act as spare parts donors for operating members of the fleet.
Some are stored in case they need to be brought back into service again, and this does happen.
In recent times, a couple of B-52 bombers and a B-1B Lancer have all been taken out of the boneyard to fly again.
In 2016, the US Marine Corps refurbished some boneyard F/A-18 Hornets to address an aircraft shortage.
Eckholm got a close look at some of the aircraft, as well as how they are prepared for storage.
Airplanes in the Arizona desert could be stored for many years
Everything on the machines needs to be preserved, for example, with certain oils used to preserve engines.
The planes are also fully washed and cleaned, with Eckholm getting a chance to wash an A-10 Warthog.
Planes also need sealing from the dust and high temperatures.
A black coating seals up areas such as where electronics are, and white spray helps reflect the heat off the planes.
Eventually, the aircraft are then moved to the boneyard, sometimes for just a few years, perhaps for decades.
As we’ve seen before, some of these machines do end up back in the skies.
Even after many years in storage, there is still a purpose for almost all of these aircraft.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
