<\/a>They look almost prehistoric. Like\u00a0 ancient pictographs drawn on the wall of a tomb.<\/p>\n They are Google Earth views of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. What creates this tableau is an aircraft boneyard \u2013 a place where aircraft find their final rest. In this case it is the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG).<\/p>\n AMARG is the home for all out-of-service aircraft from all branches of the U.S. government. Some 4,200 military aircraft ranging from modern F-16s and F-18s to drones to Vietnam-era fighters rest at Davis-Monthan.<\/p>\n Why here? Because the desert conditions greatly reduce the chance of rust and corrosion.
\nThe aircraft stored here fall into four categories:
\n\u2022 Long Term \u2013 Aircraft kept intact for future use
\n\u2022 Parts Reclamation \u2013 Aircraft kept, picked apart and used for spare parts
\n\u2022 Flying Hold \u2013 Aircraft kept intact for shorter stays than Long Term
\n\u2022 Excess of DoD needs \u2013 Aircraft to be sold off whole or in parts<\/p>\n