Pima Air & Space: Graveyard of the flying giants

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Nobody lives here not far from Tucson, in the desert where it is sometimes cold and sometimes scorching hot. Only the 41st Electronic Combat Squadron has its home here, outside at the Tumbleweeds in the desert of Arizona. Not because of the secret electronic warriors it's worth to come here, but because of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, which is not only a regular base of the United States Air Force, but also home of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, which is nothing else than a big warehouse for discarded airplanes of the US forces, but also for airplanes from other countries, which are parked here until they are used again one day. A highlight of every Texas tour, because nowhere else in the world are so many veteran aircrafts parked in one place like here.

It is said that there are about 4,200 aircraft that can be officially viewed, because Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group is a commercial company that operates a museum, but also offers tours in air-conditioned buses over the vast area. At first this may seem disappointing, as there is a lack of possibilities to get close to the old helicopters, rockets and airplanes. But on foot, sightseeing would be completely impossible, as the terrain extends over miles and miles.

Admission is only possible on presentation of the passport, ARMAG is still considered a military security area, as the planes are not scrapped, but stored, perhaps to be used again sometime. You have to order your tickets 16 days in advance through Pima Air & Space Museum pimaair.org! If you there it is to late to go in.

You will miss a lot because the picture is overwhelming: Hundreds of C5A, Galaxy Transport aircraft, Starlifters, UH1 Helicopters and C130 Hercules are lined up in endless rows, side by side and behind each other. All planes are carefully mothballed, all openings are sealed with plastic foil and all windows are taped over.

Most of the planes here are war planes. Some of them have had missions in different wars, others are here because they are still completely unused and could be used again at any time. Among the millions parked here are Russian MiGs and the German Air Force has a Tornado and an Alfajet stored here. In addition there is everything else the world of aviation has to offer: B787, Dreamliner and Caravelle, F4, Phantom and the strange vertical takeoff aircraft, giant helicopters and weather observation mini-jets.

Due to the dry desert climate, which knows hardly any humidity, there is hardly any corrosion, so that the machines can stand here for years without being damaged. In addition, the desert soil is so hard that the planes can simply be parked where there is space without having to tar large areas at great expense. On the edge of the world's largest airplane parade, however, there are also cannibalized scrap machines. These extensive areas are used to unscrew spare parts from well preserved aircraft.

This Boneyard tour by bus costs $20, and you can also visit the museum for $16.5 if you haven't seen enough planes after the 4000 you`ve seen. The Pima Air & Space Museum, which opened in 1976, has six hangars and a large open-air exhibition area with military equipment from World War II, but also Kennedy's "Air Force One" and more than 300 other military and civil aircraft, helicopters and rockets. Everything is well explained, and for those who still have questions, volunteers are happy to answer them. We were lucky to be able to talk to a pilot who himself flew a bomber during the Vietnam War.

John willingly gave us information and he described how oppressive it is to fly over enemy territory in a tiny can tube. As a machine-gunner in a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress only men like him were selected, small and agile, because the ball turret gunner (Ball Turret Gunner) was lying on his back, looked out of several small windows and aimed through between his legs.

An adventure witch nobody want's.

More from the roundtrip: Here

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