O

n our trip to the US IPMS

Nationals in Phoenix

we got to spend a day at

the Desert Boneyard: Davis-

Monthan Air Base, a Mecca

for the aviation enthusiast.

This month we are going to look

at the aircraft in storage from the

USAF. My overwhelming memory

of this trip is seeing 100 C-5A to -C

model Galaxies lined up in rows

awaiting their fate, and even more

pods containing the C-5’s T-39

engines just in case they are needed.

Surprisingly, F-15 Eagles were

not seen in any major quantity,

but this was made up for by huge

quantities of all models of the

F-16. Rather unusually the white

lining material seen on areas like

the canopy on most aircraft covers

most of the upper surfaces. This is

to protect the skin and underlying

electronics that are a feature of

this computer-controlled fighter.

Fortunately, however, the tails

are not covered, and show off the

markings of a wide selection of the

units that have flown the type.

Next month we will cover

the Marine aircraft in storage as

well as some of the other unusual

aircraft seen at the Boneyard.

In years gone by the B-52 was much more of a feature than they are today. One thing this photograph really shows is that the Desert Boneyard is not really as much of a desert as many would imagine it

In Celebrity Row was this VIP C-20 Gulfstream

BONEYARD

DESERT

SCRAPBOOK

Part 2 US Air Force by D Francis and Tim Upson Smith

PART

TWO

72 • NOVEMBER 2018 • SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL

PHOTO REPORT

072-75-PhotoReport-Boneyard-P2-1118.indd 72 12/10/2018 16:02