From the Archives: Aircraft boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base

Since 1946, part of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson has served as an aircraft storage and preservation center for the U.S. military. Currently, the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group has about 4,400 aircraft at the “boneyard.”

At the facility, some aircraft are preserved for future use while others are kept for spare parts. Excess aircraft are sold off whole or in parts.

Here are photos from the Los Angeles Times archives.

March 1960: F-84 Thunderjets are stacked awaiting demolition at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. This photo appeared in the Los Angeles Times on March 6, 1960.

(Larry Sharkey / Los Angeles Times)

March 22, 1967: Thousands of military planes are stored at Davis-Manthan Air Force Base in Tucson. Dozens of the aircraft were being pulled out of retirement, rebuilt and sent for use in the Vietnam War. This photo appeared in the Los Angeles Times on April 30, 1967.

(Larry Sharkey / Los Angeles Times)

March 22, 1967: Early 1950s era Navy A-1 Skyraiders are rebuilt at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson for use in Vietnam. This photo appeared in the Los Angeles Times on April 30, 1967.

(Larry Sharkey / Los Angeles Times)

June 27, 1983: A B-52, foreground, sits with other aircraft at the storage yard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.

(Larry Davis / Los Angeles Times)

See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here