27 March 2018
Davis Monthan AFB
We have been trying to get to this museum for while, and wow, we were not disappointed.
The museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft. A large number of the museum’s aircraft are displayed outside with the remainder located in one of the museum’s 4 display hangars. In addition to the display hangars, the museum has a restoration hangar.
It is located adjacent to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), affiliated with the base, also known as the “Graveyard of Planes” or “The Boneyard”, is the largest aircraft storage and preservation facility in the world. There are “moth-balled” planes in fields for as far as the eyes can see. Most of them have white shrink wrap over the windows and seals. It seems they are ready to protect our country again once topped off with fuel and oil and a jump start.
The most prominent planes on display were the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress,
Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Consolidated B-24 Liberator, Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird[, Martin PBM Marine, and North American F-107. Also there where four different type of Russian made MIG jets, one model is still in service with the Ruskies.
Also there is JFK/LBJ’s Air Force One plane there too, a DC-6A based prop-jet that was needed for short hops and small airfields of the time. Also the traditional blue color that Jackie Kennedy help design, is painted above and over the cockpit. If there is no blue painted above the cockpit, than that plane transports the VP or other high ranking dignitaries.
There are some one off planes, like a new 787 Dreamliner. It was built for testing, before production, and was tested so hard. They put so much stress on the plane during testing, that the FAA told Boeing that the plane could not be used for passengers. So here it is…at a museum. Sorry no photo.
One last plane to comment on is the “Super Guppy”. A large, wide-bodied cargo aircraft that is used for hauling oversize cargo components for NASA and the military. Missiles, bombs, and the Apollo space capsule have been transported in it. Oh, and due to is bludgeoning size, it gets horrible fuel mileage and has to refuel every 500 miles or so.
Another interesting bit of history for me, was the display of GLCM, (GLiCkeM) the Ground Launched Cruise Missile. When I was stationed in Naples (1988-`1990) we provided the communications link for the Commander in Chief to the island of Comiso, Italy, where the GLCM would/could be launched. That whole system retired as a successful deterrent, just after the “Wall” came down….., 4 years before my Army retirement.
We had a great time visiting, and I’m sure some of you “airplane” types would have loved it too.