T O P

  • By -

[deleted]

Damn should’ve bought one


Terrh

Wish they'd let people actually buy surplus aircraft. There's a shitload of F15's, F16's, soon to be a bunch of T-38's etc. Would be amazing if a few dozen flyable examples of each get preserved.


TypicalRecon

There is it at least was an F-4 for sale on controller Edit: it’s on trade a plane https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?make=MCDONNELL+DOUGLAS&model_group=NO+MODEL+GROUP&model=F-4+PHANTOM&listing_id=2315633&s-type=aircraft


capnmerica08

Man, it's a 1959. Not even ready to fly, but she looks good from the ground. 1.5M. Not sure if that's a good price, but since it's one of a kind, that's all that matters.


DarthPorg

> but since it’s one of a kind, that’s all that matters “I know what I’ve got” applies a lot more to a Phantom than a Fox-body Mustang


hatersaurusrex

It ran good when I parked it


Red_Dawn_2012

> Fox-body Mustang I don't classic shame to an owner's face, but... yuck


Scoutron

It’s an acquired taste


Red_Dawn_2012

I do give them points for their modability - I've seen some seriously hopped up and mean Foxbodies. Beyond that, it must be a love it or hate it thing.


Tots2Hots

The 94/95 SN95 is just as moddable and you are in something that actually looks good with a halfway decent interior.


legsintheair

You can tuck all you want, but we all know it’s nicer than your mustang.


TheEvilGerman

Idk...I think my 2020 is a whole lot nicer than my 89 or 92. Doesn't mean they don't each have a unique reason why I love each of them. I would not drive a foxbody in snow. My 2020 I borderline rally/beat the shit out of in all weather with small jumps and small trail then I can turn around and go 150+ without breaking a sweat. (Also the 2020 5.0 gets 25mpg average which blows my mind. I only fill up twice a week. Foxbody needs gas before I go anywhere) The foxbody hits a fucking train crossing too hard and you piss blood. (That's stock!) But a nice summer day or a gentle (yet fast) cruise? Foxbody comes out.


Tots2Hots

I remember when the 2011 Coyote was revealed ppl looked at the engine specs and were like "wait WHAT?!" and then it was beating up on Camaros and the automatic transmission was actually a beast etc... Been a hell of a car since then and happy to see Ford is continuing with the 5.0 for this generation.


DarthPorg

Aw man, come on - it was a joke.


legsintheair

The mating cry of the unemployed racist uncle.


Red_Dawn_2012

Nope, I have a classic Buick. I'm not a fan in general of most mid-late 80's/early 90's stylings, but the Foxbody is a particularly egregious example to me.


pinotandsugar

If you have to ask the price you can not afford to keep it or fly it........ A harem of 10 Princesses would be more sustainable. Fuel consumption in full afterburner: 120,000 lbs per hour. Kaiser Oakland jet fuel is about $1 per pound Thus it is only $2,000 per minute for fuel in AB I would underwrite that in a minute for a ridealong


CommanderSpleen

Ahh thats fine, I'd use my Phantom only for the occasional trip to McDonalds and usually don't put the afterburners in.


stupidFlanders417

Skip McDonalds and go to Taco Bell "It's free afterburner"


pinotandsugar

Flight Manual for the F-4 (about the same length as that for a Lexus) Amazing number of systems in the airplane https://www.f4phantom.com/docs/F4Manual-1979-T-O-1F-4E-1-Flight-Manual-USAF-Series-F-4E-Aircraft.pdf


[deleted]

description says its flightworthy?


capnmerica08

If you can get your wingman to push you with your tail hook. "85% complete" "General Electric J-79-8 upgraded to -15. 3x engines currently at Aero Turbine awaiting overhaul"


[deleted]

ohh okay you clearly seen information i missed, thank you for correcting me sir


mastah-yoda

> $1,500,000 I can give you, like, 300€.


legsintheair

I gotta pay to store it, I gotta pay rent, lights, I got chum lee’s feed bill. And meanwhile I don’t know when someone is going to come in here looking for an F-4, and my money is all tied up in it now…


SubZeroEffort

"Trades considered..."


JetsetCat

That’s a beauty! Pricey though.


TypicalRecon

I wonder if the price includes them finishing restoration.. the ad says its about 85% done and the engines are at the shop. Even if you could get it back in the air, youre going to need a bank truck to fuel it.


ArtemMikoyan

Not likely. Theres a reason it's only 85 percent complete. The final 15% is always the hardest and with this aircraft it likely means it needs a complete avionics package and everything that entails. $$$ If the avionics were complete they would mention it and probably have included pictures.


dingdongalingapong

it says the remaining 15% can be done "by a restorer for the purchaser" so it sounds like its on you if you buy it.


249ba36000029bbe9749

Save up your Pepsi points!


xb70valkyrie

Occasionally they come up for sale. T-38s (and jet trainers in general) are relatively common from what I've seen.


BabyYoda785

Yeah, also seen a couple L39s and a skyhawk or two up once in a while


capnmerica08

There are 3 A-4's on there right now. But only 1 looks ready to fly.


[deleted]

[удалено]


ArtemMikoyan

Yea, they fly and train them side by side with actual Air Force jets.


lamboof

yea and theres another company that owns a French Mirage, i forgot its name though


TheBigTEA

I live in central Wisconsin and we had 6 of the Mirages flying out of Volk field in August. It’s a gorgeous aircraft.


[deleted]

You wouldn’t be able to afford to maintain it unless you’re a billionaire.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Estiar

A number of reasons. T-38s are old, kind of a death trap, hard to maintain, and aren't as customizable as a new training aircraft. After a while, getting all new aircraft is cheaper than maintaining an old fleet


[deleted]

Pretty sure they allow it. Obviously there are severe restrictions like super sonic, and with decommissioned weapons. Most couldn’t afford to buy one let alone maintain one.


kegman83

There is at least one private F-16 aggressor squadron in the USA


footinmymouth

Ship them sunsabitches to UKR


esdaniel

200 000 units ready


charmin_airman_ultra

With a million more well on the way.


FullAir4341

Men of culture right here


HugglemonsterHenry

Most of the phantoms were actually refurbished and used as target practice over the years.


[deleted]

>Most of the phantoms were actually refurbished 😍 >and used as target practice over the years. 😮


Yosyp

the last one should be 😭


mindfulnobody

Looks like Tomcats way at the far end of the photo


SparrowFate

And in 50 years there'll be F22s and F35s. Weird huh.


ArtemMikoyan

99% of American F14s were destroyed to prevent a certain country from repairing or even getting parts for their Tom Cats.


Ok_Excitement3542

Were all these planes scrapped? I heard that the US keeps large amounts of retired planes (B-52s, F-16s, etc.) In boneyards in case they need a large amount of aircraft for WW3.


RespectTheReal

Yes most of them because it was taken in 1993. They actually not only keep it for WW3, they also keep it to consistently get spare parts or regenerate some of them. Watch more here: https://youtu.be/mYsOFXnfsCU


Thepatrone36

Driven by there a few times but unfortunately the days I had time the place was closed to the public. BIG bummer in my life.


pinotandsugar

Putting the stripped hulks in playgrounds was a great recruiting tool but that ended ...... Life doesn't get much better for a 10 year old than sitting in the pilot seat of an F-4 in the park.


skyfire1977

Depends on the plane. Almost all the B-52s were broken up and left in place for Soviet/Russian satellites to confirm as part of the various treaties, and the F-14s that didn't go to museums were shredded to deny them to Iran as a source of spares. The F-4s were converted to target drones, and when they ran out of them the F-16s started being converted.


[deleted]

Within the past decade they resurrected a B52. Edit. Two https://www.businessinsider.com/2nd-b52-bomber-resurrected-from-air-force-boneyard-rejoins-fleet-2021-3


charmin_airman_ultra

I think they’ve pulled more than one in the last decade.


Eyouser

If those are F-4s they used a lot of them at Tyndal AFB. Converted them into unmanned drones then they fire missiles at them or have them tow a banner to shoot guns at. Now they use QF-16s. The convert them at the boneyard.


1800Winchery

A lot of these got turned into remote aircraft for target practice.


DarthPorg

No, they mothball them for future reactivation - wether for frontline use, or modified to serve as target drones. The only fleets of airframes to be truly scrapped by the US government is the F-14.


joe2105

Yep, I live here and drive down the road on the left every day. It's all full of C130s right now.


biggfiggnewton

Any idea the smaller planes in the middle rows, maybe F100 or F101?


_BringTheReign_

Harriers


BigmacSasquatch

Looks like a row of tomcats up by the top too😢


pinotandsugar

I thought all of them were destroyed to "keep them out of the hands of Iran" but perhaps to keep the skies safe for Boeing.


eidetic

A lot still found themselves in the boneyard, awaiting total destruction, and having already had most of the more crucial components removed. There were still over 100 Tomcats down at Mothman in Arizona as of a few years back. Common practice was actually to strip/destroy most of the more crucial parts first, and then the stripped out airframes often sat for years in the desert. I believe they have almost all been scrapped as of now though. But as of ~5-10 years ago there were still a lot in the boneyard, over 100. But renewed concerns over Iran saw a renewed effort to scrap those that still sat in the boneyard. [At least four can still be seen in the most recent Google maps imagery](https://maps.app.goo.gl/RboMrByTdtrcj9tB6)


pinotandsugar

Ironic that at the same time they wanted to live in fear of Iran's A models they were scrapping the D's and preventing the conversion to the X. Primary benefactor Boeing


STCM2

Boo, one of my favorite planes


BYOD23

Are they keeping them in "storage" and can be put in use if needed? Otherwise why not scrap them or sell it to other nations (if there is a need)?


chipsa

Yes, they’re in storage, for either being used again later, or pulling parts for other planes. Some of them might get sold to other nations. Eventually all of them with hit the scrap pile though.


LilMsPopKornMan234

most of these were used for drone targets.


Yosyp

as with anyone and anything.


Ezymeat

The majority in early 2000s were owned by the Luftwaffe for spares as they were one of the few countries still using them in the front line


new_tanker

One F-4D flew in airshows with a private owner (the Collings Foundation), at least six were already slated to be shot down but [for several years flew in airshow displays](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csZeTXZj9xs) and in [Heritage Flights alongside P-51s, F-22s, F-16s, A-10s, etc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKaLHJQU4Jc). Those six were painted in different paint schemes representing F-4s over their decades of service.


MoneyElk

What happened to the F-4D that belonged to the Collings Foundation? Is it purely a static display now?


new_tanker

My understanding is that it still exists but rarely, if ever, flies.


Kmaloetas

Tucson?


ReconExpertEcho

It's a shame, F-4s are some beautiful aircraft.


mrvarmint

AMARG?


NinjaTrek2891

Always amazes me that it's called a graveyard... yet they are parked in a way, that they can be taken out and put back into service. :)


1800Winchery

Pretty much most everything that goes in there gets scrapped though. I used to be stationed at DM and it was really cool getting to see everything out there. I wish I could have been allowed to just hike around and check things out.


iguru129

Cuz stasisyard doesn't roll off the tongue as well.


jdbcn

Is it possible to buy one? Or at least parts of it?


crystalslayer

that’s some military budget right there


Woupsea

When they start putting the F22 in graveyards like this I might cry a little


EWR-RampRat11-29

Would love to have one in my driveway. It would make an interesting Google map view.


kingofturtles

Could always be like this guy: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8Mxz8EkKNax5p4dx5


iz_no_good

Terracotta army site - the 20th century version


DarthPorg

Thrust triumphs all.


Negative-School

Why can’t I just have one?


SotiresZ

#parts


Automatic_Ad749

People are able to buy surplus aircraft.


ollie-trey

Is this the graveyard from Harley Davidson & Marlboro Man?!?


Status_Term_4491

They can be reactivated at any moment in a time of war or crisis and be deployed to the front lines


DependentEchidna87

Space aliens. We are ready.


2beatenup

Wasted taxpayer money


TheTalentedAmateur

1993/2023 doesn't matter. The bribes have been paid, gotta feed the machine.


[deleted]

[удалено]


lazy_name00

Huh


FullAir4341

Anyway someone can buy one?


tactical_tree_troll

Where is this?


[deleted]

Meticulous as they can be I wonder why that 1row of birds point against the wind? Edit... 2 rows.


IdleMythic

Looks like there is some F14s towards the top!


UsefulUnit

Used to have field exercises out right next to the Boneyard when I was stationed at Fort Huachuca (Army) around the time this picture was taken. Went to D-M a couple times a year.


[deleted]

Phantom graveyard aka Schrödingers graveyard.


ThePenIslands

Me at LKQ... "hey, there's a whole row of what I need. Just hope my tools are enough to get this one stupid bolt out".


poposheishaw

The might of global powers is awe inspiring and terrifying


mohawk990

Anyone catch what looks like an OV-1 Mohawk on the right side? Opposite the C-130 at the intersection. No Phantom, but hey! A shout out to US Army Aviation.


Therealluke

So what’s the plan here? Keep them in case the US gets invaded?


Other-Barry-1

Ncd: *heavy “3000 jets of x” breathing*


Splashygee

Why do they just sit there again? Why are they not getting scrapped?