There's something downright sad about an airplane boneyard. Leaving these incredibly designed airplanes, once the very pinnacle of modern technology, to finish their illustrious careers rusting away in a desert scrapyard just doesn't seem right.
Some of the most famous planes of all time are rotting away in the junkyards, just waiting for the winds of time to eventually rip them apart into nothingness. Acclaimed aircrafts like the B-17 Flying Fortress are rusting away by the thousands, as are the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the B-29 Super Fortress, the A-10 Warthog. All of these amazing machines are sitting idly as their metal rusts away.
From Boeing to BAE Systems, these planes all range from passenger jets to nimble air-fighters. They all share one thing in common, though: they will likely never fly again.
Naturally, these planes have been stripped of their munitions, but it seems like such a waste of resources to leave all that scrap metal behind in the deserts of Arizona.
Thanks to satellite technology, Microsoft's Bing has rendered a 3-D map so we can now experience some of these eerie sights firsthand. Rows and rows and rows of these aircraft have been left abandoned throughout these 2,600 acres of United States desert, where several generations of once-mighty aircraft have found their final resting place near the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Use this amazing interactive map to explore the derelict planes of yesteryear. Bing has certainly stepped up their game with their new 3-D rendering software — the attention to detail they're offering makes some of the views of these old aircraft absolutely stunning. When compared to Google Maps, Bing certainly has this area on lockdown. But for how long?
Zoom in as close as you want to, and locate some of your favorite planes!
See if you can name each plane you see below!
Please SHARE these amazing planes with your friends!
Can you spot the A-10 "Warthog" Thunderbolt?
Some of the planes are only kept there between deployments — but roughly 80% will sit there forever.
These "Warthogs" seem to have a nice camouflage paint job.
The A-10 "Warthog" can take HUGE amounts of damage but keep flying. Soldiers LOVE this powerful workhorse!
Keep reading for more great planes!
Can you find the B-52 Stratofortress?
The 309th Aerospace Maintenance Group repairs and trains with these old aircraft. Sometimes, they even get them flying again!
These B-52s once had the power to destroy whole cities — but now, they'll never fly again.
The B-52 could comfortably fly at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet and fly at subsonic speeds.
How are you doing so far? Have you chosen the right planes in "The Boneyard?" There are a few more to go!
Can you locate the F-16 Fighting Falcons?
There are over $30 billion worth of outdated planes kept in "The Boneyard." You never know when you'll need a spare part!
Hidden between rows of other fighters, these F-16s were once the best of the best... Now, they're scrap.
Still in use today, the F-16 is much respected due to its maneuverability, speed, and multirole fighting capabilities.
That one was easy — the next is impossible!
If you can find the F-4 Phantom without cheating, you've got some skills!
The desert is actually a great place to store these planes, as the low humidity and minimal rainfall makes it a bit harder to rust.
Wonder if any of these F-4s shot down any Communist Migs!
The F-4 Phantom downed more adversaries than any other fighter in the Vietnam War. They were still in use 20 years later in missions during Desert Storm!
One more to go! Believe us, it's a hard one!
Find the B-1 Lancer if you can!
There are over 4,400 derelict planes at this location!
These were once the most feared bombers of all time.
This supersonic bomber could hit Mach 2 and had a range and payload similar to that of the B-52.
Watch the video below!
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