Anyone looked at the Boneyard on Google Maps lately?

[ClearedHot]

Hmmmm... don't see any U-2's in there.

Yet...

[Crosswind]

Also - All the A-10s that aren't taped don't have engines, those have been repurposed as well! Yay.

[ClearedHot]

Historic bird facing a sad ending. EC-130E 62-1818 "Republic 6" In Operation EAGLE CLAW faces being scrapped. This aircraft was one of three EC-130’s (62-1809, 62-1818, & 62-1857) borrowed from the 7th ACCS at Keesler AFB, MS in 1980 for use in Operation Eagle Claw, the attempted rescue of American hostages being held in the embassy in Iran. The role of the EC-130’s was to carry fuel to a remote landing spot in the Iranian Desert code named Desert One. Large fuel bladders would be loaded into the back of the EC-130’s along with fuel pumps and hoses.

[SCRIMP]

Are there any restrictions for flying over the boneyard?

[rancormac]

Are there any restrictions for flying over the boneyard?

I believe a few years ago they were trying to limit/restrict flying above it.

However, in the past few years I've had my PPL in Tucson, I've flown above it and above DM, within DM/TUS airspace. Just communicated on radio and said photo flight.

[matmacwc]

Brings a tear to my eye......

[Beaver]

I don't think it would seem so bad if they weren't parked on dirt.

[HiFlyer]

You got that right. Makes me feel old. Damn.

Especially old when you remember driving along the perimeter fence at Boeing when they were all lined up just like that except brand new, waiting for the crews to fly them out. I was about 9-10 at the time...1955 or so.

I don't think it would seem so bad if they weren't parked on dirt.

Trust me, in the summer the dirt is harder than the asphalt!

[Marco]

Brings a tear to my eye......

It's ok, they'll fly again soon.

As targets. :)

[ClearedHot]

It's ok, they'll fly again soon.

As targets. :)

Two!

[BQZip01]

...not true. Start here: Boneyard2U.com....tons of links to boneyard parts up for sale on eBay.

*Edit to add that, on a separate note, it sucks seeing jets (i.e. actual tail numbers) that you've flown sitting out there rotting. Ohh well.

Hardly rotting. They are remarkably well preserved. Some are cut up for parts, but a lot are in long-term storage like the Navy's ghost fleet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reserve_fleet

[Winchester]

Historic bird facing a sad ending. EC-130E 62-1818 "Republic 6" In Operation EAGLE CLAW faces being scrapped. This aircraft was one of three EC-130's (62-1809, 62-1818, & 62-1857) borrowed from the 7th ACCS at Keesler AFB, MS in 1980 for use in Operation Eagle Claw, the attempted rescue of American hostages being held in the embassy in Iran. The role of the EC-130's was to carry fuel to a remote landing spot in the Iranian Desert code named Desert One. Large fuel bladders would be loaded into the back of the EC-130's along with fuel pumps and hoses.

Talked to a gent that flew one of them, said they took off at 198,000 lbs took them 20 nm over the water before they got to 1000'. Crazy.

[SocialD]

It's ok, they'll fly again soon.

As targets. :)

Better than rotting away in the desert, only to be chopped up. Plus it's a decent post USAF career opportunity for a select few.

[zrooster99]

Any opinions/thoughts on what the AF does would do with "off the shelf" civilian aircraft like the BE-350s and PC-12s? Remove the mil gear and sell or just scrap? I'm guessing scrap due to liability concerns etc...but maybe not. Thoughts?

[Marco]

This is true. But it's still funny. :P

Better than rotting away in the desert, only to be chopped up. Plus it's a decent post USAF career opportunity for a select few.

[SuperWSO]

For starters, you should change the topic since that is definitely NOT the Boneyard when you zoom out. Its laid out to look like a target, like any other bombing range. Why do you ask?

[spudsmac]

It's ok, they'll fly again soon.

As targets. :)

https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123219224

The first QF-16 is scheduled to be delivered in 2014. The QF-16 will replace the QF-4, the third generation full-scale aerial target drone.

I imagine that they will be pulling the F-16s from DM for this unless they have some stored somewhere else. Anyone know if they are going to Mojave to modify them like the Phantoms? I saw one of the QF-4s taxing around at MHV a couple summers ago and it was a neat sight for sure.

[Guest]

Does anyone know what this is?

https://maps.google.c...psrc=6&t=h&z=18

How did you come across that?

[Beaver]

How did you come across that?

I thought it was the NTTR until I zoomed out.

[spaceman]

Check out the weird shit a few miles to the East of the bombing range. WTF.

Whoa... what the heck is all this?!

[i.o.w.a]

My completely bullshit hypothesis is that the patterns are used to callibrate satellite imaging sensors, focus the cameras.

Well gearpig, when you ride your bike over there and figure out what those things are, hop on the closest free Wi-Fi and post on this American military forum what you discovered in the back corner of their test range...good luck.

[Guest Grind]

Does anyone know what this is?

https://maps.google.c...psrc=6&t=h&z=18

Did some scrolling and stumbled upon this gem. Don't know if the designers intended this to be an ironic joke of some sort. Reference the green arrow.

https://www.google.co...psrc=0&t=h&z=16

EDIT: To point out that the way the arms are facing is a Buddhist (I think?) symbol of peace, but still.

Edited November 14, 2011 by Grind

[HiFlyer]

Old test & training range. Lots of tracked vehicle activity. Looks like vehicle storage sheds (two 24 garage buildings) mile or so to the WSW (from the original point with the MiG 19s (?) in the middle) Possible sensor calibration grid, but they usually have multiple sets of highly defined and graduated structures or grids...these look too erratically built for that, but possible if very old and for very low res systems). There's a bluish square concrete pad to the ENE that looks like it was used to document impact patterns from incoming sub-munition dispensors. Possible tank firing circuits farther east. God only knows what the wierd geometric shaped tracks were used for, but they show evidence of multiple cratering in spots...possible outline of an urban area for training purposes? Farther west looks like a commercial salt brine operation (flow in salt water, let it evaporate, scoop out the salts (see south San Francisco Bay area and Death Valley for similar "mining" approach to recovery).

[AEWingsMN]

the geometric shapes near the blue concrete pads looks quite a bit like simulated airport(s). SE of that (in a runoff area it seems) is a very specific grid thing with what looks like bombed out cars. The grid is very defined if you zoom way in. Some other (almost power plant) looking thing to the E of that, and then more geometric shapes (in rougher condition) to the NE of that.

Edited November 14, 2011 by AEWingsMN

[Marco]

I don't know about Mojave, however I do know that final assembly and flight test, etc. is being done here in Jacksonville. Boeing has the contract and is doing it at their facility at Cecil Field. It's kinda nice to see lawn darts in the area again, given we gave ours up in '94 for Eagles. Kinda nostalgic..........

https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123219224

I imagine that they will be pulling the F-16s from DM for this unless they have some stored somewhere else. Anyone know if they are going to Mojave to modify them like the Phantoms? I saw one of the QF-4s taxing around at MHV a couple summers ago and it was a neat sight for sure.