Aircraft Boneyard Airplane Boneyard In Tucson Arizona An Aviation Photographers Dream Location
May 25, 2022
One of my aviation photography dreams came true in February 2022 when I visited Tucson Arizona. While driving around this amazing desert city in southern Arizona, I discovered that the United States Military’s aircraft boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. I could not believe that thousands of mothballed aircraft were just yards away from me. The only issue was that I couldn’t get on base to photograph any of it. Tours are no longer permitted. The airplane boneyard In Tucson Arizona was a lifelong goal to see, so I spent hours trying.
I drove down every street, alley, and parking lot I could, to get as close as I legally could to the aircraft. Trespassing is never an option for me. I never thought I’d see it in person, only in the television shows that have featured it. But I finally found it, had my camera with me, and was there at the right time of day. I spent 2 hours on my first trip checking out every angle I could find. I held my camera up as high as I could and got it low to the ground. To ensure I didn’t trip any alarms, I made sure to stay back from the fences as well.
The photos below are the best airplane boneyard photos I could take from the ground. On another trip, I’d get the change to photograph this iconic aviation wonderland from the air.
About The Aircraft Boneyard In Tucson Arizona
The airplane boneyard just southeast of downtown Tucson used to offer tours, but they no longer do. I took the aviation photography images below without crossing any fences, barriers, or warning signs. Next time I visit Tucson, I’d love to tour this amazing aviation photography location sitting in the middle of Pima County and the Arizona desert. That assumes that tours have resumed.
Update: The aircraft boneyard tours were stopped sometime around Covid and have not restarted. This is disappointing but what can you do?
I hope this helped to answer “how do I photograph the aircraft boneyard in Tucson Arizona.” It is a question I finally answered after 30 years!
