# Mojave Desert Airplane Graveyard

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojave-desert-airplane-graveyard/510664>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [September 19, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojave-desert-airplane-graveyard/510664 "2009-09-19T00:17:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojave-desert-airplane-graveyard/510664/1 "2009-09-19T00:17:16Z")

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See it [here](http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/33186.html).

I believe this could also be seen in the great Werner Herzog documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997), which later morphed into [Rescue Dawn](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462504/) (2006).

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**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojave-desert-airplane-graveyard/510664/2 "2009-09-19T03:38:34Z")

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The Gimli Glider is out there somewhere.  
Have fun exploring the Google maps view of [Davis-Monthan Air Force Base](http://www.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=davis+monthan+air+force+base&sll=49.891235,-97.15369&sspn=26.282455,79.013672&ie=UTF8&ll=32.155904,-110.829263&spn=0.008411,0.01929&t=h&z=16) in Tuscon, Arizona, the military version of Mojave.

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**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojave-desert-airplane-graveyard/510664/3 "2009-09-20T06:39:29Z")

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I’ve heard about this. I don’t know if this is the case since 9/11, but historically the airplane graveyard has been where they parked planes to wait out recessions and other things that adversely affect the airline industry.

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**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojave-desert-airplane-graveyard/510664/4 "2009-09-21T07:54:43Z")

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**Arçelik** - They make washing machines in Turkey. (the ç is actually pronounced as ch which spoils the effect but seeing the posters about getting really clean underwear is schoolboy giggles good fun!)

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**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojave-desert-airplane-graveyard/510664/5 "2009-09-21T08:02:40Z")

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I have no idea how my previous post ended up in this thread. Can someone report the post to a mod please.

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojave-desert-airplane-graveyard/510664/6 "2009-09-21T13:55:50Z")

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Other US airliner graveyards are the old George AFB in Victorville, CA and the airport at Marana, AZ.

With fuel prices headed back up & technology marching along, it’s a good bet almost all the airplanes which airlines parked “temporarily” are gone for good. Some may resurrect into 3rd world cargo haulers, but not many.