A waste

[mekender]

For a real mystery, perhaps someone could explain to me the 727 I witnessed in the Boeing Everett factory back in 1999-2000 or so. It was obviously well-used, all white, and had no markings whatsoever. It was only there for a couple of days and no one I talked to knew anything about it.

Years ago, I briefly dated a girl who's father had worked for the USAF and then for NASA... He told me that in his early career, he drove to work every day to LAX... There he boarded an aircraft and flew east... He said that every morning and every afternoon at the airport, you would see so many people that were trying to look indiscreet that they were conspicuous... He told me that he did work at Groom Lake, but that was all he could say about it.

I would imagine that most of the planes used in that fashion would have little to no markings. But I would assume that they would at least have tail markings. The aircraft you saw was most likely being worked on, studied, refitted or some such... Perhaps it had been sold to a new company and was being worked over before being sold.

[Cybrludite]

Judging from the pic of a wedge next to a P-38,

Actually, I think that's an O-2 FAC bird (Military version of the Cessna Skymaster)

You're right. If it were a P-38, it would have two wing mounted engines, and not one in the nose.

[Steamforger]

Ahhh Yc-14. That's better. I initially thought C-123 as well, but the nacelles are too close to the fuselage for props.

[Mud_Dog]

One of my must see things out west is the Boneyard... though i do not know if i can make it through without tears in my eyes.

Is it out in Arizona? I'm pretty sure I saw a huge area with a lot of decomissioned aircraft while the bus was driving out of an Air Force base. I didn't take pictures, but I did think of the boneyard when we were driving by.

Also, another hijack, but I did see a large area out in Kuwait with a lot of burnt out armor presumably from the "Highway of Death." Never asked but I'm fairly sure that's what it was.

[randy]

Is it out in Arizona? I'm pretty sure I saw a huge area with a lot of decomissioned aircraft while the bus was driving out of an Air Force base. I didn't take pictures, but I did think of the boneyard when we were driving by.

Davis-Monthan AFB outside of Tuscon. Home of the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group AKA "The Boneyard".

Also, home of A-10s, the new "west coast" base for AF Spec Ops, and a few other operations that do not exist, and you never saw them.

[Netpackrat]

Judging from the pic of a wedge next to a P-38,

Actually, I think that's an O-2 FAC bird (Military version of the Cessna Skymaster)

My other guess was an OV-10, but it doesn't look like there are any engines on the wings, and the wings are not quite rectangular, so I think it has to be a mixmaster.

[Wrenchbender1]

Shit. I remember when we lost a good bird to the boneyard when I was at Ramstein. Not a good day. If it makes you feel any better, You're not the first one it's happened to.

[Netpackrat]

I looked for a good picture of it in its JAL colors, but couldn't find any. I think primarily because most of the pictures I took involved maintenance of one form or another, and 8180 rarely broke. I'll try to attach a picture of another aircraft. I think Kalitta Air ended up with this one, which wasn't nearly so nice of an airplane. I think they bought about half of the fleet.

[Catbird]

I looked for a good picture of it in its JAL colors, but couldn't find any.

Here's some.

[Netpackrat]

Thank you.