DAVIS-MONTHAN

[keefyboy]

Whilst surfing the net this evening, I came across this youtube video that you might be interested in - it looks pretty recent and well worth watching if you've not been to DM yet.  One things for sure - even with eyes out the back of your head, you won't see everything from the coach tour.  A flight over the place is a must to get a nice warm feeling that you've seen most of whats on the ground.

This place has been on my bucket list for years and despite numerous business trips to the region - I never made it to DM. I remember seeing the laser 747 at Kirtland AFB nearly 20 years ago.

 Credit???

Cheers - enjoy

Keith

[oakleaf1]

Did a flight over DM two years ago we went from Avra Valley and included a few circuits around Marana.
Well worth going and we are going to try and do a couple of the scrapyards around DM in October.

[rh226]

Don't forget that you can download a monthly inventory from www.amarcexperience.com/ui/index.php.

Obviously, you will have to make one or two adjustments to reflect the date of your visit.  You can obtain these from the same website.

Apologies if you already know this, but some other readers may find it useful.

Cheers,

Bob

[deanoitfc]

Hello thinking of going there in November for the first time

Can anyone guide me on where we can book the overflights

Is there a good day of the week to do this and a good time?

Going to be based in LAX for a week and might fly down to Phoenix first thing as the schedule to Tucson is not great

So any help would be very kind

Best Regards

Dean

[rh226]

Please note the following regarding the coach tours, to avoid disappointment:-

Posted on “The Boneyard (309th AMARG interest group)” Facebook Page;

The Pima Air & Space Museum is contracted by the USAF to give tours of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group/Boneyard at Davis Monthan Air Force Base. Starting November 1, 2017 there will be new security measures put in place for individuals interested in taking this tour. The museum will still offer these tours Monday—Friday, excluding Federal holidays, however it is going to go to a reservation system (currently it is first come first serve). Beginning on November 1, 2017 all guests interested in taking this tour must have made a reservation and received a security clearance in advance. The security clearance will be given by Davis-Monthan Air Force Base from information collected at the time of reservation. We will begin taking reservations for November 1, 2017 on August 10, 2017. Reservations must be made 10 business days in advance of the desired tour date, and can be made up to 90 days in advance. Reservations requests can be made by calling 520-618-4805 or emailing: boneyardtour@....

Credit FC for this.

[keefyboy]

Thanks for the link Bob.

Given your interest in all things US military, have you/are you going to the boneyard?

I recall a few pictures of the boneyard in either a late 60's or early 70's Air Pictorial - I think at it contained some 7000/8000 aircraft at the time. Oh for a time machine!!

Cheers
Keith

[rh226]

Hi Keith,

I'm afraid that I haven't been to the US - and it is unlikely that I ever will. Much as I would appreciate visiting D-M.....

Yes, tales from a couple of Alitalia cabin crew that used to spot down at Heathrow (Cains Lane corner) in the late '60s......over 800 B-47s, rows of F-86s just dumped on top of one another about four high, just to name a couple.  Of course, they got free flights!!

Cheers,

Bob

[keefyboy]

Thanks Bob

One of these days I will raid the loft and dig out all those Air Pictorials and other aviation magazines that are probably rotting away and maybe scan some of those DM pictures from the 60's - copyright permitting! I still have a shed load of 'Air Clues' and I think 'Air Recognition' from the 60's - they contain great photos except I think those publications may still be classified?? - given the Restricted markings?

Did you know Roger Duke? - ex RAF Melksham

Cheers
Keith

[keefyboy]

Thanks Bob

One of these days I will raid the loft and dig out all those Air Pictorials and other aviation magazines that are probably rotting away and maybe scan some of those DM pictures from the 60's - copyright permitting! I still have a shed load of 'Air Clues' and I think 'Air Recognition' from the 60's - they contain great photos except I think those publications may still be classified?? - given the Restricted markings?

Did you know Roger Duke? - ex RAF Melksham

Cheers
Keith

[rh226]

I'm afraid I didn't know him, Keith.

When I arrived, RAF Melksham was long gone and developed into the Bowerhill residential and industrial estates. There are still a couple of the old hangars left (the Christie Miller leisure centre) and the old MQs still exist in Wellington Drive and Wellington Square. I think the old all-weather running track still exists, as does the golf course. But that is it. Virtually all the roads bear names linking them with the RAF/RN (manufacturers, aircraft, people, etc), e.g. De Havilland Place, Lancaster Way, Gibson Close.

Cheers,

Bob

[davebasing]

Sept 10, 2017 19:25:38 GMT deanoitfc said:

Hello thinking of going there in November for the first time

Can anyone guide me on where we can book the overflights

Is there a good day of the week to do this and a good time?

Going to be based in LAX for a week and might fly down to Phoenix first thing as the schedule to Tucson is not great

So any help would be very kind

Best Regards

Dean

Hi Dean

Been doing the AMARC overflights for over 35 years now. There are a number of companies who provide this from Tucson, Avra Valley and Ryan Field. The company I've used for some years is Double Eagle Aviation (www.2-eagle.com) based at Tucson but also flying from Ryan (which has a great breakfast place).  They know exactly what we want and have always been great at providing it for us. You need to select what you want to do, i.e just AMARC, or combine it with Pinal Air Park (Marana) where they will often land then backtrack along the ramp before departing again. Obviously just doing AMARC is the shorter and hence cheaper option. Either way you will also get to go over the superb Pima Museum and what is left of the storage yards around DM. I normally book a flight at the weekend when Marana & DM's circuits are normally very quiet though I have done it on weekdays without any problems. Going in November any time of day would be fine but in the high summer the earlier the better as the air is not so bumpy in the heat as this can otherwise result in some blurred pictures. If you are overnighting in Tucson, Double Eagle customers get reduced rates at one of the airport hotels.

Anything else you need re the area just drop me a PM. Have a great trip. Dave

[graham]

I'm over the moon for you Thomas, but you missed "spammer" from your sparkling CV, now sling your hook and infest someone else's forum