Now this REALLY was a scrapyard! Probably the only genuine aviation scrapyard in the area. This yard was bursting at the seams with aircraft bits and pieces and it is very difficult to work out what you are actually looking at most of the time. A pair of binoculars was very useful reading numbers and information off the various aircraft panels that are sometimes only several feet away from you. I will leave you to decide what constitutes an aircraft for your purposes, on this web site there has to be an identifiable piece of fuselage to be listed.

Three interesting additions that arrived between 2000 and 2001 are Sikorsky CH-37C Mojave 145873, Douglas C-82A 44-23033 and C-133B 59-0531. These aircraft were previously sitting in open storage at Tucson International Airport and were probably moved here due to the construction of a new building. The C-133 now, unfortunately, only consists on several large segments of fuselage, the other two are whole and located near the fence next to Kolb Road.

Below are some pictures of these aircraft while they were at Tucson IAP.

Since the last AMARC inventory update many of the Beoing C-137's (707 and 720) that were being stripped of spares in AMARC area 22 have been cut into sections and moved to this yard. Here they will be melted down into ingots and sold on for recycling. The north side of the yard has been reorganised to accomodate these new residents and as a result aircraft previously hidden may now be visible. On the other hand the large fuselage sections may block views of previously identifiable airframes.

Western International Aviation Inc. have played a high profile role in receiving ex. AMARC aircraft for many years. The main services they provide for their customers are restoration, storage and preparation of aircraft for road and air transporation. They have an impressive list of customers which includes NASA, the Smithsonian Institute, Pima Air & Space Museum, US Border Control and numerous foreign air forces and agencies.

The owner of Western International, John Gasho, SR. has many years experience of working with aircraft and was inducted into the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame during 2004 for his contribution to the aviation community.

Western International's yard covers an area of 18.8 acres and stores a large number of historic aircraft for their owners. The largest of these are a number of Douglas DC-7's which belong to a freight company based in Alaska. Also notable are a number of Lockheed P-2 Neptunes and a more moden Boeing T-43. Owing to the number of airframes which are worked on by this company there is always something new and interesting to be seen here.

Western International have impressive facilities which includes a large hangar and their own propellor shop. Western International have restored numerous aircraft in their time and have specialist knowlegde of the Grumman HU-16 Albatross as well as many other types. One other side to Western's business is providing a unique back drop which is used as a set for film companies. For this reason the yard is not kept to it's tidiest as these companies prefer it that way.

de Havilland C-7 Caribou

Lockheed P-2 Neptune

The Specialized Aircraft yard is run by Charles 'Chuck' Wooten who's business is restoring aircraft. During my last visit it was obvious which aircraft types are currently being favoured with three HU-16's and four T-28's all being worked on. Three of the T-28's were stripped to bare metal which made them very difficult to identify, although one (137712) could been confirmed.

Also resident at the time was an ex. Royal Canadian Air Force C-45 and three ex. Coral Air Nomads (N421NE, N4812C and N4817E for all the readers interested in civil aircraft). These aircraft have moved around considerably in the last few years, having also been seen in the National/Southwest Alloys and Dross Metals yards. There was originally a fourth example (N420NE) but this was not seen at this time.

At the end of 2001 or beginning of 2002 a number of aircraft belonging to SAM were moved from the adjoining Allied across to the other side of East Drexel to a small compound adjoining the UAC yard. For the purposes of this web site it is referred to as SAM 'Compound B'. This compound is believed to be run by Chuck Wooten's and so the aircraft contained within it are listed under this yard. An aerial view of this new yard can be seen on the right. The three wingless Nomads, which are not listed on this site are N421NE, N4812C and N4817E.

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