At the August club evening we congregated in the car park until our key holder arrived and we got into the hall at 7pm, chairs and tables were put out, kitchen was started up, and the AV system set up and tested, in fact all the usual things as a well-practiced routine. There were a few items on the rear table to look at and much general chat until the bell was rung and we realised we had all been there for half an hour already.
Our chairman called us to order and welcomed two new visitors and told us who our speakers were for the evening. Work at the Puffing field was mentioned and also the forthcoming exhibition.
Mike then handed over to Chris and Jim Scivyer who told us about their recent holiday in Tucson Arizona. This talk was a late ‘fit in’ as the scheduled evening subject has been re-scheduled for next month due to unexpected holiday changes. So, thanks go to Chris and Jim for stepping in at a late date.
The state of Arizona has a hot and dry climate and Tucson is the home of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (309th AMARG), where there are thousands of military aircraft of the recent past and a bit beyond that. Their holiday tour included several ‘aerospace’ locations, some active and some historic.
Chris was in charge of the laptop and gave his talk and brother Jim embellished the evening with a few extra comments and a bit of history. Chris did the detail. First, we saw pictures taken from above when they had chartered a small Cessna aircraft to fly around the 'maintenance unit' which is within Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, they do not like it being called 'the bone-yard'! It did mean that visitors could not wander around on their own but in coaches in particular areas.
Some of the aircraft had been conspicuously dismantled as part of the de-escalation agreements with the Russians, so that the action could be seen from above. Chris had put the pictures into order to illustrate the many types of aircraft that are ‘moth-balled’ and preserved in the favourable climate. We worked through an array of military aircraft, and some civil, with our audience joining in with additional historical information and amusing comments. The audience got more involved as the evening progressed which enhanced the talk greatly.
We had a slightly earlier break than usual and there was more chat over tea and biscuits, and then we were back in our seats for the finish and pictures of Mars, that’s the sea-plane not the planet! And although not being reassembled to its full size, it does command attention as it’s the largest of its type ever constructed towards the end of WW2. The other three, as only four were built, still do duty picking up water to fight forest fires.
The talk concluded with thanks from our chairman and a hearty round of applause from the audience. During the last few minutes of the evening Michael and I went over the names paired with the functions and events during the exhibition. This had a positive response and left us both as happy bunnies.
Thank you for the club members who made the evening work, always carried out willingly and with precision. See you all next time.
Watch a YouTube video of Davis-Monthan Airbase HERE
Roy Verden
15th August 2025