Abandoned, crashed and destroyed aircraft are a rare sight around the globe, which make these some of the most intensely fascinating to behold. Knowing that they were once flying high above, but now reduced to rusting on the ground, discover the stories behind these doomed and derelict aircraft.
B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber
With a price tag of $2 billion, this B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber is the most expensive crashed aircraft in US Air Force history. Moisture had seeped in to the computerized control system on takeoff, causing the aircraft to go haywire. Both pilots ejected to safety, but the bomber was not so lucky.
Boeing 747
Even though this “crash” was staged, it still gives off a very eerie vibe. The Boeing 747 was purchased from a boneyard for use in the 2005 movie “War of the Worlds.”
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
This Lockheed PV-1 Ventura was hit in the starboard engine by a shell in 1944. The bomber managed to make it safely to an airstrip in New Britain after the attack but a harsh landing effectively sealed its fate. The Ventura was later stripped for parts and abandoned.
Corsair Fighter
Laying under 105 feet of water, this Corsair fighter crashed into the ocean near the Hawaiian coast in 1946. The pilot was forced to eject from the aircraft after running out of fuel. Thankfully, the pilot survived this scary situation.
Tupolev TU-22M Backfire
This Tupolev TU-22M Backfire sits in an abandoned air base in East Russia. The Backfire is joined by several other Soviet bombers in a bizarrely desolate air base. The landscape surrounding the bombers gives off a very dystopian feel.
Boeing 747-100
Sitting in the Northwest Airlines graveyard in North Carolina, this Boeing 747-100 waits to be scrapped. The aircraft was first flown in 1970, still bears some livery of Northwest Orient.
MiG-23 Flogger
This vandalized MiG-23 Flogger was found at the Iraqi Air Force base of Balad. It’s one of many Russian-built aircrafts destroyed by the American troops.
Lockheed Constellation
This Lockheed Constellation crash-landed on a remote Antarctic airstrip in 1970. The aircraft, known as “Pegasus,” was attempting to navigate the ice runway with near-zero visibility. The airstrip was renamed Pegasus Field in honor of the plane, which can still be seen as it lies trapped the ice.
Avro Shackleton
This Avro Shackleton sits abandoned and vandalized at the Nicosia International Airport in Cyprus. After Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974, the airport was seen as a “no-mans land.” This left several aircrafts unattended on the runway and never able to see the air again.
Eurofighter Typhoon
A faulty undercarriage switch forced this Typhoon to make a wheels-up landing at NAS China Lake. It was the only Eurofighter Typhoon to be written-off while in RAF service.
P-40 Kittyhawk
This P-40 Kittyhawk disappeared in 1942 and wasn’t rediscovered until 2012. While the wreck does offer clues about what caused the crash, the body of the pilot has yet to be found.
RAF Tornado GR1 Bomber
This RAF Tornado GR1 bomber crash-landed during Operation Desert Storm. The aircraft was returning to base due to technical difficulties during training and caught the runway’s emergency barrier. The crew survived, but sustained major injuries.
Westland Wessex XT468
This Westland Wessex XT468 sits abandoned on the southern side of RNAS Culdrose. The helicopter is just one of many others strung out across the grounds. After it was stripped for parts, a shell still lies in ruins.
MiG-25 Foxbat
This MiG-25 Foxbat was once joined by dozens of other aircrafts in Moscow’s former Khodynka Aerodrome. The abandoned aviation museum has now been reportedly cleared to make room for urban development.
YF-4M
This YF-4M was used as a prototype for the British Phantom FGR.2. Even though this aircraft made a considerable contribution to UK aviation, the airframe spent most of its time decommissioned in Scotland.
