Plane graveyard found in the US

[Leon]

These eerie pictures show all that remains of a fleet of World War II fighter planes. The rotting planes lie derelict at an abandoned aeroplane graveyard in Newbury, Ohio, amongst overgrown foliage and scrap metal. The haunting images were captured by 24-year-old photographer Jonny Joo, from Ohio, who has made a name for himself by venturing into long-abandoned places.

Photographer Johnny Joo: "I was driving around looking for derelict buildings to photograph and I stumbled across a big open space on the map so I decided to check it out. There ended up being someone at the property and he gave me a bit of history and let me take photographs."

"'It is crazy how much history is just sitting there like an outdoor museum. 'It's definitely one of the most interesting places I've photographed. It creates its own post-apocalyptic view and it's like art in a sense. It's totally deserted and forgotten and the atmosphere is really eerie."

"If a picture could tell a thousand words you could write books and books from these. It's been sitting pretty much abandoned since the seventies. It's a really incredible place to see in person. Today's decay is yesterday's memories."



The planes were collected by scrapyard worker Walter Soplata in his back garden in Newbury, Ohio, from the late 1940s, after he launched a one-man mission to save them from being dismantled and discarded.

Mr Soplata began to buy up the former war planes in a bid to give them a more fitting final resting place.  After Mr Soplata's death in 2010, the aviation graveyard was kept a secret by relatives fearing scrappers.

[Techno]

Amazing !
Cheers - Phil

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

The commentary is a bit off - the only WWII aircraft is a B25. Still dammed good find old chap.

IanS

[Leman]

I wonder if some aircraft museum might alight on this and save some of those planes for posterity.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

can only hope...

IanS

[ronan]

very, very good pics !

I would have like to be a child and to walk in this place without knowing anything...

[Steve J]

Amazing to think stuff like that can just lie there undiscovered for so many years.

[Hertsblue]

The commentary is a bit off - the only WWII aircraft is a B25. Still dammed good find old chap.

IanS

There's something that might be an F4 Corsair (11th photo down). But could the fighter with the hugely extended nose-wheel leg be a Cutlass?

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Yes I think so. My initial thought was a Douglas F4D, but second looks are saying Cutlass.

IanS

[Hertsblue]

This is the one, I think.

[Leman]

There's something that might be an F4 Corsair (11th photo down). But could the fighter with the hugely extended nose-wheel leg be a Cutlass?

I believe the Ford Pubic was made out of old Corsairs.

[Wulf]

It's undoubtedly a Cutlass, what gets me is the mix of USAF & USN aircraft...

[Ace of Spades]

Mixed feelings always; on the one hand I love these graveyard pictures, on the other hand I would love to see them restored to their former glory...
Cheers,
Rob

[Leman]

It's undoubtedly a Cutlass, what gets me is the mix of USAF & USN aircraft...

Imagine if it was a mix of USAF and teapots.