Abandoned Jet Fighters in Temple, Texas (Mavic Pro 4K)

Exploring the remains of 3 abandoned cold war jet fighters in Temple, Texas.

The Department of Defense says they should have been dismantled and recycled years ago, but that just didn't happen.

The two Navy F-14 Tomcats and one Marine McDonnell F-4 Phantom II, model F-4B-22-MC last were officially assigned to Naval Air Station Dallas, a base which was decommissioned in December 1998 after in a base reduction and consolidation move.

The Navy's last Tomcat was retired in 2006, after the Pentagon ordered all of those remaining to be cut up so parts didn't end up finding their ways to Iran, a former U.S. ally that still operates F-14s, through the international black market.

The Department of the Navy, faced with media questions about the find, is looking into the matter in an effort to figure out what should have happened to the planes, what really happened to them and what happens now, Jeff Landis, Deputy Director, Public Affairs/Corporate Communications at Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, said.

In a news release issued by the agency, Landis said: "only the F-4 has an identifiable bureau (serial) number that is distinguishable, and that aircraft was formally stricken from the naval records in March 1983.

Without discernible bureau numbers, we have not been able to positively identify the F-14s in our naval records inventory," he said

"It is also unclear why all three aircraft were demilitarized but for some reason never made it to a recycling facility," but "Efforts are currently underway to coordinate with the landowner for proper removal." (Source: KWTX, Temple, Texas).

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