After the end of World War 2, 10s of thousands of aircraft were no longer required.
Rather than be put into storage or sold cheaply to dubious national Airforces, it was decided to sell the perfectly operational aircraft to private companies who ruthlessly melted down the aircraft frames for their aluminium.

If only.....

Music: "I dunno" by Grapes [2008 Creative Commons Licence]
http://ccmixter.org/files/grapes/16626