# hangar queen

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hangar-queen
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A grounded aircraft which is kept so that its parts can be used in other aircraft.

## Examples

- That old plane is just a hangar queen now.
- The mechanics stripped parts from the hangar queen to keep the rest of the fleet flying.
- Although the airframe remained structurally sound, it became a permanent hangar queen, cannibalized daily to provide essential components for its more active counterparts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.