November in Japan

[Harkins]

Whilst spending a few weeks in Japan in November I managed a few days to make some fence visits. Following nearly three years of closed borders and perhaps the country now being a little less of a draw without the Phantoms, I thought I’d share my photos.

Firstly a day at Tsuiki air base down in Kyushu. Plenty of activity from the based F-2s and a couple of visitors.
Mitsubishi F-2A 8th TFS 93-8548 at Tsuiki Air Base by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Beechcraft LC-90, 61 Air Transport Squadron 9305 JMSDF at Tsuiki by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Kawasaki T-4, 13th Flying Training Wing, 016-5649 at Tsuiki by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Mitsubishi F-2A 8th TFS 03-8555 at Tsuiki Air Base by Phil Childs, on Flickr

A couple of weeks later I headed up country and had two days in Komatsu. Unfortunately, the weather turned rather variable at this point, but there were still a few sunny spells. Post Phantom I guess the aggressor Eagles are the main draw. I was warned that they regularly deploy to other bases, but there were five aircraft present and active in the two days. Additionally, there were the two based fighter squadrons and a couple of visitors.

Mitsubishi UH-60J Black Hawk, 88-4608 at Komatsu by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Mitsubishi F-15J Eagle TFTG, "Cobras" 72-8090, at Komatsu by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Mitsubishi F-15J Eagle TFTG, "Cobras" 82-8092, at Komatsu by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Mitsubishi F-15DJ Eagle TFTG, "Cobras" 32-8082, at Komatsu by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Mitsubishi F-15DJ Eagle TFTG, "Cobras" 82-8093, at Komatsu by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Mitsubishi F-15DJ Eagle 303rd TFS "Fighting Dragons", 12-8077, at Komatsu by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Kawasaki C-2 JASDF Air Support Command, 3rd Tactical Airlift Wing, 403rd Squadron 98-1210 at Komatsu by Phil Childs, on Flickr

I then drove down to Gifu air base, home of the Air Development and Test Wing (bit like the old A&AEE Boscombe Down I guess).
Beech T-400, 01-5060, landing at Gifu Air Base by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Mitsubishi F-2B, 63-8101, ADTW at Gifu by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Kawasaki C-1 FTB, 28-1001 at Gifu Air Base by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Mitsubishi F-15J Kai Eagle, 32-8942, ADTW at Gifu Air Base by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Things went quiet at Gifu so I decided to make a brief call at Komaki air base as I’d seen some C-130s bimbling about in the distance. Got there just as the blanket of cloud moved in. Saw a couple of late movements in the gloom before continuing on to my last destination.

Lockheed C-130H Hercules, 401st Airlift Sqn, 75-1078 at Komaki Air Base by Phil Childs, on Flickr

My final stop was at Camp Akeno, the JGSDF helicopter training base. Sadly I was a couple of years late for the Hughes OH-6s. They have been replaced by some tiny shiny blue thing called an Enstrom TH-480B – Yuk!!

Enstrom TH-480B, 62355, Aviation School JGSDF by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Apart from those, the base was very quiet, but luckily there was a Huey and Cobra that took to the air and late on a Blackhawk.

Fuji UH-1J Iroquois 41872 JGSDF at Camp Akeno by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Fuji UH-1J Iroquois 41872 JGSDF at Camp Akeno by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Fuji AH-1S Cobra, 73484, JGSDF at Camp Akeno by Phil Childs, on Flickr

Mitsubishi UH-60JA Black Hawk, 43108 JGSDF at Camp Akeno by Phil Childs, on Flickr

And that was it. Nothing that hasn’t been seen before or photographed better, but I hope they are of some interest.

[garyscott]

Some lovely shots there. A country I’d love to visit (not just for aviation), but for the foreseeable is out of reach. Thank you.

[paddyboy]

What a great Boxing Day boost

Superb set there, Phil

Well done and thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[Seacat192]

Excellent post. Thanks for sharing your photos with us.

[reaperops]

Very nice indeed. Always refreshing to see images from a fence line that isn't in East Anglia.

[DanBeeden]

Great shots - really like the look of that green aggressor Eagle

[Mustang531]

Thanks for sharing these, all something a bit different and great shots. Much appreciated by myself and others I would expect.

[KeBul]

Superb,

Really enjoyed these, would love to visit Japan for a spot of Aviation photography, they have some great schemes on their aircraft.

Thanks for sharing

Kev

[Marauder]

wow these are brilliant photos and great in content too

[Harkins]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and I'm glad they were of some interest.

Japan certainly does have some interesting types and schemes and is also blessed with a lot of bases spread all around the country, and most of them are easily accessible. And whilst a visit from base security is almost inevitable, they are very polite and after a quick peep at your passport, they leave you to crack on. Other pluses are that it's very common to get a visitor or two on any day and that inactive days appear few and far between - although some are less busy than others, as I've witnessed.

The small downside is that I am told that most of the bases with a US presence are not so great for photography, which is a pity.

[adderman]

Japan certainly does have some interesting types and schemes and is also blessed with a lot of bases spread all around the country, and most of them are easily accessible. Other pluses are that it's very common to get a visitor or two on any day and that inactive days appear few and far between - although some are less busy than others, as I've witnessed.

Hi All.
Would second that after two very enjoyable trips both to the mainland and Okinawa.
One thing i would suggest though is NOT to go around the middle to end of March.

We discovered somewhat too late in 2012 that they run a tight budget in the JDF and if a base has used up it's funds for that financial year then they apparently go on stand-down.
Certainly the day we called in at Shizuhama(T-7 trainers) on a chilly but clear 11am Wednesday morning and found nothing outside was puzzling.
Asking a few locals later on at Akeno and they mentioned this budget thing so we assumed it to be true.

[fox4g]

Stunning photo’s. One country I would have loved to have visited, that base with the F4’s must have been something to experience. Would have had to 50/50 with Civil as they have stunning painted up airliners that don’t visit the UK.

[Keflavik69]

What a great pictures and such a nice variety of aircraft types. Thanks a lot for posting them Phil. It was really a pleasure to see them.
Greetings,
Arnold

[Gordsmith]

Thank you for taking the time to post these wonderful images. Never been that far east, Malaya is my limit and, as things are, it will remain so. Have a great New Year, Gordon

[SW Sky Blue]

Excellent

[HappyCobra]

Japan definitely has some of the best livery aircraft. Awesome photos!

[Supra]

That's a fine selection of shots shown here. I can personally recommend that anybody that hasn't made a trip to Japan seriously needs to MAKE it happen asap! The introduction of their plain grey F-35 & repainted C-130's from green cammo' to light blue/grey is signalling a change from the brilliant colour schemes the Japanese Defence Forces are admired for. The excellent cammo' C1's are now replaced by the blue/grey C2's (example as seen at RIAT. & above) The YS-11 variants flown from Iruma are now probably finished, a sight & sound to be much missed! Whilst the F-4's previously seen at Gifu, Nyutabaru & predominantly Hyakuri (He-acree!) are now memories, there is still much to be seen.
F2's at 'Hyakuri Towers' & Tsuiki. Still numerous P3 variants in special 'fit-outs' with lumps & bumps all over. Okinawa is becoming an unknown for me since my last visit in 2019 as Naha has the new runway on reclaimed land out in the sea to the east of the joint-base & Kadena is losing it's full-time 'ZZ' F-15's to be replaced by F-35 (yawn!) deployments on rotation which could work for number-crunchers?
I also concur that the only time I've had any hassle about what we do was the US Personnel at Atsuigi. I have a distinct dislike for the limited photographic possibilities at Komatsu & much preferred the Aggressors when they were at Nyuta!
If I had a simple wish it would be for a "Copy of the Aggressors Deployment Schedule for 2023?"

[Harkins]

Thanks again all for the compliments.

Supra, you are so right, even post Phantom and a few other retirements and reductions, there is still plenty of reason to head there. Flying activity and number of bases is still fantastic and there are still attractive and unusual schemes aplenty.

Also yes, Komatsu isn’t the best base for photography, and a deployment schedule would be awesome. I was quite nervous about getting to Komatsu and finding that they were deployed elsewhere, especially to Tsuiki or Nyuta as they are closest to where I’d travelled from.