Tsuiki, October 27, 2013

 

Every year I try to visit 1 or 2 open houses in Japan. Because Iwakuni Friendship Day 2013 was cancelled I decided to go to Tsuiki, the home of 6 Hikotai flying with the F-2 and 304 Hikotai flying with the F-15. I booked a hotel in Fukuoka and Sunday morning October 27 I took the train to Tsuiki from Hakata Station. From the train station in Tsuiki to the air base is a 5 minute walk. When I arrived the flying had already started and I could just see the opening flypast from a distance. The weather was perfect all day with a blue sky and the sun in your back. As a nice surprise the 301 Hikotai had sent the special colored Phantom for a demo. Other demos were a formation fly-by of T-4's, T-7's, a resque demo by a U-125 & UH-60, demos by the locally based F-2's and F-15's and of course the Blue Impulse.

 

Static

76-5946           T-7                  12 Hiko Kyoikudan

06-5786           T-4                  13 Hiko Kyoikudan

32638/WH      OH-1               Seibu Homen Herikoputati

13-8561           F-2A                6 Hikotai

78-1023           C-1                  402 Hikotai

5071                P-3C                1 Kokutai

95-3254           U-4                  Shien Hikotai

41-5051           T-400              41 Kyoiku Hikotai

32-8822           F-15J               304 Hikotai

 

Hangar 260

92-8069           F-15DJ            304 Hikotai

53-8531           F-2A                6 Hikotai

 

Behind static right side

16-5670           T-4                  6 Hikotai

06-5785           T-4                  6 Hikotai

36-5710           T-4                  6 Hikotai

36-5706           T-4                  6 Hikotai

96-5779           T-4                  304 Hikotai

36-5707           T-4                  304 Hikotai

36-5696           T-4                  304 Hikotai

 

Flightline

82-8902           F-15J               304 Hikotai

72-8890           F-15J               304 Hikotai

42-8841           F-15J               304 Hikotai

72-8882           F-15J               304 Hikotai

12-8074           F-15DJ            304 Hikotai

46-5731/1       T-4                  Blue Impulse

66-5745/2       T-4                  Blue Impulse

46-5729/3       T-4                  Blue Impulse

26-5805/4       T-4                  Blue Impulse

46-5730/5       T-4                  Blue Impulse

46-5725/6       T-4                  Blue Impulse

46-5728/-        T-4                  Blue Impulse

 

Flying

93-8552           F-2A                6 Hikotai

13-8563           F-2A                6 Hikotai

93-8551           F-2A                6 Hikotai

43-8125           F-2B                6 Hikotai

86-5947           T-7                  12 Hiko Kyoikudan

46-5914           T-7                  12 Hiko Kyoikudan

36-5907           T-7                  12 Hiko Kyoikudan

46-5912           T-7                  12 Hiko Kyoikudan

36-5812           T-4                  13 Hiko Kyoikudan

16-5800           T-4                  13 Hiko Kyoikudan

96-5616           T-4                  13 Hiko Kyoikudan

76-5758           T-4                  13 Hiko Kyoikudan

68-4565           UH-60J           Ashiya Kyunantai

92-3011           U-125A           Ashiya Kyunantai

77-8398           F-4EJ Kai        301 Hikotai

42-8837           F-15J               304 Hikotai

82-8899           F-15J               304 Hikotai

52-8863           F-15J               304 Hikotai

82-8904           F-15J               304 Hikotai

 

The F-2A on the static had a special badge as winner of the ACM 2013. F-15J's 902, 899 & 904 had special markings on the air intake for ACM 2013. At the end of the open house the UH-60J, U-4, C-1 and P-3C departed to their respective homebases.

 

 

 

 

Naha, December 15, 2013

 

Another Open House that I regularly visit is Naha on the island of Okinawa in December. Naha is a mixed civilian/military airport. The open house is organised by the Air Force and takes place on the ramp of 204 Hikotai. Because Naha is a mixed civilian/military airport all the flying displays take place in between the civilian trafic. In the morning you have the sun in your back and some nice photos of aircraft taxiing past and taking off can be taken. In the afternoon the sun has moved to the other side of he runway.

 

Static

13-8561           F-2A                6 Hikotai

47-6901           RF-4E Kai       501 Hikotai

41-5051           T-400               41 Kyoiku Hikotai

76-5758           T-4                   13 Hiko Kyoikudan

43107/XV H   UH-60JA        15 Hikotai

52957/XV H   CH-47JA         15 Hikotai

5038                P-3C                5 Kokutai

02-8916           F-15J               204 Hikotai

 

Behind hangars

22-8937           F-15J               204 Hikotai

12-8924           F-15J               204 Hikotai

46-5716           T-4                   Nansei Shien Hikohan

32-8825           F-15J               305 Hikotai

 

Between hangars

02-8920           F-15J               204 Hikotai

 

Flightline

92-3026           U-125A           Naha Kyunantai

92-8913           F-15J               204 Hikotai *

52-8955           F-15J               204 Hikotai *

52-8856           F-15J               204 Hikotai *

22-8936           F-15J               204 Hikotai *

52-8952           F-15J               204 Hikotai *

12-8927           F-15J               204 Hikotai *

52-8954           F-15J               204 Hikotai *

49-3043           U-125              Hiko Tenkentai

95-3254           U-4                  Shien Hikotai

02-1158           YS-11P           403 Hikotai

68-1019           C-1                  403 Hikotai

46-5731/1        T-4                   Blue Impulse *

66-5745/2        T-4                   Blue Impulse *

46-5729/3        T-4                   Blue Impulse *

26-5805/4        T-4                   Blue Impulse *

46-5730/5        T-4                   Blue Impulse *

46-5725/6        T-4                   Blue Impulse *

46-5728/-         T-4                   Blue Impulse

 

Ramp right side

34-3459           E-2C                2 Hiko Keikai Kanshitai

44-3463           E-2C                2 Hiko Keikai Kanshitai

54-3456           E-2C                2 Hiko Keikai Kanshitai

5019, 5030 *, 5035, 5072       P-3C    5 Kokutai

50,74 5077, 5091, 5101          P-3C    5 Kokutai

 

Far left side

96-5620           T-4                   Nansei Shien Hikohan *

26-5674           T-4                   Nansei Shien Hikohan *

16-5656           T-4                   204 Hikotai *

56-5733           T-4                   204 Hikotai *

46-5719           T-4                   204 Hikotai

92-3012           U-125A           Naha Kyunantai

38-4558           UH-60J           Naha Kyunantai

88-4587           UH-60J           Naha Kyunantai *

57-4493           CH-47J            Naha Kyunantai *

12-8926           F-15J               204 Hikotai +3 more

 

Visitors

8976/76           UH-60J           72 Kokutai

8420/20           SH-60K           22 Kokutai

5023                P-3C                51 Kokutai

9043/43           YS-11M-A      61 Kokutai

 

The aircraft marked with * were also flying. E-2C 34-3459 flew a local mission. The 2 navy helicopters were visitors from nearby ships and left again after about 30 minutes. YS-11 9043 appeared from one of the navy hangars and departed to Atsugi.