MCAS Futenma (ROTM/...) 2014 MIL

[Le Addeur noir]

Most of the resident KC-130J of VMGR-152 have now re-located to MCAS Iwakuni. The remaining one or two airplanes will be gone within the next week or so.

Some 'new' AH-1W of HMLA-469 have shown up here by the 4th week in July. By the 24th the following have been seen,

160825 SE-49
163949 SE-50
164588 SE-51 (across at Kadena AB)

[Le Addeur noir]

On Wednesday 30th July, 2 'new' CH-53E were seen at Kadena,

16**** ..-00 (no tail code)
16**** EN-23 (ex) HMH-464

These will, it is assumed join the based CH-53E UDP unit here.

[Le Addeur noir]

On Thursday 31st July (ex) HMH-361 CH-53E YN-14 was seen at Kadena. This was last reported as 164365 in May 2014.

It looks like some CH-53E changes are in progress here, the first in many years.

[Le Addeur noir]

Other HMLA AH-1Ws identified here in the past few days,

164587 SE-44 AH-1W HMLA-469
160744 SE-47 AH-1W HMLA-469
160801 (SE)-52 AH-1W HMLA-469

[Le Addeur noir]

From our friends at http://www.gonavy.jp, it can be reported that HMLA-469 Det B was established here in June 2014(replacing HMLA-469 Det A).

At this time this detachment operates the following 3 UH-1Y

168407 SE-30
168408 SE-31
168409 SE-32

Most of the time these Venoms wear the tail code of whatever MEU unit they are attached to( either VMM-262 or VMM-265).Hopefully more Venoms will be assigned here to bring the unit up to it's standard compliment of a dozen helicopters of each type in the near future.

The following AH-1W Super Cobras are assigned here,

163934 SE-40
162550 SE-41
165319 SE-42
165049 SE-43
164587 SE-44
165392 SE-45
165573 SE-46
160744 SE-47
16**** SE-48
160825 SE-49
163949 SE-50
164577 SE-51
160801 SE-52

Hopefully SE-48 will become known in the near future.

[raameagle]

Great updates Black Adder, thanks.

Regards

[Le Addeur noir]

Great updates Black Adder, thanks.

Regards

I'll be doing the CH-53Es shortly, but not so many of those are known, but that is still a quantum leap on knowledge on this type in Japan over this time last year.

[Le Addeur noir]

The HMH-464 CH-53E UDP here from December 2013 until June 2014 operated the following CH-53Es,

163078 EP-21
161388 EP-22
164787 EN-23
162525 EP-24
165244 EP-25
161996 EP-26
162493 EP-27

The EP tail codes indicate the helicopters that deployed as part of the 31MEU aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard(LHD-6).

In June 2014, HMH-361 took over the UDP(until December 2014) and so far the following have been seen with this unit,

16**** YN-00
162491 YN-01
16**** YN-05
164787 YN-23

Usually the side numbers are not changed and the airframes remain at Futenma for years, so most, if not all of those identified with HMH-464 will still be present here.

[Melchior Timmers]

From our friends at http://www.gonavy.jp, it can be reported that HMLA-439 Det B was established here in June 2014(replacing HMLA-469 Det A).

At this time this detachment operates the following 3 UH-1Y

168407 SE-30
168408 SE-31
168409 SE-32

Most of the time these Venoms wear the tail code of whatever MEU unit they are attached to( either VMM-262 or VMM-265).Hopefully more Venoms will be assigned here to bring the unit up to it's standard compliment of a dozen helicopters of each type in the near future.

The following AH-1W Super Cobras are assigned here,

163934 SE-40
162550 SE-41
165319 SE-42
164587 SE-44
165049 SE-43
164587 SE-44
165392 SE-45
165573 SE-46
160744 SE-47
16**** SE-48
160825 SE-49
163949 SE-50
164577 SE-51
160801 SE-52

Hopefully SE-48 will become known in the near future.

Thanks for the info.
Assigned helicopters do not wear any tail code or unit markings for HMLA-469 but wear '31rd MEU' titels instead.

[Le Addeur noir]

From our friends at http://www.gonavy.jp, it can be reported that HMLA-439 Det B was established here in June 2014(replacing HMLA-469 Det A).

At this time this detachment operates the following 3 UH-1Y

168407 SE-30
168408 SE-31
168409 SE-32

Most of the time these Venoms wear the tail code of whatever MEU unit they are attached to( either VMM-262 or VMM-265).Hopefully more Venoms will be assigned here to bring the unit up to it's standard compliment of a dozen helicopters of each type in the near future.

The following AH-1W Super Cobras are assigned here,

163934 SE-40
162550 SE-41
165319 SE-42
164587 SE-44
165049 SE-43
164587 SE-44
165392 SE-45
165573 SE-46
160744 SE-47
16**** SE-48
160825 SE-49
163949 SE-50
164577 SE-51
160801 SE-52

Hopefully SE-48 will become known in the near future.

Thanks for the info.
Assigned helicopters do not wear any tail code or unit markings for HMLA-469 but wear '31rd MEU' titels instead.

Melchior,

the first appearance of one of the HMLA-469 helicopters in 31st MEU markings was on the 19th August. Most are still marked SE-xx, for example, 164587 SE-44 noted at Kadena today (25th August). It appears that only selected Cobras will be marked as 31st MEU.

[Le Addeur noir]

The HMH-464 CH-53E UDP here from December 2013 until June 2014 operated the following CH-53Es,

163078 EP-21
161388 EP-22
164787 EN-23
162525 EP-24
165244 EP-25
161996 EP-26
162493 EP-27

The EP tail codes indicate the helicopters that deployed as part of the 31MEU aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard(LHD-6).

In June 2014, HMH-361 took over the UDP(until December 2014) and so far the following have been seen with this unit,

16**** YN-00
162491 YN-01
16**** YN-05
164787 YN-23

Usually the side numbers are not changed and the airframes remain at Futenma for years, so most, if not all of those identified with HMH-464 will still be present here.

Modex EP-21 was seen at Kadena on the 20th August. Modex 00 has no tail code, so may wear 31st MEU markings.

[Le Addeur noir]

Wednesday 08th October visitor,

165957 QD-957 KC-130J VMGR-152 SUMO21

[Le Addeur noir]

A 'new" UH-1Y,168783 SE-04 has shown up in the Far East.

This was seen in the circuit at Kadena today(25th November).

There are likely to be further examples of this type arriving here, as hitherto there have only been 3 Y model UH-1s here since late 2012 (168407/30,168408/31 and 168409/32).

As there are 12 AH-1W (probably to be replaced by AH-1Z in the near future) and IIRC, the standard HMLA unit has 12 of each type, another 9 UH-1Y (including 168783 SE-04) can be expected here.

[Le Addeur noir]

Thursday 04th December,

Another 'new' UH-1Y has been seen in the Kadena circuit. this one is 168792 SE-08.

No doubt there will be further sightings in the coming weeks.