If I don't speed up the logging of this trip I will be posting the last day around Christmas I'm afraid. I'll try to be faster.....
Today was meant to be the big day regarding the Japanese Army, but when we woke up and looked outside the only thing we saw was clouds. And for dark green helicopters that's no good....
JGSDF Akeno
73404/V ATH AH-1S
73408/V ATH AH-1S
73440/S AH-1S
73467/V ATH AH-1S
73473/V ATH AH-1S
32605 OH-1 code nn
32609 OH-1 code nn
32614 OH-1 code nn
32618/I ATH OH-1
32624/SU OH-1
41806/X UH-1J
41821/S UH-1J
41840 UH-1J code nn
41848/X UH-1J
41860/V UH-1J
41891/I UH-1J
41896 UH-1J code nn
31196/X OH-6D
31218/S OH-6D
31233 OH-6D code nn
31246 OH-6D code nn
31247 OH-6D code nn
31248/III ATH OH-6D
31257 OH-6D code nn
31259/S OH-6D
31264/X OH-6D
31272 OH-6D code nn
31296/V ATH OH-6D
31297/X OH-6D
31306 OH-6D code nn
52925/HGPV CH-47J
52951/SD CH-47JA
43109/S UH-60JA
43115/- UH-60JA no code
74504/SK AH-64DJP
74507/SD AH-64DJP
There was a lot of activity here, but the weather stayed very dark all morning. Apart from the stuff on the platform we managed to read off a decent amount of aircraft inside hangars, which explains most missing codes. Definately a "must go" this airbase, but sunshine would help a lot for the overall experience.... Apparently there should be an OH-6 preserved near the tower, but we didn't see this.
When we read off the stuff inside where possible we decided to move on towards Gifu.
JASDF Gifu
Kawasaki:
34-3454 E-2C nn
16-5663 T-4 no mks
36-5700 T-4 no mks
36-5701 T-4 no mks
36-5705 T-4 no mks
96-5779 T-4 no mks
5050 P-3C no mks
5056 P-3C 3 Kok mks
5086 P-3C no mks
5098 P-3C no mks
9161 UP-3D no mks
31225 OH-6D no mks
31285 OH-6D IV mks
52915 CH-47J HGPV mks
+ 2x CH-47 (1 JASDF and 1 JGSDF) and 1x P-3C (no engines and nose, under open shed).
Hiko Kaihatsu Jikkendan:
28-1002 C-1
63-8502 F-2A proto c/s
47-8336 F-4EJ in shed, markings nn
57-8366 F-4EJ Kai
72-8889 F-15J in shed, markings nn
72-8893 F-15J
32-8942 F-15J
82-8066 F-15DJ
86-5606 T-4
26-5684 T-4
66-5934 T-7
8192 CH-101 no mks
+ T-4 and 3x F-4
Visit:
66-5746 T-4 32 KH
Preserved gate:
91-11(41) C-46D no mks
62-7427 F-86F ADTW mks
36-854(0) F-104J 203 Hik mks
52-0100 T-6G no mks
51-5663 T-33A no mks
61-0406 T-34A ADTW mks
(74-4801) KV.107II-5 no mks
Preserved with Kawasaki HI, north of road 21(35 24 04.50 N, 136 52 30.00 E)
51-5646 T-33A pr, no mks
We started with the Kawasaki platform, where a lot can be read off from the bridge where road 17 crosses the railway. We also climbed the hill south of the runway, from where you get a good view on the platforms both of the ADTW and Kawasaki. It's a bit difficult to find the right spot, since you need to walk in the "wrong" direction first. At 35 23 22.65 N, 136 52 45.90 E a path starts which quickly leads to a clearing. If you walk straight ahead here you'll get to the fence, but since you're still very low there's not much to see from here. If you get to the clearing there is a path that starts at the NE-corner of it, and this is the path to follow. First you'll walk and climb parallel to the base, but after a while the path turns a bit to the right. You still have to follow this, and after a while the base will suddenly appear behind you. From a small clearing you can look at the platforms of ADTW and even read off some of the aircraft inside the hangars if you're lucky. A tripod and a good pole will definately help! The Kawasaki platform is still hidden behind trees from here, but if you continue your climb a little bit you'll find a telephone post. The athletic ones can climb this, and then you can see the Kawasaki platform as well. A lot of aircraft will be nose on, but we got a few extra serials from here anyway! Worth the climb altogether.
There's not too much flying going on, but for a test base it's definately not bad and of course there are some nice types to be seen and photographed. We were very lucky with the F-2 in prototype c/s and the dark grey CH.101, both of which could be photographed nicely. And a bonus was the E-2 at Kawasaki, the only one we would see during our trip.
Situated along the fence is a small but nice museum.
Kakamigahara Aerospace Museum (35 23 16.00 N, 136 5144.00 E)
outside:
4782 P-2J 7 Kok mks
9078 US-1A 71 Kok mks
51804 KV.107II-A4 IB mks
inside:
36-8515 F-104J ADTW mks ("APW")
05-5810 T-1B ADTW mks, spec c/s
19-5173 T-2 Blue Impulse c/s
11-5547 T-3 ADTW mks
61-5221 T-33A ADTW mks
9911/XS UF-XS no mks (ex USAF HU-16!)
TX-7101 X1G no mks (ex SweAF Safir!)
31058 OH-6J SD and TRDI mks
31081 OH-6J IX mks
? 2A-2 frame
In storage they should have another T-1 and a KM-2, but although we asked nicely it was not possible to view those unfortunately.
When we were graphing the stuff outside at the end of our visit two Hercs came over. They were heading towards Komaki, which was going to be our next stop as well!
JASDF Komaki
C-130H, 401 Hik:
35-1072, 45-1073, 45-1074, 75-1075, 75-1077*, 85-1079*, 05-1084*, 05-1085*
(NB * means blue c/s, others are in camo)
KC-767J, 404 Hik:
87-3601, 87-3602, 97-3603
18-4575 UH-60J no mks, blue c/s
38-4578 UH-60J nn, yellow c/s
12-3018 U-125A nn
62-7702 F-86F pr, nn
84-8111 F-86D pr, real id 94-8125??
(56-8672) F-104J pr, nn
(19-5101) XT-2 pr, nn
8084 HSS-2B pr, nn
The aircraft can easily be read off from the civil terminal, and from here you can also see the preserved F-86D between the buildings. The other preserved aircraft are with Mitsubishi and are along road 161 on the SW side of the airfield. All are easily visible, but since we didn't stop (*stupid!*) I don't know what markings they carry. If someone can help me out here that would be nice, to complete my notes. They have moved since the Google Earth picture has been taken by the way, by now they are easily visible.
When we left here it was almost dark, and we still had a long drive ahead of us, towards Iwakuni. What we had already anticipated turned out to be correct; this was such a long drive (some 600 km) we didn't have time for a hotel for some sleep. So we stopped just before Hiroshima and took two hours to sleep in the car at a parking lot. The weather was only getting worse, by the time we were at the parking lot it was raining again. Very promising, especially since we were giving up our night sleep to get to Iwakuni on time.... Well, we put our chairs back as far as possible (to do so we had to put out stairs outside for the time being; they were still there when we woke up...) and closed our eyes for two hours while listening to the rain on the roof of our car. What a hobby!
As always additions, corrections and comments are very welcome.
That's all folks!
Frank Mink & Patrick Dirksen
Tristar Aviation