Search the Community

After visiting Hyakuri with the Centre for Aviation Photography http://www.centreofaviationphotography.com/home six months ago the prospect of another visit that included a trip up north to Chitose to photograph the base's F15 Eagles was too tempting to ignore. The visit to Hyakuri was planned to coincide with some visiting F15 Aggressors from Komatsu. Unfortunately they changed their plans and visited the week before we arrived! We didn't miss out entirely though as nine F15s from 303 Squadron at Komatsu were present. In addition to Chitose we took a day to go and visit the army helicopter base at Obihiro. Both of these visits will be in separate posts. Sorry about the number of images; I got a bit carried away. 1. I thought I'd start with this and the next image as it provides a bit of context in terms of the viewing opportunities at Hyakuri. Taken from the tower in shot 2. 2. This tower has been erected at some point since in the last six months. It is more stable than perhaps it looks. 3. 4. Unlike on the previous visit we were treated to a number of pairs take-offs. 501 Squadron. 5. 6. 7. 302 Squadron 8. We could see the radar dish moving as they tested it. 9. 10. On two successive days a flight of three F4s did some 20 circuits of the airfield which involved diving at a target and then pulling out and going round for another go. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 17. 18. A brief visitor. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. Preparing to evict us from the naughty field down by the QRA area. 30. 31. You can see the new tower in the background. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. A live scramble. Four aircraft are held on QRA. First there was a tango scramble followed shortly afterwards by a live mission. Locals told us some Russian aircraft were being intercepted. A pair of QRA aircraft are taxied out for a check at 7.30am with the second pair around mid-morning. 37. Taken at the last chance area down by the QRA. We were evicted shortly after a flight of three F4s had taken off. 38. 39. 40. Sky Airlines. 41. 42. 43. 45. 46. 47. If only he had taken off 25 minutes earlier. 48. Six Eagles landed after this pair. Taking photos was pretty pointless by this stage as you can see. That's it. Thanks for looking.

The F4 Phantom is my all time favourite aircraft. As the 60th anniversary of its first flight approaches the number of opportunities available to photograph it in the wild without getting arrested are unsurprisingly very limited. Therefore, when the opportunity arose to join a trip to Japan organised by the http://www.centreofaviationphotography.com/ where the focus was going to be on the JASDF's remaining Phantom base at Hyakuri then it was too good to miss. The trip had been organised to coincide with the JASDF triennial review taking place at Hyakuri which would see a flypast by all the aircraft types in the Air Self Defence Force's inventory as well as individual displays. We would also spend two days at Iruma to photograph the C1 "elephant walk" practise for the airshow later in the week which we would also photograph. I will post shots from Iruma in the next couple of days. Unfortunately, the day of the review saw torrential rain and low cloud courtesy of a tropical storm causing the cancellation of the flypast. Instead we drove to the JASDF museum at Hamamatsu. Although I had been to Japan a few years ago this was my first visit to Hyakuri and its two famed towers. I now understand what all the fuss is about as their location and height (around 15 feet or so) offers superb views of the action as well as a compound to move around in for the price of about £11 per day. Owing to the review a number of Phantoms were deployed to Matsushima and Misawa to create room for the large number of guests and visiting aircraft. Fortunately a good number of these returned the following day and in addition to plenty of flying we were blessed with good weather. There are three squadrons of F4's at Hyakrui: 301 & 302 with the F4EJ Kai and the 501st with the RF4E. My understanding is that the F35 Lightning will begin to replace 302's Phantoms in 2018 and the squadron will then move to Misawa. I don't know what the out of service date for the Phantom is but if anybody does then I would love to know so that I can book another trip before it all ends! 1. The view across the Hyakuri ramp with the seating for the review. 2. The 501st Squadron ramp 3. A view from one of the towers. 4. 5. 6. 302 squadron 7. 8. 9. 10. There are two parallel runways at Hyakuri. The rain ruined the review but every cloud has a silver lining in the pools of water that were left behind. 11. 12. This aircraft had been on QRA. 13. The last chance area. 14. QRA sheds in the background. 15. 16. 17. 301 Squadron 18. KC767 visiting 19. Resident U125A 20. 21.. 22.. 23. 24. A visitor from China. Look at the hangar doors; every door on the base facing the civilian airport is closed for the duration that this aircraft is on the ground and that is every time it visits. 25. 26. 27. The resident T4s did plenty of flying. 28. 29. Popping the chute. 30. This F2 was visiting for the review. 31. 32. Towards the end of the afternoon. 33. 34. 35. 36. Both QRA aircraft were taxied out at 7.30am every morning and engine tested before taxying back to the Q sheds and resuming alert. Hanging around at the rear of the Q sheds is strictly verboten (I don't know what the Japanese equivalent is). We were situated a hundred yards to the side of the sheds close to last chance and after 90 minutes security arrived. They were good natured, asked a few questions and presumably referred the answers upwards following which we were politely asked to move further away which of course we complied with. 37. Some locals told us there had been a bird strike on the other runway with a concern about debris hence the dream opportunity of two F4s taking off on the runway immediately in front of us. As you can see the light was beginning to go. Subsequent to this four F4s took off in the pitch black so great memories of glowing reheats but no photos. 38. 39. 40. The first time I've ever seen an aircraft in a hush house. 41. A fitting sky to end three great days at Hyakuri. All flying had ceased for the day. That's the lot. Thanks for looking and hope you enjoyed them.