GIFU AIRFIELD & NAGOYA AIRFIELD (KOMAKI AIRPORT) 2018

Thursday 10th of May.

Today we started with GIFU AIR FIELD (Gifu Hikojo) in very nice weather.

Gifu Air Field is located in Kakamigahara City in the Gifu Prefecture, Japan.

1 runway : 10/28 (2,700 m)

Units currently using Gifu Air Field :

• 4th Air Defense Missile Group with 13th and 15th Fire Unit
• Air Development and Test Command with Air Develoment and Test Wing
• Air Material Command with 2nd Air Depot.

We started at the back of the airfield using a very small opening in the trees to overview this base. Together with some local spotters we watched if any movements occured.

We noticed and watched para-droppings from a UH-60J and at the same time we saw some tails from different aircrafts hoping more action would be happening soon...

In the meantime a T-4 from Hamamatsu landed and soon more action was coming our way.

With a prototype T-4, a blue F-2, a grey F-4EJ Phantom and special paint F-2B taxiing towards us, the start of this day was excellent.

After catching all take-offs we replaced ourselves away from the field and after a 15 min walk we reached a new spot to view the landings.

We soon noticed this was the best spot because we joined a lot of local spotters already in place. Because all aircrafts performed a lot of touch and goes (TGL) we had the opportunity to shoot multiple shots from multiple angles.

We also had a view nice visitors with 2x Chinook (07-4499 & 67-4496), 4x T-4 (56-5738, 56-5713, 66-5747 & 96-5781), Kawasaki Heavy Industries BK117C-2 (JA21AR) and BK117B-2 (JA9614).

Kawasaki Chinooks CH-47J : 07-4499 unit Koku Kyunandan / 67-4496 unit Misawa Herikoputa kuyutai

T-4's based at : 56-5738 unit 32 Kyoiku Hikotai / 56-5713 unit 32 Kyoiki Hikotai. / 66-5747 unit Kyoiko Hikotai / 96-5781 unit 32 Kyoiku Hikotai.

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After a busy few hours we moved towards our next base. We agreed with the group to skip Hamamatsu (T-4's) and to move towards Nagoya-Komaki Airport.

Nagoya Airfield also known as Komaki Airport or Nagoya Airport is situated within the local government areas of Tyoyama, Komaki, Kasugai and Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

1 runway : 16/34 (2,800 m)

It was the best decision we could make because the amount of movements we noticed here was really incredible. And combined with very nice weather.

Going from C-130's, KC-767's, U-125's, UH-60's, T-4's and even one Phantom together with a lot of touch and goes this was one of the best days during our trip.

This airport is also having a heliport used by emergency helicopters, business and leisure helicopters.

Nagoya Airport is also the main hub for FDA. (FUJI DREAM AIRLINES).

Japan Air Self Defense Force : 404th Tactical Airlift Tanker Squadron (Boeing KC-767J)

To make our pictures we visited the Aichi Museum of Flight which includes a nice viewing deck.

From here you are able to see all movements on the runway and helicopters approaching the heliport making it a very nice experience.

We stayed here until the end of the day before returning towards Hyakuri.

After a 6 hour drive we reached again Hyakuri. (see report 2 days Hyakuri)

1. GIFU AIR FIELD :

2. NAGOYA AIR FIELD :

- MILITARY LOCALS & VISITORS :

- HELIPORT : JA024N - Eurocopter AS350B Ecureuil / JA9438 - Eurocopter AS350B Ecureuil / JA12CJ - Sikorsky S76C / JA6720 - Aérospatiale AS332L1 SUPER PUMA / JA08AR - Airbus Helicopters AS365 Dauphin / JA6815 - Kawasaki BK117-C1 / JA11AP - Kawasaki BK117-C2 / JA 6659 - Kawasaki BK117-C1

- CIVIL : FUJI DREAM AIRLINES

- AICHI MUSEUM of FLIGHT : 52-1152 = YS-11P (former 403rd Tactical Airlift Squadron) / Mitsubishi 4708 A6M5a Zeke (ZERO) type 0 model 52 / JA21ME - Mitsubishi MH-2000A / Mitsubishi MH-2000 / JA8248 - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries  MU-300 Diamond.