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| Hyakuri 2019 |
| Latest update: April 2020 |
| 2019 marked the approaching end of F-4 Phantom
II operations for the Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF). Three
units were operating the fighter by the end of 2019.
The
Air Development and Test Wing (ADTW) at Gifu Air Base and 310 and 501
Hikotai at Hyakuri Air Base. The Air Base is located north of
Japans capital Tokyo and near the city of
Miho in the
Ibaraki Prefecture. The ADTW has a few Phantoms assigned in the test
role and to serve as chase plane during test of the other aircraft
assigned to the wing. At Hyakuri 301 Hikotai operates the F-4EJ Kai and
510 Hikotai the RF-4EJ Kai and RF-4EJ Kai. All these Phantoms were
upgraded in the past and these were redesignated Kai. The Japanese DoD annually conducts the air review which is rotated between its services. In the years the JASDF organizes the air review its held at Hyakuri Air Base. In 2020 the air review would be hosted at the air base which meant that it would be impossible to organize an air show and an official farewell of the Phantom. Therefore the air show on December 1 was chosen as the farewell party of the F-4's. On Saturday 2019 the base hosted invited guest while aircrews flew their rehearsal display. The next day the base opened her gates for the general public. All static participants had arrived by Saturday except for the P-1 from the JMSDF stationed at (relatively) nearby Atsugi. Two special marked Phantoms which were already withdrawn from service were also placed in static display. In 2019 Hyakuri Air Base already said goodbye to 302 Hikotai. The squadron who operated the F-4EJ Kai officially stood down at the end of March 2019 ceasing its flying operations early that month. Two Phantoms received special colors to mark their final Phantom flight. The squadron was reactivated at Misawa Air Base operating the F-35A Lightning who's replacing the F-4's within the JASDF. At Misawa 3 Hikotai flying the F-2A will relocated to Hyakuri. The photographs presented below are taken from the peace towers on Saturday and from the base on Sunday. Note(s) April: The last flight by 501 Hikotai with its RF-4EJ was made on March 9, 2020. 3 Hikotai officially changed its base from Misawa to Hyakuri In March 2020. It will be the sole squadron at the base once all Phantoms have been withdrawn from service. |
| Japanese Air Self Defence Force Phantoms |
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| F-4EJ Kai assigned to 301 Hikotai. | RF-4E Kai assigned to 501 Hikotai. | RF-4EJ Kai assigned to 501 Hikotai. |
| RF-4E and RF-4EJ camouflages schemes |
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| RF-4EJ Kai European camouflage. | RF-4E Vietnam camouflage. | RF-4E Kai Blue offshore camouflage. |
| Participants |
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| Photo gallery: Static display |
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| F-2A assigned to 3 Hikotai (Misawa) | 302 Hikotai special marked F-4EJ's | already withdrawn from service. |
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| C-2 assigned to 403 Hikotai. | U-4 (GIV) stationed at Iruma. | T-4 assigned to 11 Hiko Kyoikudan. |
| Photo gallery: Flying display rehearsals November 30 |
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| Photo gallery: Flying display Sunday December 1 |
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