Hyakuri Air Base Air Festa 2024, Ibaraki Japan
JASDF Final Air Show in 2024
The final air show of 2024 was held on Sunday, December 8th at Hyakuri Air Base in Ibaraki Prefecture and Naha Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture. Unfortunately, the Naha Air Base air show was held in bad weather, but the Hyakuri Air Base air show was held in clear skies. This year, Blue Impulse participated for the first time in two years, and about 65,000 aviation fans attended.
On the previous day, Saturday, December 7th, the JASDF invited the families of those affiliated with the base and people living in the vicinity of Hyakuri Air Base to a pre-flight air show to strengthen the bonds of support and cooperation for the base. As it was a Saturday, about 9,000 spotters were deployed around the perimeter of the base to take photos of JASDF aircraft for general visitors who did not have invitations.
On Sunday, December 8th, when general admission was allowed, people started lining up at 5am to take the shuttle bus from JR Ishioka Station, which provides access to Hyakuri Air Base, and by 6:30am, when the first bus to the base departed, a long line of around 5,000 visitors had formed. At the peak of visitation around 9am, the wait time for the shuttle bus to the base was more than an hour.
The schedule for the flight demonstration on the day was that two Mitsubishi F-2 fighter jets took off for weather reconnaissance at 07:30, followed by six F-2 fighter jets from the 3rd Squadron of Hyakuri Air Base taking off in turn at 08:00 to perform the opening flight. Next, two Kawasaki T-4 trainer aircraft, and then the Hyakuri Rescue Team's BAe U-125A and Mitsubishi UH-61J took off, passing over the main apron of the base at around 08:30 to complete their opening flight.
After completing their opening flight, the T-4 and F-2 landed in turn, and then a simulated rescue training flight was conducted by the Hyakuri Rescue Air Group's U-125A and UH-60J.
At 09:15, Mitsubishi F-15Js from the 303rd and 306th squadrons of Komatsu Air Base took off for a demonstration flight of maneuvering flight. Especially 306 squadron of F-15 were painted to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and performed a magnificent and synchronized flight performance for 30 minutes.
Generally, it is rare for specially painted F-15 fighter jets from different squadrons to conduct demonstration flights at air shows held by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. It was later discovered that this special paint will be repainted at the end of 2024, so this was a good arrangement to allow visitors to see the fighter jet's final brave appearance in this special paint which can usually only be seen at Komatsu Air Base.
From 10:00, four F-2s belonging to the 3rd Squadron began taking off, and two of them formed a team to demonstrate maneuvering flight. The demonstration flight took advantage of the maneuverability and climbing ability of the F-2, and it was a flight that greatly appealed to its agility as a "Support Fighter",
The popular Blue Impulse held a spectacular demonstration flight from 11:20 to 12:00. The Blue Impulse performance began with a diamond takeoff in the blue sky, and the audience was impressed. They then performed difficult acrobatics, and drew a heart in the sky, drawing many photos of the Cupid. The 65,000 spectators were enthralled by the spectacular performance, which was fitting for the last demonstration of 2024, including a delta loop and a combat pitch at the end.
In the afternoon, starting at 1:15 p.m., ground attack exercise against hypothetical enemy country was conducted by Mitsubishi F-2 fighter jets from Hyakuri Air Base.
The only bases in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force that operate the F-2 as their main aircraft are Tsuiki Air Base in Fukuoka Prefecture and Hyakuri Air Base in Ibaraki Prefecture, and the main mission of the F-2 is fleet and ground attacks, which are characteristic of the F-2, and the elimination of aircraft of unknown nationality for air defense.
On the ground, the U-125A and U-680A from Iruma Air Base and the E-2C early warning aircraft from Misawa Air Base were on display. Aircraft from the Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces were on display, including a V-22, an AH-1S ground attack helicopter and a P-1 patrol aircraft from Atsugi Air Base. Around the Self-Defense Force aircraft, which are rarely seen on a daily basis, there was a constant line of aviation enthusiasts and many families taking photos.
This marks the end of the 2024 Self-Defense Force organized air shows, but I feel that I have once again found a lot of fun in participating the air show and been able to rediscover the wonder of airplanes.
I hope that next year's air show will continue to entertain Japanese aviation fans with ingenious productions and be an attractive air show for visitors from overseas as well.
Static display
Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye: Misawa Air Base 34-3461/b.n. 164623
Lockheed Martin C-130H: Komaki Air Base/35-1071/s.n.382-4976
Cessna Citation Latitude U-680A flight inspection aircraft: Iruma Air Base/02-3032/s.n.680-0185
SUBARU T-7: Shizuhama Air Base 36-5904/s.n.4
Gulfstream U-4: Iruma Air Base 95-3254/s.n.1326
Bell Boeing V-22: Kisarazu Air Base/91709/s.n.D03xx
Fuji AH-1S attack helicopter : Kisarazu Air Base/73431/s.n.31
Kawasaki P-1: Atsugi Air Base 5515/s.n.15
Mitsubishi SH-60K: Tateyama Air Base 21-8452/s.n.5052
⬜️Published Media : AirForces Monthly March 2025, Key Publishing U.K.
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