JASDF Gifu Air Show Report
Japan Air Self-Defense Force 70th Anniversary
Air Development and Test Wing (ADTW)
The Air Self-Defense Force Gifu Air Base in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, hosted the Gifu Air Base Air Festival 2024 on Sunday 17 November 2024.
The event was held from 8.30am to 3pm (gates open at 8am), with the north and south areas of the base open to the public, and included display flights by F-15 and F-2 fighters in their 70th anniversary paint scheme, and ground displays of US Marine Corps F/A-18 fighters and aircraft belonging to the Maritime and Ground Self-Defense Forces. This year, 65 000 aircraft enthusiasts from all over Japan gathered for the last display flight of the Kawasaki C-1 Prototype (28-1001) at the Air Festival.
This year, the air festival, which is usually attended in winter clothing, was a hot one, with temperatures reaching 23°C during the daytime.
There was no Blue Impulse flying display this year, but from 08:30 in the morning, F-15 fighter aircraft No. 801 (reregister No.: 02-8801), painted in the red and white ‘ADTW flying colors’ as commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Air Self-Defense Force, made an appearance at the opening ceremony.
Next, from 08:50 to 09:20, a commemorative formation flight by ADTW-affiliated T-4s, F-2s and F-15s was followed by a maneuvering flight by F-2s and F-15s in the blue sky.
KC-767, air refueling aircraft from Komaki Air base (404 Squadron) appeared over Gifu AB shortly after 09:20 and after two times flying over the base, performed an air refueling mission flight with an F-15 from ADTW until 09:35.
Currently, the 404th Wing at Komaki Air Base operates four air refueling aircraft.
A short while after 9:50, the Komatsu Rescue Squadron's UH-60J helicopter performed a rescue demonstration flight. Since January this year, there have been many disasters caused by the Noto Peninsula (Ishikawa Prefecture) earthquake and heavy rains, and the number of rescue flights by the rescue squadrons at each base has reached an all-time high.
Starting at 10:20, ADTW aircraft including the T-4, F-2, F-15, and the C-1 transport, which will be retired this year, performed in formation, with each aircraft demonstrating its own unique flying routine.
After lunch, from 13:40, the most popular "mixed formation" flight at Gifu Air Base was shown. The ADTW aircraft that participated were T-7, T-4, F-2, F-15, C-1 and C-2, making up a large formation of 9 aircraft of 6 different aircraft models.
The large formation flew over the base three times. After that, each aircraft showed off its own unique flight that made the most of its characteristics, fascinated the audience.
Around 15:00, the Ground Self-Defense Force and Maritime Self-Defense Force, which participated in the ground demonstration, began to return to their bases.
Many spectators waited for the time to see the F/A-18 belonging to the US Marine Corps Iwakuni Base take off.
The F/A-18's engine started at around 15:20, and it took off 15 minutes later at 15:35, and the F/A-18's maneuvering flight was also shown, and at last making it is very exciting Gifu Air Base Air Festival 2024.
Statics Aircraft:
・Air Self-Defense Force
Lockheed C-130H/35-1071/s.n.382-4976 Komaki 401SQ
Mitsubishi F-2A/63-8502 /s.n.M1002 ADTW
Raytheon T-400/41-5051/s.n.TX-1 Miho 41SQ
Textron Citation Latitude U-680A/02-3032/s.n.680-0185
Iruma Flight check group
McDonnell Douglas F-4EJ/17-8301/s.n. 4038
(preserved aircraft)
**One of two aircraft imported from the USA in 1971
・Maritime Self-Defense Force
Learjet U-36A/9205/s.n.36A-060 Iwakuni VC-91 Miho 41AQ
Kawasaki UP-3D/9162/s.n.3002 Iwakuni VC-91
・Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
SUBARU UH-2/45159/s.n.5009 Multi-Purpose Helicopter Akeno Base
SUBARU AH-1S/73483/s.n.83 Attack Helicopter Akeno Base
・US Marine Corps
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C VMFA-312(DR214) "Checkerboards"
BU No.165214
◻️ Published Media: AirForce Monthly February / Key Publishing U.K.

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