 Image search results - "airplanes" |
Iruma Air Base is near Inariyama Koen Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line (40-50 min. from Ikebukuro). This is the crowd leaving the train platform at around 9 am.
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A record-breaking 280,000 attended the Iruma Air Show on Nov. 3, 2010. The festivities started at 9 am and admission was free. This was also a super sunny day.
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They inspected our bags and even had a German Shepherd dog.
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It would take maybe only 5 min. reach Iruma Base from the train station, but it took us at least 25 min. with numerous stop-and-go crowd control.
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Trying to cross the train tracks. Another bottleneck as trains always pass by.
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Finally getting nearer to Iruma Air Base, the Japan Air Self-Defense Forces' largest air base.
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The first thing I saw was this YS-11 flying around. They had a parade and Miss Air Show contest, but I was too late for that.
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This was the 42nd Iruma Air Show on Nov. 3, 2010.
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YS-11 landed.
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This is a U-125 plane which was also flying and had landed when we got to the air base.
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Even at around 9:30 am, a huge crowd.
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At the front line in front of the Blue Impulse Aerobatic planes.
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Blue Impulse jets parked front and center.
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Blue Impulse jet
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More photos of the Blue Impulse later on below.
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Next were three Kawasaki C-1 transport jets taking off.
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C-1 flying over Blue Impulse.
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Another Kawasaki C-1 military transport jet taking off. It has the Japan Air Self-Defense Force livery.
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Kawasaki C-1 has been around since the 1970s.
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The three Kawasaki C-1 in formation during a fly-by.
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The Kawasaki C-1 return to release parachute troopers.
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Kawasaki C-1 for a parachute drop at Iruma Air Show in Saitama.
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The three Kawasaki C-1 jets dropped parachuters onto Iruma Air Base.
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I've never seen so many parachutists in an air show before.
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C-1
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A squadron of T-4 trainer jets perform semi-aerobatics.
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T-4 trainer jets
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They didn't release any smoke.
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T-4 trainer jet lands.
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UH-60J rescue helicopter demo.
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CH-47J Chinook helicopter demonstrates cargo transport. They had something flying in the air almost non-stop all morning until around lunch time.
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The crowd. Behind is a large hangar where they had aircraft displays.
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The crowd waits for the Blue Impulse.
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As 1:15 pm approaches, the crowd gets bigger and more eager to watch the Blue Impulse, seen here in the background.
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I waded up to near the front row at around 12:30 pm to await the Blue Impulse to take off. Blue Impulse is Japan's foremost aerobatic team belonging to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
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The Blue Impulse flies Kawasaki T-4 jets since 1995. They were established in 1960, inspired by the Thunderbirds of the US Air Force.
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This ground crew of a Blue Impulse T-4 includes a woman.
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Pilot putting on his helmet. This year in 2010 happens to be the 50th anniversary of the Blue Impulse team established in 1960.
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Seven Blue Impulse planes were on display, but only six of them flew. Blue Impulse is based at Matsushima Air Base in Miyagi Prefecture. They have a busy performance schedule from April to Dec. ブルーインパルスの曲技飛行
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Ready to leave for the runway.
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As the jets taxied off, the pilots waved to the crowd.
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Blue Impulse Kawasaki T-4
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Blue Impulse Kawasaki T-4
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The jet blast from the T-4 wasn't so bad, but it did blow away a few caps on our heads.
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Blue Impulse head for the runway at Iruma Air Base.
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And now here they come in all their glory, the Blue Impulse Aerobatic Team.
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All these formations and aerobatic maneuvers all have a name. This is the Diamond Formation.
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Two more Blue Impulse jets later took off.
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Spectacular formations.
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Blue Impulse Aerobatic Team at Iruma Air Show.
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Flying upside down.
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The smoke color was either white or gray.
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Thrilling show, but the element of danger is always present. The Blue Impulse have had a few fatal accidents.
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Star Cross: Smokey star in the sky. They also drew a Valentine heart, complete with an arrow. Also see my YouTube video here.
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This Tack Cross has one jet flying straight while the other is spiraling around it. Quite spectacular.
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The crowd cheers wildly as the Blue Impulse returns. They performed until around 2:30 pm. The festival ended at 3 pm when many of the planes on display took off for home.
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Iruma Air Show Blue Impulse video 2010.
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Sikorsky SH-60J Seahawk anti-submarine warfare helicopter
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Sikorsky SH-60J Seahawk
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UH-60J rescue helicopter is based on the Black Hawk copter.
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This U-125A plane is for search and rescue operations. A good number and variety of planes were also on display. Some of them were flown during the air show.
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U-125
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T-7 trainer plane
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F-2 fighter plane.
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Tail of F-2 fighter plane.
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F-2 fighter
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RF-4E reconnaissance plane based on the McDonnell F-4 Phantom.
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RF-4E reconnaissance plane is equipped with cameras for photographing disaster areas, etc.
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RF-4E reconnaissance plane
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Why is Woody Woodpecker on the tail?
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YS-11
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U-125A search and rescue plane
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One interesting display were these Patriot missile launchers.
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Patriot PAC-3J
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MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile system
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Engagement Control Station (ECS) for the Patriot missile system.
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The Iruma Air Show also had a VIP section for invited guests here at one end of the site. Prime view of take-offs and landings on the runway.
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More helicopters.
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Grumman E-2C Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft with wings folded back. It can serve on an aircraft carrier.
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U-4 is based on a Gulfstream IV.
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C-130 Hercules in sky blue.
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C-130 Hercules for the Japan Air Self-Defence Force
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The cockpit of this F-15J fighter plane was open for public viewing.
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T-4
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Chinook helicopter
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Kawasaki C-1 military transport plane
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Kawasaki C-1 military transport plane. We couldn't go inside any of the planes.
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Fire dept. at Iruma Air Base.
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Helicopter insignia
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Iruma Air Base control tower
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This aircraft hangar had a entertainment stage.
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Entertainment stage inside a hangar.
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Another aircraft hangar had aircraft displays and other things.
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T-4 trainer jet suspended above ground.
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This aircraft is suspended so that the wheels don't touch the ground.
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They held demonstrations of the T-4's landing gear going up and down.
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Display of aircraft engines.
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Aircraft engine
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Aircraft engine
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Pilot's ejection seat
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Ejected pilot's parachute
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Ejected pilot
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Trying on parachute.
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Life vests
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Life rafts
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Life rafts
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Shopping area was also very crowded with food booths and souvenir shops.
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Souvenir shop
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Crowd going home. It's a good idea to buy a round-trip ticket at Ikebukuro Station so you don't have to buy a return ticket here.
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Train station entrance.
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Hokusai ukiyoe on the tail of a Cessna.
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When you walk further down, you see the static displays of miltary aircraft.
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On the left side were mostly helicopters and cargo aircraft.
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On the right side, were mostly fighter planes.
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Besides Yokota, these planes came from various places such as Kadena (Okinawa) and Misawa (Aomori) Air Bases.
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I'm not an expert at military aircraft. I can only tell you the names of the most famous ones.
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F-16 Fighting Falcon
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The pilots or staff were on hand selling patches, T-shirts, etc.
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This one stood out, like a swank sports car. Looks like a fast critter.
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Fightin' Samurai T-shirt
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Pilot's name
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F-15 Eagle fighter
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Fighter pilots always look quite intelligent. A college degree is required.
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This plane, they allowed people to look inside the cockpit. A long line for this.
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Climb up to see the cockpit. "Wow, awesome!"
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F-22 Raptor, the stealth fighter. They had two of them on display. They came from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. Next time, I'll ask them what it takes to become a stealth fighter pilot.
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F-22 Raptor, the plane that Japan wants, but US bans its export. As a US and Japanese taxpayer, I paid a part of the cost of all the planes on display. Doesn't that make me a part owner?
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F-22 Raptor, the stealth fighter. I thought the plane was black, but they are dull gray.
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Planes with the familiar red dot belong to Japan's Self-Defense Forces. Japan Air Self Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2 fighter.
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Japan Air Self Defense Force F-4 Phantom
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Most of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force planes took off later in the day. Most of the US planes from outside Yokota left the next day.
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Japan Air Self Defense Force Kawasaki C-1
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P-3 Orion
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AWACS plane
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C-130 on the runway to take off for an airborne demo.
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Three C-130 Hercules cargo planes start to take off one after another for an airborne demo.
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C-130 taking off.
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Some time later, the three C-130 planes dropped several men in parachutes.
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Men in parachutes heading toward Yokota Air Base. They landed on the runway area.
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Parachutes in the air.
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After a job well done, the three C-130s return to Yokota Air Base.
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C-130 landing at Yokota Air Base. These planes drew large crowds as they took off and landed. There are many aircraft fans in Japan, photographers crazy about military aircraft.
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On the farthest end of the festival site were the two biggest planes on display. The C-17 Globemaster III (left) and C-5 Galaxy (right).
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C-5 Galaxy transport plane, one of the largest aircraft in the world. One of my favorites.
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C-5 Galaxy transport plane was fully open for public viewing. We could just walk through the plane's cargo hold. No lines of people.
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This C-5 Galaxy came from Travis Air Base in California. Its gaping mouth open for visitors. I like the design of this plane. It's nice.
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This baby can carry a lotta stuff. It can swallow a helicopter whole. Can you believe the C-5 has been in service since 1969? That's 40 years ago! Happy birthday!
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People could also sit and rest inside the C-5 Galaxy.
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Floor of the C-5 Galaxy, dotted with eyelets for hooks or ropes to secure the cargo.
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Exit of the C-5 Galaxy. The plane's openings on both the front and back enables unloading and loading to be done at the same time.
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Inside the C-5 Galaxy, selling T-shirts, "Size does matter."
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The C-5 Galaxy has 28 wheels.
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C-5 Galaxy engine
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Side view of the C-5 Galaxy's front end. The closest thing we have to Thunderbird 2.
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These people are lining up to see the C-5 Galaxy's cockpit on the upper deck.
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Lining up to see the C-5 Galaxy's cockpit on the upper deck. There are some passenger seats as well.
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At the mouth of the plane is this ladder going up the cockpit of the C-5 Galaxy.
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C-5 Galaxy crew
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Next to the C-5 Galaxy was the second largest plane on display: The C-17 Globemaster III. This plane came from Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii.
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Front and nose of C-17 Globemaster III
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C-17 Globemaster III
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C-17 Globemaster III
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C-17 Globemaster III and C-5 Galaxy cargo planes
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People also lined up to sit in the cockpit of the C-17 Globemaster III. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to line up and see the cockpit of any of the planes.
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C-17 Globemaster III has only one opening (in the rear) for loading/unloading cargo.
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We could also enter the C-17 Globemaster III from the rear.
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Entering the C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane.
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Inside the C-17 Globemaster III. I could almost smell the Hawaiian air. A few people from Hawaii were inside the plane selling souvenirs, greeting people with "Aloha!"
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Engines of the C-17 Globemaster III.
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Next to the C-17 Globemaster III was this refueling plane called the KC-135 Stratotanker made by Boeing.
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The KC-135 Stratotanker has been in service since 1957.
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People could also enter the KC-135 Stratotanker.
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Young Tigers on the tail of this KC-135 Stratotanker.
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Below the tail is the refueling pipe (with fins) of the KC-135 Stratotanker.
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Entering the KC-135 Stratotanker.
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Sky-colored C-130 of the Japan Air Self-Defence Force.
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We could only peek inside Japan's C-130.
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A long line to enter the C-130 Hercules plane.
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C-130 Hercules.
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C-130 nose
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Girl in yukata kimono posing with military persons in uniform in front of the C-130.
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I wish they had signs in front of each plane so we can identify the plane and know where it came from.
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Torii at Yokota Air Base. I remember that there was a control tower back here. Not there anymore. In fact, I couldn't find the control tower anywhere.
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Torii at Yokota Air Base.
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They should understand that the samurai was a land-based fighter. They never flew in the air.
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