Colourful Kyushu – Chasing Aggressors, Orions and much more in Japan

JASDF Fightertown Nyutabaru with the colourful F-15J/DJ Aggressors, F-4EJ Phantoms, and the blue Mitsubishi F-2s at Tsuiki. Japan’s Southern island was always well worth a plane spotting trip during autumn or early winter, when temperatures are nice and the light can be beautiful. A single week back in November 2010 provided some splendid results.

After a long flight via Vienna and a direct connection at Tokyo-Narita to Fukuoka I arrived at Kyushu, Japan’s Southern Island, in nice sunny November weather at around 20°C. While waiting for the connection flight to Fukuoka the time was spent with some spotting at Narita. During around one hour on that Sunday morning I got to see 4 Airbus A380 (two Lufthansa, 1 Air France, 1 Singapore Airlines) and as a highlight a special coloured China Airlines B738/w. Unfortunately the welcoming weather in Japan was not the best, but there would be other more important places during this trip where the sun would be more needed.

The final flight to FUK was very relaxing with only around 40 passengers on-board the ANA B737, but unfortunately we overflew Mt. Fuji directly, so there was no chance to spot the snow-covered top of Japan’s most famous volcano mountain. A movie about Munich and its beer tradition made the flight pass by very quickly. After the arrival in Fukuoka it was just a short hop to Honshu and Iwakuni especially, but these two grey and hazy days will be detailed in another report. Back on the Southern Kyushu island, the real photography please started.

Tsuiki

A nice sunrise over the rise field promised to be a good start for the day. Though the clouds came in soon, I should see three waves of F-15 and F-2 flying at the end of the day. Regarding the F-2s even eight jets were flying in two of three missions that day, and with an F-2 in full air-air armament (4x AAM-3 and 4x AAM-4) it was a really nice sight to see these blue jets lined up with the Pacific Ocean in the background.

A very strong wind made the sun/cloud mix ever changing and proved to be quite challenging for the many photographers present that day as the lenses were moving heavily in these gusts. And – as usual – a marvellous blue sky was mostly present when no aircraft were in sight… Nevertheless the flying kept me busy and made many position changes possible. Towards the end of the day 4 F-2s also practised an air-air gunnery demo for the airshow which was on the schedule for Sunday.

After an exciting day that kept me quite busy I left with the last rays of sun heading to Nyutabaru – approximately 250km further south. The navigation system proposed several options to take that route, one costing more than 7.500 Yen (~80€) and lasting 4,5hrs, or another one for some 1.000 Yen and at 5,5hrs (for 250km…). I decided to for the second proposal and a truck driver that was leading me at times with around 100km/h on the rural roads was quite good to arrive at the final destination a bit earlier in time.

Nyutabaru

Fighterbase Nyutabaru – once again blessed with sunshine during the whole day, and even more important, also already in the early morning for the photos at the famous ‘morning spot’ where the aircraft are taxiing directly towards the camera.

This went really well for the F-15 training Squadron and was a good preparation for the famous (and colourful) JASDF Aggressors that should follow shortly afterwards. After quite a long wait until around 9 o’clock, and with worsening light conditions, 4 of the Aggressors turned up, just in time with the triple-A regiment that appeared and decided to set up their training camp just in our viewing line. So the desired shots of the Aggressors were spoiled… One big chance was thus missed and I had nothing more than to leave and wait for the landings.

For the landings from the East it was interesting to discover that near the coffee vending machines a new shop has been opened that is now selling T-Shirts and souvenir stuff to the serious enthusiats as well as fod for the regulars that pass by just to watch the aircraft. I stayed at this place for the landings of the Aggressor and was happy to see that a whilelater also the special marked F-15 of the Training Squadron – celebrating its 10th anniversary – was taxiing and I got the chance to photograph it. The choice of the wrong lens and photo position however did not bring the desired result, and I was quite unhappy when I learned that the aircraft should not return that same day. The remaining day until sunset at around 5pm was spent driving around the Southern fenceline looking for nice photo spots.

Besides all the local Aggressors, Phantoms, Eagles and of course T-4s flying around, a Chinook and five T-400 visited the base that day

Construction was going on for new runway, and a new overall fence line, unfortunately spoiled a lot of photo possibilities as it makes looking directly at the runway impossible. Standing more to the right or left of the middle were thus the choices, or further back to get the aircraft already in the air shortly after take-off.

During all of my ‘activities’ I was furthermore always protected by the Base Security, which closely followed all of my movements while I was looking to get some nice photos of JASDF aircraft.

Besides all the local Aggressors, Phantoms, Eagles and of course T-4s flying around, a Chinook and five T-400 visited the base that day as well as two T-4 of foreign Squadrons. And with the last two F-4 touching down while the sun was also setting down I headed back to the hotel.

The emotions at Nyuta the next morning were a mixed big. Rain was drizzling down, and the only thing to do was heading directly to the airbase to get a warm coffee from the vending machine. It seemed as it would not become a very good day with a cloudy sky as even the well-known mountain chain in the background was not being visible at all.

Not being very optimistic I nevertheless moved to the morning spot, but due to the lack of sun decided to try a different angle. After a short while there the security car turned up, but they seemed to remember me from the day before and did not question me again.
Again the F-15 Training Squadron went out for their first tour of the day at 7:40am. The sun nearly came out at that time, and with the cloud cover and the lack of wind the temperatures were around 16°C. At least I did not have to freeze like the morning before. After the take-off of the ‘Igrus’, as Eagles are called locally, I changed the position near to the touchdown point, where I should stay for the rest of this spotting day.

The airbase was a lot ‘quieter’ that day, not with regards to aircraft movements, but to the number of spotters: the day before numerous locals and foreigners were present, and I saw and spoke to numerous Japanese, Brits and Finish enthusiasts. But today only a handful of the locals were present at their set-up spot, which provides even a fireplace to prepare some warm tea, and also a dedicated photo platform. They were very amazed that I came from ‘toitsu’ all the long way to photograph JASDF jets and I got some photographs taken of me as well as I had very nice talks, though communication was not always easy due to the language barrier.

And the JASDF flew again that day… As the day before the Aggressors went out for a 1 hour mission followed by the phabulous Phantoms. Again four of the Aggressors left, and this time the missing green-painted F-15DJ, which remained on the flightline the previous day, did also take part. Obviously being very lucky that day a big cloud only came after these four very special (at least for me and the many Japanese photographers that turn up every time when the fly) F-15s took-off, and disappeared just in time again for their return to base. 5 of the Phantoms flew as well, and as usual all of the flying was accompanied by at least one T-4 trainer of the same Squadron doing several touch and goes towards the end of each mission.

Originally I have planned to leave to Kanoya after the morning round (one mission of Aggressors, F-4EJ and F-15(D)J trainers) right before lunch, but this time – much to my surprise – the engines of the Aggressors spooled up once again shortly before lunch. I thus stayed for one hour longer to see them take-off and land once again as well as to photograph the afternoon launch of 6 Phantoms just after the F-15s returned. Then it was finally time to drive 2hrs for this relatively short trip of 120km to…

Kanoya

still further South. Heading down the road and passing Miyakonojo the countryside began to get more and more rural, Bamboo forests grew, amazing big spiders could be seen hanging around the electrical cables along the street all around and the chain of the Kagoshima mountains lay in the distant haze. And the navigation ‘promised’ an arrival at the Navy base around 4 pm.

yes, feel free to take photos here

At this time of the day usually all of the aircraft are returning from their mission or stop their training, and I just arrived as two OH-6 came in to land. Unfortunately one of them started again while I had a very nice talk with the Base Security (“yes, feel free to take photos here” … “the East side of the runway is not so good for photos, you can see the base better from here!”), but soon they left with the desired info on the questionnaire and I continued to photograph the activity on the tarmac: two Seahawks left for night flying, three Orions returned with the last rays of the setting sun.

And much to my joy – one of currently only two existing EC135 (or TH-135, which is the Japanese designation) training helicopters in the JMSDF fleet returned from a flight and could also be photographed.

Flying continued well into the night that evening, but once the light was really gone there was no more sense in trying to take some photos. I thus left in hope for an evenly good day the next morning.

A dull and hazy morning welcomed me on this Friday morning, the second day at Kanoya. Nevertheless I went into position on the fence waiting for some movements. The first Orion take-off of the day shortly after sunrise was nearly missed before it got quiet for a long while, as only some hours later at around 9am the helicopters started up.

Shortly afterwards the base security inside the fence passed by with only a short stop to talk, just in time when a formation of two TH-135 came in to land, this currently bwing the whole fleet of the JMSDF EC135. Fortunately the security people did let us continue taking photos and when they left everything was in order – at least this was what I thought at that moment.

Things then really started moving with Orions going out and Seahawks flying their training circuit as well as some more movements on the ramp. During the morning the sky also got clearer and it promissed to become a very nice day.
Things got even better when 3 Sea Stallions were discovered being pulled out onto the ramp and one of them was flying later on!

At some point during the morning another local ‘spotter’ suddenly appeared with camera and lens hanging around his neck, business shoes, trousers and a white shirt. After doing some shooting through the fence he finally started talking to me and somehow insisted on knowing in which hotel I have been staying that night – that being the question that could not yet being answered on the securities questionnaire the day before.
Thus I could somehow not abandon the thoughts that spotting is not the main hobby/profession of him… Nevertheless the conversation was very nice and I got to learn a lot about Kanoya, the region and its specialities!

The spotting highlights of the day were two of the SH-60 Seahawks that were landing on the runway exactly in front of the chosen photo spot and shortly after midday one of the MH-53 Sea Stallions that was leaving – providing a very nice opportunity for some head-on shots of this mighty (monster) helicopter.

Mt. Sakurajima and the Kirishima Mountains

Sakurajima, located in the bay near the city of Kagoshima, is one of the most active volcanoes worldwide and was also impressing this day with a thundering roar and puffing out dark gray ash clouds. To get a closer impression of it a tour by car around the ‘volcano island’ was made when the dawn was setting in before continuing the drive to Kirishima, where the Saturday would be spent without any aircraft – for a change…

Vulcano hiking! The clouds were not hanging as low as during my last visit at this national park so a climb up to the highest peak of this area, Mt. Karakuni with 1700m, was well worth the effort.

The Kirishima mountains are not as much know amongst tourist as Mt. Aso, which is also situated on Kyushu island but further North, and also cannot be found in many guide books. But the scenery became most famous by the James Bond movie “You only live twice”.
In this movie classic “007” is flying above the very scenic landscape and one of the crater lakes is even used as the secret underground basis of the bad guy, Ernst Blofeld. I also wanted to go and see that place, but it was closed due to volcanic activity. Nevertheless Mt. Karakuni offered a nice view on the steam cloud rising out of Mt. Shinkoe.

On top of the mountain I met two Japanese hikers who proudly presented their German backpacks and invited me for a freshly brewed coffee. Before going downhill I still had a nice chat with them and they presented impressions on their cameras how the mountain range looks at different times of the year. When stepping down again I just realized how steep the steps were for climbing up that mountain! And of course the fantastic Autumn colours were not to be missed:

The rest of the day was less spectacular with a loooong drive up to Tsuiki for the airshow the following day, which was spent at the Tsuiki Airshow. Have a look at the show report on this site as well!

Planespotting and Scenic Sights around Kyushu – Photo Gallery