Komaki AB Open Day

by Takeshi Shinoda, Far East Correspondent for AirShowsReview

The Open House was held on October 23^rd in 2011 at the Komaki Air Base operated by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. Due to the major earthquake, its magnitude at a 9.0 that happened on March 11, 2011 in the northeast part of Japan, almost all Open Houses or “Open Days” were cancelled for 2011.

Luckily, some of the bases continued their airshows toward the later half of this year. Komaki AB is located at the Nagoya Airfield, also known as Komaki Airport, sharing the runway with the domestic secondary airport serving Nagoya.

Komaki AB is the home of the 1^st Tactical Airlift Wing: 401SQ operating C-130H transport/cargo aircraft and the 404SQ KC-767J tankers. Additionally, the base is used by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) which is the premier aircraft maker in Japan.

MHI makes final assembly of the F-2, and overhaul of the F-4 and F-15 fighters.

This was a limited airshow. The “Blue Impulse,” Japan's Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) aerobatic display team, was not present with their seven Kawasaki T-4 training aircraft painted in white and blue colors. The light for photography in general was not the best, although it was relatively good at the “Viewing Park” area.

For additional reviews such as:

• Duxford Autumn Air Show, in the UK,
• Joint Warrior 2011/2 Scotland,
• NAS Jacksonville

visit AirShowsReview.com We review Air Shows and Aviation events! Download our free e-publication The Magazine!