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JMSDF Squadron Histories & Markings Part 4

Following the pattern of the preceding history pages, the following listing of JMSDF training units appears in numerical order by Air Training Squadron (ATS). Note that these do not include entries for the flights into which these squadrons are/were in some cases divided.

Air Training Squadron (ATS) Listing

201st

202nd

203rd

204th

205th

206th

211th

212th

The relevant Air Training Groups were formed as follows:

Ozuki

Mar. 25, 1965

Shimofusa

Feb. 16, 1974

Tokushima

Mar. 1, 1973

[Intro photos]

JSDF Squadron #27

A formation of 201st ATS SNJs airborne near the 5,600-foot (1,700-meter) Mt. Karakuni, which
straddles the Miyazaki-Kagoshima prefectural border, March 25, 1965. The unit was then in
the process of moving from Kanoya to Ozuki. (Photo: JMSDF/Ozuki AB)

Nowadays on display at Ozuki, KM-2 6292 was present at the JASDF Ashiya AB air show in 1996.
(Photo: ぼんべ via Twitter @bombe3939)

Airborne as ever from Ozuki, a formation of nine 201st ATS Fuji T-5s near the Kanmon Bridge,  
which connects the cities of Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture and Kitakyushu in
Fukuoka Prefecture. (Photo: Japan Ministry of Defense)

Fuji T-5

(Photo: JMSDF)

Inextricably linked with the development of the T-5

June 28, 2014, marked the 30th anniversary of the maiden flight of the T-5 prototype. The latest known addition, the 66th example built, was being flight tested in mid-March 2015. Save for any small repeat orders to replace high-hour examples, 28 of which have already been retired, the type will be coming to the end of production after the final three, ordered in fiscal 2013, are delivered this year (2015). About a third of the total run of 67, 21 aircraft, were procured between the fiscal 2009 and fiscal 2013 budgets alone; none have been sought since then.

The White Arrows emblem, 2021
(Image: JMSDF Ozuki Air Training Group via Twitter @jmsdf_ozatg)

 

JSDF Squadron #27

(Photo: JMSDF Air Training Command via Twitter @jmsdf_atrc)

Early morning on the JMSDF 202nd Air Training Squadron ramp, May 2016
(Photo: JMSDF Tokushima Air Base)

(Above and below) Tokushima staged an event to mark the 62nd anniversary of the formation of the
202nd’s predecessor, at which time the unit received a citation from the Minister of Defense for
passing the amassed milestone of 610,000 accident-free flying hours and a fire truck
demonstration added some unexpected colour.
(Photos [Nov. 2020]: Tokushima Air Training Group via Twitter @jmsdf_tsatg)

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(Above and below) Kawasaki-built Lockheed P-3C Orion patrol aircraft belonging to the
203rd Flight Training Squadron based at Shimofusa, Chiba Prefecture. Sadly, some years
ago the JMSDF took a leaf from the U.S. Navy’s book and removed the once colourful
tail markings from its P-3C fleet in favour of an overall low-visibility scheme.

 

 

JSDF Squadron #18

Photographed when the aircraft was on a visit to JGSDF Kisarazu, November 2002.

 

(Photo [Shimofusa, May 1989]: Akira Watanabe)

JSDF Squadron #36

As the sun sinks slowly in the west, preparations are made to tow a then 211th Air Training Sqn
SH-60J back to its hangar at Kanoya. The 211th is now equipped solely with TH-135s.
(Photo [Apr. 2017]: Hunini via Wikimedia Commons)

The unusual sight of the serried ranks of what is close to the entire strength of the
211th Air Training Sqn’s TH-135s arrayed on the ramp at Kanoya . . .
(Photo [Nov. 2021]: はちみつ via Twitter @f4ejk)

. . . and the reason why. On November 24, 2021, unit personnel formed the squadron number in the
time-honoured fashion to mark the 60 unbroken years of the 211th’s history.
(Photo: JMSDF Air Training Command via Twitter @jmsdf_atrc)

SH-60K training split off from 211th ATS

From a short video (link) covering the decommissioning of SH-60K 8410, which ended
its operational service life with the 212th ATS in February 2024 (see Bulletin Board story).
(Image [from video posted Feb. 14, 2024]: JMSDF 1st Fleet Air Wing via X @jmsdf_1aw)

 

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

[References]

TO HERE

JMSDF Squadron Histories & Markings Part X

The numerical listing is followed by those squadrons (up to September 1961 known as air corps) with designations that historically incorporated a base name:

Hachinohe	Iwakuni*	Kanoya*	Ohminato
Omura	Tateyama	Tokushima
* Air Training Squadron

Fuji and Shirase Flights (Antarctic Expedition Air Support)

Base Kōkūtai     (Naval District Units) Hachinohe, Kanoya, Komatsushima, Ohminato, Omura, Tateyama, Tokushima

Rescue Flights    Atsugi, Hachinohe, Iwo To (Iwo Jima), Kanoya, Ozuki, Shimofusa, Tokushima

3rd Technical School Shimofusa?

Glossary of terms

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See Word docs from memoir blog, incl.  http://navgunschl.sblo.jp/article/103572722.html

Assigned to Kanoya but wearing Omura Sqn markings, one of the two JMSDF PBY-6As sits on the
ramp at U.S. NAF Oppama in Kanagawa Prefecture in May 1956. Supported by 26 squadron
personnel, both aircraft had participated in night training exercises under U.S. guidance.
(Photo from July 1956 issue of The World’s Aircraft, used with permission of Hobun Shorin Co., Ltd.)

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PBY-6A  JRF-5 initially with/based at Kanoya

A great series of photos on the hikokikumo.net site (link) shows snapshots from the type’s JMSDF career. The opening (second) photo was taken on March 30, 1957, the day a ceremony was held at Omura to mark the six-aircraft unit’s move from Kanoya. Taken along the coast off Haneda Airport in October 1957, the photo below that is of the PBY-6A that has just participated in the first postwar fleet review.

Add wording to BB PBY story/Feb. 2021: (See Omura Squadron History for more details.)

(Above and below) One of the unit’s PBY-6As is towed from the slipway to the hangar at Omura.
(Photos published in Dec. 1958 issue of Aireview, used by kind permission of SequireySha K.K.)

Omura Kōkūtai personnel fall in next to a JRF-5 prior to the start of the day’s flight operations in
1958. Although both the JRF-5 and PBY-6A were easy to maintain, they were already old and
obtaining spares presented a problem.
(Photo published in Dec. 1958 issue of Aireview, used by kind permission of SequireySha K.K.)

An alfresco pre-flight briefing (above) is conducted just off the apron at Omura before the
crew heads across to where an aircraft, its engines already synchronized, awaits.
(Photos published in Dec. 1958 issue of Aireview, used by kind permission of SequireySha K.K.)

From a vantage point at the base of the Omura control tower, crew members gaze out across the
sea to watch the progress of their colleagues’ training flight while awaiting their turn.
(Photo published in Dec. 1958 issue of Aireview, used by kind permission of SequireySha K.K.)

UF-2 CAPTION TEXT (Photo [undated]: JMSDF)

(Photo [undated]: Japan Ministry of Defense/JMSDF)

(Photo [undated]: Japan Ministry of Defense/JMSDF)

(Photo [HSS-2B, Iwakuni, May 1988]: Takao Kadokami)

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 (Antarctic Expedition Air Support)

Tateyama, October2002Tateyama, October 2002

Markings

Shirase Flight, Oct. 2002 (left) and Sept. 2012

 

Rescue Flights

Atsugi ア

(Photo [undated, circa XXXX]: JMSDF Atsugi AB)

(Photo taken at Atsugi, May 2000)

Hachinohe ハ

Hachinohe Rescue Squadron UH-60J (Photo [1994]: Japan Ministry of Defense/JMSDF via
Wikimedia Commons) 

Shimofusa モ

(All photographs on this website are copyright J-HangarSpace
unless otherwise stated.) 

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Location Report 9

Tokyo Fire Department Aviation Unit, Koto Aviation Center
Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Aviation Unit, Koto Flight Center 
Aero Asahi Corporation
Tokyo Heliport
February 8, 2017 

Zero Fighter Museum (Kawaguchiko Aviation Hall)
Narusawa, Yamanashi Prefecture
August 29, 2014

Principal Base Histories 

HERE

ENDS HERE

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