There comes a time in every spotters life when he feels the need ..... well, you know, for something a bit better than a freezing morning at the end of some anlieger frei and so Mrs Starman and I headed off to Okinawa for my special , where, from the 5th floor balcony (of even numbered rooms from 502-520) the following were logged (in 90 degrees of rather pleasant sunshine) during 19-21 July (can I mention the name of the Ryokan?)
204 Hikotai: 82-8902, 92-8913, 02-8915, 02-8919, 12-8924, 12-8925, 22-8929, 22-8933, 32-8943, 42-8944 F-15CJs plus 92-8093 & 92-8097 F-15DJs
304 Hikotai: 02-8920, 02-8921, 22-8930, 22-8931, 22-8935, 22-8938, 22-8939, 32-8941, 42-8946, 42-8949, 52-8954, 52-8957 F-15CJs plus 02-8071, 32-8082 & 82-8092 F-15DJs
Marks not noted: 92-8908, 22-8934, 42-8947, 42-8948 CJs (some read in hangars, there were many more in deeper)
5 Kokutai P-3Cs: 5035, 5040, 5052, 5076, 5082, 5091, 5097, 5099 & 5101. Also seen was 5072 from 51 Kokutai, whilst P-1 5502 was on the ramp for the 48 hours we were there and didn't move.
T-4s noted were 36-5702 & 16-5802 (204 Hik), 26-5682 & 16-5800 (304 Hik) plus 56-5740, 06-5784 & 16-5802 from the base fight.
603 Hikotai were using E-2Cs 34-3451, 3452 & 3453 (one read from the shower )
With the Naha Herikoputa Kuuyutai were CH-47Fs 57-4492 & 4493, and the Naha Kyunantai had U-125s 82-3009 & 92-3011, plus UH-60Js 98-4590 & 08-4591.
The Army were being rather uncooperative due to the haze, just a Chinook and a UH-60 (maybe 43113, last number quite tricky) seen.
An MCH-101 appeared on the ramp for a while, and as we taxied out two came into view in a hangar, 8654 and probably 8656 are the winning numbers, unit anyone?