Iwakuni (Japan)

Iwakuni Friendship Day 2024

5 May 2024

Report and photos by Reinier Schreurs, some serials from photos found on the internet

High speed pass of VMFA-242 F-35B 169695/DT-12, generating some nice condensation vortices.

On May 5 MCAS Iwakuni opened its gates to celebrate, together with JMSDF Fleet Air Wing 31, the 45th Friendship Day. Around 115.000 people entered the base for the static displays and airshow. Highlights of the airshow were the CVW-5 flyover, the F-35B display, JASDF Blue Impulse, the MAGTF demo, the F-18 solo display from VFA-106 and a display by a JASDF F-2A.

MCH-101 8657 has stickers for the 50th anniversary of 111 Kokutai. According to the show announcer the CH-53E was from HMH 361 and the AH-1Z and UH-1Y were from HMLA 369. The crew from VFA 106 borrowed F/A-18F 166974/NF113 from VFA 102. For VFA 115 it was the last participation in Iwakuni Friendship Day as the squadron will pack up it’s things at the end of the year and move back to the States for conversion to the F-35.

Serials and units between brackets were not read off from photos but came from photo-captions found on the internet.

The show at Iwakuni usually attracts aircraft from all three Japanese services. 8 Hikotai brought F-2A 13-8513.

111 Kokutai is celebrating its 50th anniversary and MCH-101 8657 had special stickers applied for this occasion.

As can be seen, the serial of VMFA(AW)-224's F/A-18C WK-02 could not be checked on this day, however it was visible in an on-line video pubished by AFN Iwakuni on 26 May 2024.

Two F/A-18s and two F-35Bs were positioned in a circle, making it hard to make a decent photograph. This is F-35B 169694/VK-14 of VMFA-121.

CAG colours are the favourite of many Japanese photographers, probably making EA-18G 168255/NL-510 of VAQ-138 the star of the static.

KC-130J 169227/QD-227 is breaking right at the end of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) demo, accompanied by WK-01 and DT-08.

VFA-106 had the honour of performing the F/A-18 solo demo, however they had to borrow VFA-102's 166974/NF-113.

Demonstrating its STOVL abilities, F-35B 169695/DT-12 is hovering over its landing pad.

The AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter provides rotary wing close air support, anti-armor, anti-air, armed escort, armed/visual reconnaissance and fire support coordination capabilities under day/night and adverse weather conditions for the USMC.

The UH-1Y Venom multi-role utility helicopter is equipped with a wide range of weapons and mission support configurations to also perform close air support missions, along with combat assault support, search and rescue/causality evacuation, armed escort/reconnaissance, command and control, and special operation support.

13 Hikotai's UH-1J 41908/XIII demonstrated rapid rope descents or fast-roping. No harnass or other safety gear is used.

MV-22B 168279/ET-04 is unloading a bunch of Marines after the Venom and Viper cleared out any possible enemy ground threats.

Just a nice shot of KC-130J 169227/QD-227 of Iwakuni based VMGR-152, climbing out at the start of the MAGTF demo.

Credits: Reinier Schreurs

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