Today, Friday 20th November a special (disbandment?) ceremony of 301 Sq was held at JASDF Hyakuri AB, commemorating 48 year of F-4 flying. While a wind-down towards March 2021 was indicated earlier (end of Japanese FY), it looks like operations for 301 Sq have now ended. From the translated text it is not quite clear whether all F-4 flights in Japan have now ended (Gifu) but 301 Sq was the last remaining full squadron. The replacement squadron for now is 3 Sq on F-2's, which has been transferred earlier in the year. 501 Sq was wound down in March 2020. With no F-4 units to support, Gifu's F-4s will also soon be stood down. 301 Sq will stand up as the second Japanese F-35 unit at Misawa AB.
https://twitter.com/jasdf_hyakuri?ref_s ... et%3DTweet
While it is sad that we have not been able to pay a last visit in 2020, I am happy to have made the pilgrimage to Japanese F-4 bases in the last decades, Hyakuri being the favorite by far.
Sayonara F-4EJ Phantom!
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