JASDF Blue Impulse T-4s collide in mid-air (with photos)

Both photos via Sankei Shimbun

Two Kawasaki T-4 trainers of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's Flight Demonstration Team have collided in mid-air during a practice on the morning of 29th January. The incident happened in airspace over the Pacific Ocean, approximately 45km (28 miles) southeast of their base at Matsushima. Both aircraft managed to land without incident, with the 3 crew on board uninjured.

Looks like it was glancing blow for both aircraft, with one sustaining a dented nosecone while the other (66-5745) losing most of its port horizontal stabiliser/elevator. Could have been much, much worse...

Thanks for James Simpson for the heads up

Tsunami hits Japan's Matsushima Airbase, damaging 18 JASDF F-2s

AP Photo/Kyodo News via Tim Robinson

Yesterday's devastating earthquake and tsunami which hit Japan has caused severe damage to the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force's Matsushima Air Base in Miyagi Prefecture, located approximately 120 km (80 miles) from the epicentre of the quake, which measured 8.9 on the Richter Scale.

According to the Japanese Defence Ministry, seawater from the tsunami has damaged 28 aircraft, including 18 Mitsubishi F-2 fighters of the JASDF's 21st Hikotai. A number of the damaged aircraft are expected to be total writeoffs.

Matsushima is also home to The Blue Impulse aerobatics team of the JASDF's 11th Hikotai, which were fortunately not at the base at the time, along with UH-60J helicopters and U-125s of the Matsushima Kyunantai (Air Rescue Squadron).

Info courtesy of Nikkei, Scramble and Kyle Mizokami of Japan Security Watch

Additional Links:
Matsushima Airbase on Wikipedia
Matsushima Airbase on Scramble
Higher resolution photos of damaged aircraft at Matsushima
Video of damaged aircraft at Matsushima

Flying high for 50 years: The intense world of the Blue Impulse pilot

The Mainichi Daily News looks at the life of a Blue Impulse pilot. The Blue Impulse are the aerobatic team of the Japanese Air Self Defence Force, flying the Kawasaki T-4 trainer.