Day 18, Hyakuri, 16/11
 Unbelievable.
After a cold night with temperatures around 5°C - Florian
felt quite cold because the evening before he was of the opinion
that he would not need his sleeping bag - once again a splendid
morning with slight clouds, but nevertheless a nice blue sky
welcomed us at Hyakuri. It was just before seven when we drove
to our morning photo spot, but not before I got two cans of
hot coffee. The wind had also the right direction, and around
10 minutes after being at the fence a dark green camouflaged
RF-4EJ taxied to the last chance. We captured this moment,
that we have been waiting for since more than two weeks ago
at the same place, in a beautiful morning light and at that
moment we had everything we wanted to photograph in Japan:
green, gray and blue Phantoms, F-2s, F-1s, a T-1, the Shin
Meiwa… Everything else that day would be an extra give-away.
And these were marvellous! We stayed there until the first
take-off after the lunch break and photographed several Recce-Phantoms,
F-15 single- and doubles-seaters, all of them in different
configurations and in perfect light. If got really busy there
that Florian once again did not manage to write down all the
numbers and photograph at the same time. The security people,
that passed inside the fence with their cars, even greeted
us friendly. Life can be good…
Hyakuri Airbase
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Phantom Paradise: 501SQN "Woody Woodpeckers"
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Shortly after the afternoon take-offs we rushed to the other
side of the airfield with a short stop at the 7/11 to get
lunch (fried noodles and Spaghetti Bolognaise, which are very
exotic in Japan) and went once again to the fence near the
bamboo forest. Photography there was difficult that day because
they took-off from the other side than during our last visit
and appeared suddenly from behind the trees in different heights.
Fortunately they were numerous and we also got some nice photos
there, even from the formation take-offs and another RF-4E
during a fly-by which they did also in the morning. Whereas
the morning was really nice and refreshed our sunburn it got
chilly in the shadows of the trees. Sometimes it was too easy
to forget that it was November..
Afternoon run
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 So
the last day of our trip was very forgiving, giving us the
chance to complete and expand our collection of JASDF aircraft,
reconsidering the last weeks and forgiving all the troubles
we had during this trip.
Then it really made no sense to photograph anymore. Florian
and Patrick forced me into the car and I made my last photo.
Before we left Patrick said good-bye to his faithful ladder
and left it in the forest. So if you see one standing near
the airbase Hyakuri, it is his! You can use, but please leave
it there if we come back the next time ;)
Eagles return
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 The
airport hotel at Narita was our next stop, and while we drove
towards our last destination we listened once again to the
Top Gun soundtrack. When "Take my breath away" was
playing, we saw one of the missing Recce Phantoms from the
afternoon returning, passing through the sunset. What a way
to finish this trip.
Good bye JASDF, and thanks for all the nice moments during
our trip!
But all off a sudden this romantic mood was interrupted, because
we discovered a praying mantis inside our car and got quite
scared because it was walking along the roof of our car. Patrick
fortunately put away this danger after a chaotic stop along
the road.
 The
further trip back to the airport was quiet, we reminiscenced
about the past days and weeks. At the arrival at the hotel
at Narita we earned once again strange views, because with
all the luggage that we had to get completely out of the car,
and probably also because we also looked a bit strange because
of our last night. Adding to this came the fact that we had
only booked a double room for the three of us, but we got
our prebooked room without problems. Out of the window we
could watch some nice take-offs of Jumbo Jets, but now it
was time to say good-bye to car and return it. After a bit
more than 6729 kilometres - around 420km per driving day -
we handed over the key. They did not say anything, because
we left the car clean, however we do not think that this car
will have a long and prospering future afterwards *g*.
Once again the service was excellent, because after returning
the car they drove us with our own car directly to the Airport
Terminal. The drive was strange, because we nearly spent most
of the time during the last 18 days together in this car and
were happy to finally go back home, but on the other side
we had a really great time in the Far East that was over.
We even could not realize it that we did it, everything that
we had planned half a year in advance.
  But
we did not have a lot of time for reflections, because we
wanted to buy some souvenirs for our girlfriends and have
at least once Sushi in Japan. I preferred to have a Chicken
Yakitori, but took a Sushi take-away and a beer back to the
hotel, were we arrived really tired at half past 8.
In the room we extensively used the dustbin to get rid of
dirty and worn stuff and everything unnecessary that we did
not have to take back. Then we took a nice shower and slept
in real beds…
-> Narita
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