200th CH 46 From Nippi

 

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After seeing and reading Pat Kenny's story about the 100th CH-46 delivered by NIPPI, I had to retrieve these photos and relay a very similar experience. As Pat stated, a TAD tour with FRAPRA at Atsugi, Japan (NIPPI) was a plum duty assignment and (during our time) it was routinely given to the senior (in country) pilot (if he wanted it) and it was for 30 days. I arrived on Christmas Day 1969 with Tom Cook (HMM-263) to relieve John Harris (364) and Tom Bratten ('263). As luck would have it, there was a Change of Command for the Purple Foxes back at Marble Mountain on 25 Feb 70 before someone realized that we were still TAD in Atsugi. Once discovered, we were ordered back on 28 Feb 70. I was relieved by Dave Riesterer ('364). It was a nice 60 day sabbatical, and that was all right by me, I was rotating in a few days anyway. As part of our 'turn over', John Harris and I made a FAM trip to Kawasaki Heavy Ind, Ltd in GIFU, Japan with a return trip via train to get the route down. I mention this trip, because we were scheduled to be picked up at Atsugi Base Ops by a twin engine plane from Kawasaki and be ferried to Gifu. The NAS weather was low overcast and maybe 2 miles visibility. We could here the plane circling above. Both pilots spoke only Japanese (American manned tower), so we were pessimistic about being picked up. Then, we heard the "scream" of the engines and low and behold. it pops out over the runway and circles to land. Taxies in, stops (engines still running) and we board. John and I sat in the rear 2 seats. Once aboard we tried to communicate as to how they happened to break through and land. The co- pilot (Mr. IkeJeri) turned and with a big smile said, "Lower flaps, lower gear, (and motioning with his hand said) DIVE! Mr Miniguchi (the senior pilot) just turned with an approving smile and nodded. We learned that Miniguchi was a WW II Japanese ace and IkiJeri was a surviving Kamikaze pilot. Trained to fly at age 15, but never had to execute his "divine mission". About the pictures. They were taken when I was taking delivery of the 200th reworked CH-46 out of Gifu in Feb' 70. I traveled by train to Gifu wearing civilian clothes and carrying my helmet bag with flight suit inside. Arrived, participated in the ceremony and then departed for Atsugi in marginal weather (Gifu was in the mountains). My crew members were a Japanese co-pilot and crew chief both of which did not speak English. Note my flight uniform: flight suit over civilian clothes and my "chukka boots". We traveled light!! For the most part, the return flight to Atsugi was uneventful except for a single SAS failure after take off. Before I could stop him the co-pilot was declaring an emergency (in Japanese) to Gifu. I had already switched to the good SAS and then turned off his radio. When we landed at Atsugi, he departed in great haste. Most likely thought I was ' crazy". I gave the flowers to the Marine Major OIC at the rework facility, whose wife was having a dinner party that very night. My fitness report was a given!! Most times when we flew test flights at NIPPI, we were single pilot with GySgt Fitzenmeir in the left seat. No crew chief in the back. Flash ahead 5 years. In 1975 during my tour in Okinawa, NIPPI rework lost the CH-46 contract to China Airlines in Taipei, Taiwan. Major. Brent Barents ('164) and I flew the first CH-46 from Futenma to Taipei. Not previously done with a Frog before, so we had an OV-10 act as a Pathfinder for the long leg over water. We were TAD to China Airlines for about 8-10 days. Along with our crew chief, we were tasked with teaching Chinese crews the cockpit check list, APP start up and blade folding/unfolding. We would have a translator sitting on the center console.They were not permitted to start the engines. Their tech manuals were all photo stat copied from NIPPI. It was another great gig!!

 

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CONTRIBUTED BY:   Chic Schoener