Metabaru Air Field

Metabaru Air Field (目達原飛行場, Metabaru Hikōjō) (ICAO: RJDM) is a military aerodrome of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). It is located at JGSDF Camp Metabaru (目達原駐屯地, Metabaru Chūtonchi), in Yoshinogari, Saga Prefecture, Japan.

Metabaru Air Field 目達原駐屯地 Metabaru Hikōjō
IATA: none ICAO: RJDM
Summary
Airport type	Military
Operator	Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
Location	JGSDF Camp Metabaru, Japan
Elevation AMSL	53 ft / 16 m
Coordinates	33°19′31″N 130°24′49″E
Map
RJDM Location in Japan
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 04/22 660 2,165 Paved
Source: Japanese AIP at AIS Japan[1]

History

Metabaru Air Field was opened in 1943 as a branch of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service Tachiarai Training School with the specific task of training pilots for the Japanese Special Attack Units. In 1954, it became a supply depot for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, with the 4th Air Corps relocating from Ozuki Garrison in 1956.The 4th Air Corps became the 4th Squadron, a subordinate unit of the Western Air Corps in 1962. In 1968, the Western Helicopter Squadron was established. This was followed by the 3rd Anti-Tank Helicopter Squadron in 1990. The squadron was equipped with AH-64D Apache from 2010.

On February 5, 2018 an AH-64D Apache based at Metabaru crashed in nearby Kanzaki, Saga. Both crew members were killed in the crash, a local person was injured and a house was destroyed.^[2][3][4][5]

References

1. AIS Japan Archived 2016-05-17 at the Portuguese Web Archive
2. "SDF helicopter crashes, goes up in flames in Saga residential area". Asahi Shimbun. February 5, 2018. Archived from the original on February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
3. "Japanese Apache helicopter crashes in residential area of Saga Prefecture". Japan Times. February 5, 2018. Archived from the original on February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
4. "GSDF helicopter had main rotor replaced before crash". Japan Times. February 5, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
5. "Onodera mum on Osprey deployment plan in Saga after helicopter crash". Mainichi Shimbun. February 12, 2018. Archived from the original on February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.

External links

Media related to JGSDF Camp Metabaru at Wikimedia Commons

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