In 1970, as 1st Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps I was assigned as a test pilot at
Nippon Aircraft Corporation in Atsugi Japan.
NIPPI, as the company was known, performed major periodic rework on CH-46 helicopters.
Aircraft were flown to Atsugi and NIPPI would completely disassemble and overhaul these aircraft. My job was to test CH-46s after they were rebuilt and make sure they were in "Like New Condition" and safe to fly. If they passed the flight tests they were accepted back to the Marine Corps.
Mag-36 maintained a 3 bird detachment at Atsugi to provide medevac and logistical support for the Marine Artillery Training Base at the base of Mount Fuji.
The Fuji Detachment was affectionately called "HANK'S HAULERS" after our super OIC, Major Hank Kunkel. Our motto was "You Call - We Haul".
NIPPI, as the company was known, performed major periodic rework on CH-46 helicopters.
Aircraft were flown to Atsugi and NIPPI would completely disassemble and overhaul these aircraft. My job was to test CH-46s after they were rebuilt and make sure they were in "Like New Condition" and safe to fly. If they passed the flight tests they were accepted back to the Marine Corps.
Mag-36 maintained a 3 bird detachment at Atsugi to provide medevac and logistical support for the Marine Artillery Training Base at the base of Mount Fuji.
The Fuji Detachment was affectionately called "HANK'S HAULERS" after our super OIC, Major Hank Kunkel. Our motto was "You Call - We Haul".
Battle weary CH-46's were shipped from Vietnam on barges to Okinawa. We flew these very
sick birds from Futema, Okinawa to Atsugi, Japan for Overhaul at NIPPI.
With aircraft filled with internal fuel tanks we would make it to the most Southern tip of Japan with minutes of fuel remaining depending on winds!
After an overnight and refuel at MCAS Iwakuni we continued on to Atsugi - just South of Tokyo and East of Yokohama.
With aircraft filled with internal fuel tanks we would make it to the most Southern tip of Japan with minutes of fuel remaining depending on winds!
After an overnight and refuel at MCAS Iwakuni we continued on to Atsugi - just South of Tokyo and East of Yokohama.
Two shots of NIPPI mechanics on the flight line at Atsugi...
151920 engine start up at Camp Fuji
151957 at Futema, Okinawa
153400 Undergoing Overhaul at Atsugi, 1970
154026 Undergoing Overhaul at Atsugi, 1970
151915 at Fuji Detachment bird in 1970, Atsugi
154011 at Fuji Detachment bird in 1970, Atsugi
152535 at MAG-36 Fuji Det
156454
from HMMT-302 made an emergency landing on the cliffs above
Big Sur California after the APU had a slight fire.
Aircraft was in route to San Fransisco...., 1969
See also:
Database: HC-1 at Atsugi
