The first two F-15Js (#801/802) were built by McDonnell Douglas and made their first flights at St.Louis on 04/18JUN80 respectively.
These two were delivered to JASDF in July 1980 and arrived in Japan (Gifu AB./flown by USAF pilots) from St.Louis in 27MAR81.
The following 8 F-15J single-seaters (#803-#810) were knock-down assembled by Mitsubishi at their Komaki Plant during 1981-82.
The remaining 155 F-15Js (#811-#965) were licence-built by Mitsubishi's Komaki Plant during 1982-1998.
A total of 12 F-15DJ two-seaters (#051-#062) were built by McDonnell Douglas and delivered to JASDF during 1981-1985. The remaining 36
F-15DJ two-seaters (#063-#098) were licence-built by Mitsubishi and delivered to JASDF during 1988-1999.
A total of seven fighter-intercepter squadrons were re-equipped with F-15J Eagle between 1982 and 1997. They are 201st, 203rd,
204th, 303rd, 304th, 305th and 306th Sqdns, and they all are still in active service. In 1990 the Aggressor Sqdn was also re-equipped
with F-15 from Mitsubishi T-2. The F-15 conversion training sqdn, the 23rd Sqdn, was newly formed at Nyutabaru on 06OCT00.
日本のマニアの皆様にとっては良くご存知のF-15ですので、日本語での解説文は割愛させていただきます。小生は1990年以降ほとんど自衛隊機の撮影が出来なかったため、
ほんの限られたF-15の写真しかここに掲載出来ませんこと悪しからず。
201st Squadron 第201飛行隊
The 201st Sqdn with F-104J/DJ was disbanded at Chitose on 01OCT74. The 201st was re-formed at Chitose under the 2nd Air Wing with F-15J/DJ Eagle on 19MAR86.
The 201st is still in active service with F-15 Eagle at Chitose. The tail marking of the 201st on their F-15 Eagle is a bear as seen on the photo at left.
The home base of the 201st is located in Hokkaido and the bear is a symbolical wild animal inhabited in Hokkaido.
.
F-15DJ
82-8066
@ Misawa
04JUN89
(above photo) I took the above photo of F-15DJ #066 at Misawa airshow on 04JUN89. The #066 was taxing out from the display ramp on its way returning to Chitose Air Base.
(上写真）1989年の三沢航空祭で写しました。航空祭が終了し、展示エリアから千歳基地に帰投すべくタキシングを始めたところです。
.
202nd Squadron 第202飛行隊
The 202nd Sqdn was originally a F-104 squadron formed on 31MAR64 at Nyutabaru. On 17DEC81 Provisional F-15 Sqdn. was formed at Nyutabaru within the 5th Air Wing with four F-15DJs and
a single F-15J. This unit was re-organized and became the NEW 202nd Squadron on 21DEC82. This NEW 202nd Sqdn was the first F-15 squadron within the JASDF undertaking conversion training
for the F-15. At the same time, all of the survived F-104s had left the 202nd. The new tail-marking for the 202nd Sqdn., shown on the photo at left. is a "Bujin-Haniwa", or a clay image
of a warrior, excavated from an ancient tomb called a "Kofun", and there is a famous Kofun called "Saitobaru-Kofun" near Nyutabaru AB, the home of the 202nd. This "Bujin-Haniwa" marking
came from the squadron badge of the 202nd.
.
F-15DJ
22-8056
@ Yokota
02JUL83
F-15J
12-8803
@ Hyakuri
31OCT83
F-15DJ
22-8056
@ Tsuiki
06NOV83
(above three photos)
At the beginning (until 1983), the F-15J/DJ did NOT have its nose number, the last three digits of the serial number, as shown on the above three photos taken in 1983. The top photo shows a
F-15DJ (#056) displayed at Yokota open house in July 1983. The USAF F-15C (18TFW from Kadena) is seen on the background. The bottom photo shows the same F-15J #056 as on the top photo which
was displayed at Tsuiki airshow in November 1983.
(上3枚）F-15の配備当初（1984年初め頃まで？）は機首に機番（シリアルの下三桁）を記入していませんでした。上の写真３枚は1983年に撮影しましたが、いずれも機首の機番が有りません。現在の目で見るとちょっと
間が抜けた印象を受けますね。最上段の写真は横田オープンハウスで、また最下段の写真は築城航空祭で地上展示されたF-15DJの同じ056号機です。
.
F-15DJ
22-8056
@ Hyakuri
01JUL84
F-15J
72-8880
@ Nyutabaru
26NOV89
(photos at above and at left)
In 1984 the nose number (the last three digits of the seiral number) was added/painted on all the F-15J/DJs as shown on the above photos. The photo immediate above shows a F-15J #880 displayed
at Nyutabaru airshow in November 1989. This aircraft participated in the JASDF's annual Fighter Meet held in 1989 and the photo at left shows its special marking for the Fighter Meet seen on
the F-15J #880 shown immediate above.
(上2枚と左写真）最上段の写真は1984年7月に百里で写した056号機です。前年（83年）に写した同じ056号機の写真２枚を１つ上の段に貼り付けましたが、84年に機首の機番（056）が新たに記入されたことが
わかります。直ぐ上の写真の880号機は89年の新田原航空祭で展示された機体です。この880号機は89年戦競参加機で、左の写真は同機のインテーク脇の戦競用マークです。
.
203rd Squadron 第203飛行隊
The 203nd Sqdn was originally a F-104 squadron formed on 25JUN64 at Chitose, Hokkaido. Began re-equipment with F-15J/DJ Eagle in April 1983 (received the first two Eagles on 13APR83),
and completed the re-equipment on 24MAR84. The 203rd is still in active service under the 2nd Air Wing at Chitose, Hokkaido. The tail-marking for the 203rd's F-15 is the same marking
as the one used on their F-104J.
.
F-15J
22-8806
@ Hyakuri
28OCT84
F-15J
42-8828
@ Hyakuri
28OCT84
F-15DJ
32-8059
@ Hyakuri
28OCT84
(above three photos)
I took the above three taxing shots at Hyakuri on 28OCT84. Please note that they all carried three external fuel tanks under the wing and fuselage.
(上3枚）いずれも84年の自衛隊観閲式に参加するために百里に飛来してきた203飛行隊のF-15を『くノ一』で撮影したものです。いずれも3本タンクをぶら下げています。
.
204th Squadron 第204飛行隊
The 204th Sqdn was originally a F-104 squadron formed on 01DEC64 at Nyutabaru. The 204th moved from Nyutabaru (5th Air Wing) to Hyakuri (7th Air Wing) on 02MAR85 and the unit was
re-equiped with the F-15J/DJ at the same time. In fact, they received the first two F-15Js in advance at Hyakuri on 16APR84. The 204th was transferred from Hyakuri to Naha/Okinawa
in January 2009 and they are still in active service at Naha with F-15J/DJ. The tail-marking of the 204th on their F-15 is an eagle's head.
.
F-15J
42-8836
@ Hyakuri
07JUN85
F-15J
42-8838
@ Hyakuri
07MAR86
F-15J
62-8872
@ Hyakuri
23JUL87
F-15J
52-8845
@ Hyakuri
23JUL87
(above four photos)
I took the above four taxing shots at Hyakuri between 1985 and 1987. Please note that the F-15Js #872 & #845 shown on the bottom two photos carried AIM-9L/M AAM
on the inboard launcher of the wing pylon.
(上4枚）いずれも85〜87年の当時に百里の誘導路脇で撮影したものです。最上段の836号機には翼下パイロンの外側にAIM-9のキャプティブ弾のような青いポッドが認められます。また、下段2枚の
872号機と845号機の翼下パイロン（内側）にはAIM-9L/Mの弾体が装備されています。
.
F-15J
62-8864
@ Komatsu
25JUL86
F-15J
62-8877
@ Hyakuri
12NOV95
(above two photos)
The top photo shows a F-15J #864 displayed at Komatsu airshow in July 1986. The #864 on the photo was towed away after the airshow in order to prepare for returning to its homebase, Hyakuri.
The bottom photo was taken at Hyakuri airshow in November 1995. The F-15J #877 on the bottom photo participated in the JASDF's annual Fighter Meet in 1995. Please note that the serial
number on the fin and its nose number are black shadowed with white. Also this a/c carried the nose art (details unknown).
(上2枚）上段の写真は86年の小松航空祭で展示されていたF-15Jです。航空祭終了後に帰投準備のため展示エリアからトーイングされているところです。下段の写真は95年の百里航空祭で写しました。この機体
は当年の戦競参加機だと思いますが、シリアルや機首番号に白のシャドーが描かれています。またこの写真では細部が判明しませんが、ノーズアートが描かれています。
.
F-15DJ
12-8052
@ Hyakuri
28OCT84
F-15DJ
12-8052
@ Iruma
03NOV84
(above two photos)
The above photos show F-15DJ #052 two-seater taxing at Hyakuri (top photo) and at Iruma (bottom photo) in 1984. F-15 seldom visited Iruma AB but the bottom photo was taken at the end of the
airshow and the F-15DJ #052 was on its way returning back to Hyakuri AB.
(上2枚）いずれも1984年秋に撮影した同隊の052号機ですが、上段の写真は百里の『くノ一』で、下段の写真は入間のR/W35側の高台から写しました。下段写真の052号機は航空祭での地上展示が終わり百里へ帰投
するところです。
.
303rd Squadron 第303飛行隊
The 303rd Sqdn was originally a F-4EJ squadron formed on 266OCT76 at Komatsu within the 6th Air Wing. The 303rd was re-equipped with F-15J/DJ on 01DEC87, and the unit is still in
active service at Komatsu AB. The dragon marking designed for the F-4EJ in 1981 was carried over to their F-15s.
.
F-15DJ
22-8055
@ Komatsu
18AUG87
F-15DJ
22-8055
@ Yokota
06SEP87
(above two photos)
The above photos show F-15DJ #055 two-seater taken at Komatsu (top photo) and at Yokota (bottom photo) both in 1987. The bottom #055 was on static display at Yokota airshow.
(上2枚）いずれも1987年夏に撮影した同隊の055号機ですが、上段の写真は小松の列線で、下段の写真は横田公開日に写しました。
.