This small transport aircraft sounds like a DC9 because it has the same engines.

The highlight of my visit to the Gifu AB Air Festival 2009.This shot isn't quite as simple as it looks - there are many Japanese people kneeling and squatting down to get out of my shot. To ask them all to do this, whilst not speaking much Japanese was quite a feat in logistics!

Based on the successful Kawasaki C-1 transport, this was a one-off Quiet STOL research aircraft, developed by the National Aerospace Laboratory. Powered by four FRJ710 turbofan engines and making use of the Coandă effect. It was built to research STOL using upper surface blowing, aircraft noise reduction, fly-by-wire systems and composite materials construction and is now displayed at the Kakamigahara Aerospace Museum outside Gifu Air Base. The small Japanese 航空宇宙技術研究所 titles stand for National Aerospace Laboratory.

Another support aircraft for JASDF 60th Anniversary preparations. My first sight of one of these unique tranpsorts - so pleased to catch it in such nice conditions. Soon followed by a second one, both from the 403 Hikotai at Miho

A pleasing view of three of Japan's unique airlifters, now into their fifth decade, on the Iruma flightline. When the C-1 was designed, restrictions dictated that it could have enough range only to fly within Japanese airspace, but when Okinawa was returned by the US, they had difficulty in reaching that far. Extra tankage was fitted to the last five, but the number built was limited to 31 with the C-130 being procured instead. Eventually the Kawasaki C-2 is due as a replacement

One of the resident C-1s taxiing back to the 402 Hikotai ramp after flying with five others in the 2014 show

The prototype of the C-1 transport, first flown in 1970, based at the Gifu AB test centre

Three of the six C-1s which flew in the 2014 Iruma open day display