posted on Feb, 21 2014 @ 06:46 AM
Yakota Air Base saw the collapse of the 550 foot long Kawasaki Heavy Industries hangar used to repair Japanese and US P-3 Orion surveillance planes
from Naval Air Station Atsugi on Feb 15th. There were 10 aircraft in the hangar at the time, including four US Navy P-3Cs. It's not known how much
damage the aircraft suffered, but the tails of some of the aircraft can be seen poking through the top of the hangar. Several P-8A Poseidon aircraft
have deployed to Japan recently, but none of them were damaged.
The aircraft were 3 Kawasaki P-3Cs, one Kawasaki OP-3C, one Kawasaki EP-3, one Kawasaki UP-3D training aircraft, and four US Navy P-3Cs. All were
undergoing periodic maintenance checks. At least one US aircraft had the aft fuselage torn off.
Yakota has seen 35 inches of snow fall on it this month, with 21 inches falling the week before. The weight of the snow caused the center portion of
the hangar to collapse. The damage is preventing an assessment of the aircraft inside it. It was the worst blizzard to hit Tokyo in 45 years.
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — The condition of several U.S. Navy and Japan Self-Defense Force surveillance planes is still unknown after heavy snow
caused the roof of a hangar to collapse Saturday near Naval Air Facility Atsugi, according to U.S. and Japanese officials.
No injuries were reported in the collapse, but there is extensive damage to the building, and the 10 aircraft parked inside appear damaged as well.
“Although the immediate damage to the hangar appears extensive, the possible damage to aircraft is not currently known,” Atsugi base spokesman
Greg Kuntz said.
www.stripes.com...