After over 50 years of continuous service with the U.S. Air Force at Yokota Air Base, Tokyo, the 459th Airlift Squadron has now flown the type’s final missions over the Japanese capital.

The 459th Airlift Squadron, part of Yokota’s 374th Airlift Wing, carries out a range of utility taskings in the region including passenger, light cargo and VIP airlift, medical evacuations, and search and rescue. The squadron has been equipped with a fleet of C-12J Huron fixed wing aircraft and UH-1N Huey helicopters for the mission, but their venerable and iconic Huey helicopters will now bow out of official service in September.

In late August, the squadron completed a traditional ‘fini-flight’ to say farewell to the base and to Tokyo, intended to be the Huey’s last mission before officially being with

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