Bensen in Japan

[scandtours]

Sam, a friend from Japan sent me this foto with his Bensen gyrocopter. Sam, with red overall, he is a jet acrobat pilot.

[Simon]

Hello Giorgos,

Interesting picture you have there, taken at an air & space exposition in Kagamihara (Gifu). Sam does not have a very Japanese name though....
The jets in the background are according to Wikipedia:
Blue Impulse (ブルーインパルス, Burū Inparusu?), or 11 Squadron, is the aerobatic demonstration team of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. Originally formed in 1960 as a team of six F-86 Sabres, the team switched to the Mitsubishi T-2 in 1980 and then the Kawasaki T-4 in 1995. They are based at Matsushima Air Base.
Kagamihara is close to Komaki and there must be somebody there that has a gyro.
They also have a very nice air and space museum over there, but I told them that
the museum is not complete without a gyro. There is a Bensen_VW in the small
museum at the old Nagoya airport of Komaki.

There are quite a bit of gyro's in Japan, somewhere between 100 and 120, but only about 40 are flying, according to the members of the Boso Gyroclub (Chiba, near Tokyo)
I spend a couple of sundays there together with my friend Akira Miyazaki (Aircommand)
watching several Bensen type gyros and a Dominator. You need to have a medical
and permission from the local mayor to fly in as designated area, next to a river or in a
quarry in the Boso club case.
If you look under mkokubun in Youtube you can see somebody flying the noth part of Japan.
A very special Japanese gyro person is Onoda-san, who even recieved a medal from
the International Aeronautical Federation for spreading the gyro faith accross Japan.
He builds gyro's and parts with an amazing precision, real artworks! He's also a gyro flight instructor. Hope to meet him agan in April/May this year, the only problem is
my total lack of Japanese and his of English....Last time he was buiding a tractor
type gyro, so I guess I have to have a look if it's already finished.

Simon

[Harry_S.]

I really can't make those Jets out too good but they look a lot like the McDonnell F-4?! Tandem canopies, a large swept back vertical with antennae at the top.


Cheers :)

[gbjunkie]

Mitsubishi T-2's I believe.


Jody

[scandtours]

Simon
You are right and that what San wrote to me in his letter. Sam was the agent for Bensen in Japan if I rememer correct.
Heres one more photo of him flying onother Bensen gyro. I like it.
Giorgos

[Simon]

Nice newyears card, 13 years ago already, time flies when you're having fun.....
Sam's name doesn't sound very Japanese. Is he still flying and do you know where
he lives in Japan?

Simon

[scandtours]

Nice newyears card, 13 years ago already, time flies when you're having fun.....
Sam's name doesn't sound very Japanese. Is he still flying and do you know where
he lives in Japan?

Simon

Yes, I will send a pm with his address and tel. no.
Giorgos

[Rick Whittridge]

They are still active in Japan with the Gyros. I received a request from them about info on my Ignition for the Macs. It seems the Real gyro pilots in Japan still fly the Mac!

[scandtours]

Mitsubishi T-2's I believe.


Jody


No, it's a Bensen gyrocopter....joking..:wave: