Aircraft designation - The Firearms Forum

hkruss · 05-20-2009, 08:41 PM

So we all know how each military aircraft has a number designation preceded by a letter or even several letters, ex. F-15, B-52, EA-6 etc...
What I am curious about specifically are some of the letter designations. I know F is for Fighter, B =Bomber, A =Attack, K =Re fueler, C =Cargo

What are some of the other letter designations you can think of, and what do they stand for?

M=?
Q=?
etc...

ilovenxstage · 05-20-2009, 09:16 PM

AH = Attack helicopter
UH = Utility helicopter (I think)
CH = Cargo helicopter

In WWII, fighter planes were designated with a P (P-40, P-51, etc), which stood for Pursuit.

LurpyGeek · 05-20-2009, 10:18 PM

Q = Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

M = Multi-Mission

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962_Un...gnation_system

Most broad types of aircraft use the more common designations. F = Fighter, B = Bomber. Some of the types that are more specialized and few in number use more uncommon designations. SR-71 (Strategic Reconnaissance), U-2 (Utility).

Some dedicated bombers were given fighter designations because fighters are sexier and that way they could get pilots to fly them and sell the project to the politicians. (F-111, F-117).

Charlie the sniper · 05-22-2009, 01:50 AM

F.Q = SR 71 Blackbird ............the Q is for quick

islenos · 05-22-2009, 12:56 PM

RC reconnaissance aircraft
KC refueling aircraft
FB fighter bomber

Anchor Clanker · 05-23-2009, 01:39 PM

Back in the early days (before WW II) and slightly after, the different services used different ways of identifying aircraft. For example, the Air Force called it a C-47 while the Navy called the same aircraft a R4D and the Air Force C-119 was a R4Q2 for the Marines. Now can anyone tell me what a ZPG-2W was? I flew on one as a crew member. Answer-------- a blimp, Z-- Zepplin, P----Patrol, G----Goodyear (the maker),2- second model made, W---- early warning, it had long range and height finding radar installed.

citydesk175 · 06-07-2009, 08:47 PM

us army designation systems 1924
at advanced trainer
bt basic trainer
c transport
f photographic
L liason
o observation
r rotary wing

1948
c transport
h helicopter
t trainer
u utility
v vert take off/landing
x research

1956
ac airplane cargo
ao airplane observation
au airplane utility
hc helicopter cargo
ho h........... observation
HU h.......... utility
vz vert to/landibing research a/c

more next time
CD175

Pistolenschutze · 06-07-2009, 09:53 PM

I think they sometimes use FUBAR to designate aircraft in the early stages of development.

citydesk175 · 06-07-2009, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pistolenschutze

I think they sometimes use FUBAR to designate aircraft in the early stages of development.

or FUBB (fouled up beyond belief)

21bravo · 06-08-2009, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pistolenschutze

I think they sometimes use FUBAR to designate aircraft in the early stages of development.

Quote:

Originally Posted by citydesk175

or FUBB (fouled up beyond belief)

no no.. you fellas are getting those confused for SNAFU.

SITUATION NORMAL : ALL "FOULED" UP

Pistolenschutze · 06-08-2009, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 21bravo

no no.. you fellas are getting those confused for SNAFU.

SITUATION NORMAL : ALL "FOULED" UP

And then for the poor pilots who have to test fly them, it's BOHICA.

Tom · 06-16-2009, 02:44 PM

EA is electronic attack. EA-6B, EA-18G (replacing the EA-6B)
EF-111 was electronic attack version of the F-111.

While it doesn't show up in the designations, there are several types of fighters: interceptors, fighter bombers, day VFR fighters, all weather fighters, point defense fighters, Fleet defense fighters, to name a few. Some aircraft fit into multiple categories.

armedandsafe · 06-16-2009, 03:01 PM

I worked on L-19, H-13, H-34, H19, U1A and SOBs. That last one was the L-19s that they installed the ARC-44 behind the center weight in the tail. The only one who could get to it without taking skin off the airplane was somebody who weighed less than 100 lbs. So, you had a choice of taking off the skin of the plane or taking off the skin of your back and knees.

We changed that with the new installation for avionics in Europe. The shop guys in Ft Rucker were not pleased with us, and proceeded to call us nasty names, as they had to call in all the CONUS craft and retrofit them. That bothered us,

Pops

05-20-2009, 08:41 PM	#1
hkruss Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Mobile, Al. Posts: 1,092	Aircraft designation So we all know how each military aircraft has a number designation preceded by a letter or even several letters, ex. F-15, B-52, EA-6 etc... What I am curious about specifically are some of the letter designations. I know F is for Fighter, B =Bomber, A =Attack, K =Re fueler, C =Cargo What are some of the other letter designations you can think of, and what do they stand for? M=? Q=? etc... __________________ obama - "non gratum anus rodentum" -->

05-20-2009, 09:16 PM	#2
ilovenxstage V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 147	Re: Aircraft designation AH = Attack helicopter UH = Utility helicopter (I think) CH = Cargo helicopter In WWII, fighter planes were designated with a P (P-40, P-51, etc), which stood for Pursuit. __________________ 1938 Mosin Nagant 91/30 H. Schmidt 22 revolver Heritage Rough Rider .22 revolver Marlin 25 .22 rifle NEF Pardner 12ga shotgun Winchester 1200 12ga shotgun CVA Buckhorn .50 muzzleloader "A gun is not a weapon, Marge. It's a tool. Like a butcher knife...or a harpoon, or......an alligator!" -Homer Simpson "Don't push it under the rug, don't forget it, because it's going to happen again." -Josephine Harris, 9/11 survivor

05-20-2009, 10:18 PM	#3
LurpyGeek Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UT Posts: 1,436	Re: Aircraft designation Q = Unmanned Aerial Vehicle M = Multi-Mission http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962_Un...gnation_system Most broad types of aircraft use the more common designations. F = Fighter, B = Bomber. Some of the types that are more specialized and few in number use more uncommon designations. SR-71 (Strategic Reconnaissance), U-2 (Utility). Some dedicated bombers were given fighter designations because fighters are sexier and that way they could get pilots to fly them and sell the project to the politicians. (F-111, F-117). __________________ Knowing is half the battle... Of course, the other half is violence.

05-22-2009, 01:50 AM	#4
Charlie the sniper Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: England, thats the USN aircraft carrier near europe. Posts: 751	Re: Aircraft designation F.Q = SR 71 Blackbird ............the Q is for quick __________________ Never Forget, the price paid for Freedom.

05-22-2009, 12:56 PM	#5
islenos Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: West Texas Posts: 1,244	Re: Aircraft designation RC reconnaissance aircraft KC refueling aircraft FB fighter bomber __________________

05-23-2009, 01:39 PM	#6
Anchor Clanker V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vacaville,California Posts: 196	Re: Aircraft designation Back in the early days (before WW II) and slightly after, the different services used different ways of identifying aircraft. For example, the Air Force called it a C-47 while the Navy called the same aircraft a R4D and the Air Force C-119 was a R4Q2 for the Marines. Now can anyone tell me what a ZPG-2W was? I flew on one as a crew member. Answer-------- a blimp, Z-- Zepplin, P----Patrol, G----Goodyear (the maker),2- second model made, W---- early warning, it had long range and height finding radar installed.

06-07-2009, 08:47 PM	#7
citydesk175 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 32	Re: Aircraft designation us army designation systems 1924 at advanced trainer bt basic trainer c transport f photographic L liason o observation r rotary wing 1948 c transport h helicopter t trainer u utility v vert take off/landing x research 1956 ac airplane cargo ao airplane observation au airplane utility hc helicopter cargo ho h........... observation HU h.......... utility vz vert to/landibing research a/c more next time CD175

06-07-2009, 09:53 PM	#8
Pistolenschutze Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 13,094	Re: Aircraft designation I think they sometimes use FUBAR to designate aircraft in the early stages of development. __________________ --Pistolenschutze (Pistol Shooter)

06-16-2009, 02:44 PM	#12
Tom V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 197	Re: Aircraft designation EA is electronic attack. EA-6B, EA-18G (replacing the EA-6B) EF-111 was electronic attack version of the F-111. While it doesn't show up in the designations, there are several types of fighters: interceptors, fighter bombers, day VFR fighters, all weather fighters, point defense fighters, Fleet defense fighters, to name a few. Some aircraft fit into multiple categories.

06-16-2009, 03:01 PM	#13
armedandsafe Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Moses Lake, WA Posts: 10,344	Re: Aircraft designation I worked on L-19, H-13, H-34, H19, U1A and SOBs. That last one was the L-19s that they installed the ARC-44 behind the center weight in the tail. The only one who could get to it without taking skin off the airplane was somebody who weighed less than 100 lbs. So, you had a choice of taking off the skin of the plane or taking off the skin of your back and knees. We changed that with the new installation for avionics in Europe. The shop guys in Ft Rucker were not pleased with us, and proceeded to call us nasty names, as they had to call in all the CONUS craft and retrofit them. That bothered us, Pops