Buzz number

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This F-100 has the buzz number "FW-754" on its nose. F-100.jpg
This F-100 has the buzz number "FW-754" on its nose.

Buzz number is a term applied to the large letter and number combination applied to United States Air Force military aircraft in the years immediately after World War II, through the early 1960s. This moniker evolved from aircrew speculation that the large numbers were meant to dissuade "buzzing" (very-low-altitude high-speed passes over populated areas) by increasing the likelihood of being identified and punished. [ citation needed ]

Contents

The first two letters of a buzz number indicated the type and designation of an aircraft while the last three were generally the last three digits of the aircraft serial number. Air Force fighters used buzz numbers starting with the letter F (or P, when fighters were designated as "pursuit" aircraft before June 1948), while bombers started with the letter B. For example, a P-51 Mustang would have a buzz number such as FF-230 while an F-86 Sabre might be FU-910. A B-66 Destroyer would have a buzz number such as BB-222. One of the last Air Force fighters to carry a buzz number was the F-4 Phantom II (FJ), then called the F-110 Spectre by the Air Force.

List of buzz codes

A P-82 Twin Mustang with a buzz number near its tail 523d FES North American F-82E Twin Mustang 46-332.jpg
A P-82 Twin Mustang with a buzz number near its tail
Douglas F-24 Banshee in 1950, with 'AA' buzz number A-24A Jun 1950 051121-F-1234P-008.jpg
Douglas F-24 Banshee in 1950, with 'AA' buzz number
'FX-' code on Lockheed YF-12; possibly the last buzz number Lockheed YF-12A buzz number.png
'FX-' code on Lockheed YF-12; possibly the last buzz number

This table lists U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army aircraft by buzz-number prefix. Note that some aircraft types changed prefixes during their career, while other prefixes were re-used after an earlier type was retired.

Code nameManufacturerAircraftNotes
AA Douglas A-24/F-24 Banshee [1]
AB Curtiss A-25 Shrike [1]
ACDouglas A-26 Invader recoded BC in 1948 [1]
AD Vultee A-31 Vengeance [1]
AE Convair XA-41 [1]
BA Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress [1]
BA Martin B-57 Canberra [1]
BBDouglas XB-19 [1]
BBDouglas B-66 Destroyer [1]
BC Consolidated B-24 Liberator [1]
BCDouglas B-26 Invader originally AC [1]
BD North American B-25 Mitchell [1]
BENorth American B-45 Tornado recoded BH in 1948 [1]
BFBoeing B-29 Superfortress [1]
BGConsolidated B-32 Dominator [1]
BG Northrop XB-35 [1]
BH Lockheed B-37 Ventura [1]
BHNorth AmericanB-45 Tornadooriginally BE [1]
BJBoeing XB-39 Superfortress [1]
BKDouglas XB-42 Mixmaster [1]
BKBoeing B-50 Superfortress [1]
BLBoeing XB-44 Superfortress [1]
BMConvair B-36 Peacemaker [1]
CA Beechcraft CQ-3 Expeditor [1]
CADouglas C-124 Globemaster II [1]
CBBeechcraft UC-43 Traveler
CCBeechcraft C-45 Expeditor
CDCurtiss C-46 Commando
CEDouglas C-47 Skytrain [1]
CFDouglas C-48
CGDouglas C-49
CHDouglas C-53 Skytrooper
CJDouglas C-54 Skymaster [1]
CKLockheed C-60 Lodestar
CL Noorduyn UC-64 Norseman
CMLockheed C-69 Constellation
CNDouglas C-74 Globemaster [1]
CP Cessna UC-78 Bobcat [1]
CPConvair C-131 Samaritan [1]
CQ Fairchild C-82 Packet [1]
CQFairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar [1]
CRConsolidated C-87 Liberator Express [1]
CSBoeing C-97 Stratofreighter/KC-97 Stratofreighter [1]
CTConvair XC-99 [1]
CUDouglas C-117 Skytrooper [1]
CVDouglas C-118 Liftmaster [1]
CWLockheed C-121 Constellation [1]
CY Chase YC-122 Avitruc [1]
CZChase C-123 Provider [1] [2]
CZFairchild C-123 Provider [1]
FABeechcraft F-2 Expeditor cancelled 1948 [1]
FBLockheed F-5 Lightning cancelled 1948 [1]
FCNorth American F-6 Mustang cancelled 1948, to FF [1]
FDConsolidated F-7 Liberator cancelled 1948 [1]
FEBoeing F-9 Flying Fortress cancelled 1948, to BA [1]
FFNorth American F-10 Mitchell cancelled 1948, to BD [1]
FGBoeing F-13 Superfortress cancelled 1948, to BF [1]
FHNorthrop F-15 Reporter cancelled 1948, to FK [1]
FNorthrop N-156F [3]
FALockheed F-38 Lightning previously PA [1]
FALockheed F-94 Starfire [1]
FANorthrop F-5 Freedom Fighter [1] [4]
FB Bell F-39 Airacobra previously PB [1]
FB McDonnell F-101 Voodoo [1]
FCCurtiss F-40 Warhawk previously PC [1]
FCConvair F-102 Delta Dagger [1]
FDRepublic XF-103 [1]
FERepublic F-47 Thunderbolt previously PE [1]
FEConvair F-106 Delta Dart [1]
FFNorth American F-51 Mustang previously PF [1]
FGLockheed F-104 Starfighter [1]
FH Republic F-105 Thunderchief [1]
FJBell F-59 Airacomet previously PJ [1]
FJMcDonnell F-110 Spectre [1]
FKNorthrop F-61 Black Widow previously PK [1]
FLBell F-63 Kingcobra previously PL [1]
FNLockheed F-80 Shooting Star previously PL, recoded FT [1]
FPConvair XF-81 previously PP [1]
FQNorth American F-82 Twin Mustang previously PQ [1]
FRBell XF-83 previously PR [1]
FSRepublic F-84 Thunderjet previously PS [1]
FTLockheed F-80 Shooting Star previously PN, FN [1]
QFTLockheed QF-80 Shooting Star [1]
FUNorth American F-86 Sabre previously PU [1]
FVNorthrop Northrop F-89 Scorpion [1]
FWNorth American F-100 Super Sabre [1]
FXLockheed YF-12 Blackbird [5] Unofficial?
FYNorth American YF-93
FYNorth American YF-95 recoded FU
GA Waco PG-2 [1]
GBWaco PG-3 [1]
GCWaco CG-4 [1]
GD Laister-Kauffman XCG-10 Trojan Horse [1]
GEWaco CG-13 [1]
GFChase YCG-14 [1]
GGWaco CG-15 [1]
GHChase XCG-18 [1]
GJChase XCG-20 [1]
JTCessna YAT-37D [6]
LA Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper [1]
LA Piper L-4 Grasshopper originally LC [1]
LB Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper [1]
LB Stinson L-5 Sentinel originally LD [1]
LC Piper L-4 Grasshopper recoded LA [1]
LCAeronca L-16 originally LH [1]
LB Stinson L-5 Sentinel recoded LB [1]
LD Ryan L-17B/U-18B Navion See LJ for North American L-17A/C, U-18A/C [1]
LE Interstate L-6 Cadet [1]
LEBoeing L-15 Scout [1]
LEPiper L-18 Super Cub [1]
LFPiper L-14 [1]
LFCessna L-19 Bird Dog [1]
LGConvair L-13 Grasshopper [1]
LG de Havilland Canada L-20 Beaver [1]
LHAeronca L-16 recoded LC [1]
LHPiper L-21 Super Cub [1]
LJ North American L-17A/C, U-18A/C Navion See LD for Ryan L-17B, U-18B [1]
LJBeechcraft L-23 Seminole [1]
LK Aero Commander L-26 [1]
OA Grumman OA-9 Goose [1]
OBConsolidated OA-10 Catalina [1]
OCNorth American O-47 [1]
OD Kellett YO-60 [1]
OEBoeing PB2B-1 Catalina [6]
PALockheed P-38 Lightning recoded FA in 1948 [1]
PB Bell P-39 Airacobra recoded FB in 1948 [1]
PCCurtiss P-40 Warhawk recoded FC in 1948 [1]
PDCurtiss XP-42 [1]
PERepublic P-47 Thunderbolt recoded FE in 1948 [1]
PFNorth American P-51 Mustang recoded FF in 1948 [1]
PGCurtiss XP-55 Ascender [1]
PHLockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning [1]
PJBell P-59 Airacomet recoded FJ in 1948 [1]
PKNorthrop P-61 Black Widow recoded FK in 1948 [1]
PLBell P-63 Kingcobra recoded FL in 1948 [1]
PM Fisher P-75 Eagle [1]
PNLockheed P-80 Shooting Star recoded FT in 1948 [1]
PPConvair XP-81 recoded FP in 1948 [1]
PQNorth American P-82 Twin Mustang recoded FQ in 1948 [1]
PRBell XP-83 recoded FR in 1948 [1]
PSRepublic P-84 Thunderjet recoded FS in 1948 [1]
PUNorth American P-86 Sabre recoded FU in 1948 [1]
QF Piasecki H-21 Workhorse [6]
QKCulver Q-14 Cadet [6]
RFNorth American RF-51 Mustang [6]
TANorth American AT-6 Texan [1]
LTANorth American LT-6G Texan [1]
TBBeechcraft AT-7 Navigator [1]
TCBeechcraft AT-11 Kansan [6]
TC Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 [7]
TCConvair TF-102 Delta Dagger [8]
TDFairchild AT-21 Gunner [1]
TDBeechcraft T-34 Mentor [1]
BTEVultee BT-13 Valiant [1]
TECessna T-37 Tweet [6]
PTFBoeing PT-13 Kaydet [1]
TFNorth American TF-51 Mustang [6]
TFNorthrop T-38 Talon [6] [9]
TGBoeing PT-17 Kaydet [1]
TGLockheed TF-104 Starfighter [6]
TGNorth American T-39 Sabreliner [6]
THFairchild PT-19 [1]
TJ Culver PQ-8 Cadet [1]
TKCulver PQ-14 Cadet [6]
TLNorth American T-28 Trojan [1]
TPConvair T-29 Flying Classroom [1]
TQFairchild T-31 [1]
TRLockheed T-33 Shooting Star [6]
UG de Havilland Canada U-6 Beaver [6]
UHPiper U-7 Super Cub [6]
UK Aero Commander U-4/U-9 [6]
YFNorth American YF-93 [10]
YTCessna YAT-37D [6]

See also

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References

Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 Andrade 1979, p. 249
  2. Adcock 1992, p.7.
  3. Johnsen 2006, p.10.
  4. Johnsen 2006, p.6.
  5. Sgarlato 1979, p.82.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Swanborough and Bowers 1989, p.43.
  7. Hooftman 1965, p.59.
  8. Kinzey 1990, p.17.
  9. Johnsen 2006, p.58.
  10. "North American YF-93". Fact Sheets. National Museum of the United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2014-10-27. Retrieved 2017-07-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
Bibliography
Further reading