World War II Allied names for Japanese aircraft

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Identification chart of Japanese aircraft WW2 Japanese Aircraft Poster Chart Newsmap Vol 2 No 17 1943-08-16 US Government National Archives NARA Unrestricted Public domain 26-nm-2-17 002.jpg
Identification chart of Japanese aircraft
Mitsubishi G3M aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy were nicknamed "Nell" by Allied forces during World War II. G3M Type 96 Attack Bomber Nell G3M-18s.jpg
Mitsubishi G3M aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy were nicknamed "Nell" by Allied forces during World War II.

The World War II Allied names for Japanese aircraft were reporting names, often described as codenames, given by Allied personnel to Imperial Japanese aircraft during the Pacific campaign of World War II. The names were used by Allied personnel to identify aircraft operated by the Japanese for reporting and descriptive purposes. Generally, Western men's names were given to fighter aircraft, women's names to bombers, transports, and reconnaissance aircraft, bird names to gliders, and tree names to trainer aircraft.

Contents

The use of the names, from their origin in mid-1942, became widespread among Allied forces from early 1943 until the end of the war in 1945. Many subsequent Western histories of the war have continued to use the names.

History

During the first year of the Pacific War beginning on 7 December 1941, Allied personnel often struggled to quickly, succinctly, and accurately identify Japanese aircraft encountered in combat. They found the Japanese designation system bewildering and awkward, as it allocated two names to each aircraft. One was the manufacturer's alphanumeric project code, and the other was the official military designation, which consisted of a description of the aircraft plus the year it entered service. For example, the military designation of the Mitsubishi A5M fighter was the "Navy Type 96 Carrier Fighter". Type 96 meant that the aircraft had entered service in Imperial year 2596, equivalent to Gregorian calendar year 1936. Other aircraft, however, which had entered service the same year carried the same type number; aircraft such as the Type 96 Carrier Bomber and the Type 96 Land Attack Bomber. [1] Adding to the confusion, the US Army and US Navy each had their own different systems for identifying Japanese aircraft. [2]

In mid-1942, Captain Frank T. McCoy, a United States Army Air Forces military intelligence officer from the 38th Bombardment Group assigned to the Allied Technical Air Intelligence Unit in Australia, set out to devise a simpler method for identifying Japanese aircraft. Together with Technical Sergeant Francis M. Williams and Corporal Joseph Grattan, McCoy divided the Japanese aircraft into two categories; fighters and everything else. He gave boys' names to the fighters, and girls' names to the others. Later, training aircraft were named after trees, [3] [4] single engine reconnaissance aircraft were given men's names and multi-engine aircraft of the same type were given women's names. Transports were given girls' names that all began with the letter "T". Gliders were given the names of birds. [2]

A6M3-32 "Hamp" fighters A6M3 Model32-common.jpg
A6M3-32 "Hamp" fighters

McCoy's system quickly caught on and spread to other US and Allied units throughout the Pacific theater. By the end of 1942, all American forces in the Pacific and east Asia had begun using McCoy's system, and British Commonwealth nations adopted the system shortly thereafter. The list eventually included 122 names and was used until the end of World War II. To this day, many Western historical accounts of the Pacific War still use McCoy's system to identify Japanese aircraft. [2] [5]

In an effort to make the names sound somewhat comical, McCoy gave many of the aircraft 'hillbilly' names, such as "Zeke" and "Rufe," that he had encountered while growing up in Tennessee. [6] Others were given names of people the creators of the system knew personally; the Mitsubishi G4M bomber, with its large gun blisters was named "Betty" in homage to a busty female friend of Williams. The Aichi D3A "Val" got its name from an Australian Army sergeant. [7]

Not all of McCoy's chosen names caught on. Many Allied personnel continued calling the Mitsubishi Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter "Zero" instead of McCoy's name of "Zeke." Also, McCoy's name for an upgraded version of the Zero, "Hap," in tribute to US Army general Henry H. Arnold, had to be changed to "Hamp" when it was learned that Arnold disapproved. [3] [6]

List of names

Allied reporting nameAircraftType designationNotes
Abdul Nakajima Ki-27 see "Nate" [8]
AbdulMitsubishiFictional type. [9] [Note 1]
AdamNakajima SKT-97Fictional type. [10] [11]
Alf Kawanishi E7K [10]
Ann Mitsubishi Ki-30 [10]
Babs Mitsubishi C5M [10]
Babs Mitsubishi Ki-15 See "Norma" [10] [Note 2]
Baka Yokosuka MXY7 [10]
Belle Kawanishi H3K [10]
BenNagoya-Sento KI-001Fictional type. [12]
Bess Heinkel He 111 [10]
Betty Mitsubishi G4M [13]
Bob Nakajima E2N "Aichi Type 97" [10] [14]
Buzzard Kokusai Ki-105 Otori
Cedar Tachikawa Ki-17 [10]
Cherry Yokosuka H5Y [13]
Clara Tachikawa Ki-70 [15]
Claude Mitsubishi A5M [10]
Clint Nakajima Ki-27 [10]
Cypress Kokusai Ki-86 [10]
Cypress Kyushu K9W [10]
Dave Nakajima E8N [10]
Dick Seversky A8V [10]
Dinah Mitsubishi Ki-46 [13]
Doc Messerschmitt Bf 110 [16]
DorisUnknown [17]
Edna Mansyu Ki-71 [18]
Emily Kawanishi H8K [13]
Eva/Eve Mitsubishi Ohtori civil record aircraft misreported as operated by the IJNAS
Fran Yokosuka P1Y [19]
Frances Yokosuka P1Y [19]
Frank Nakajima Ki-84 [19]
Gander Kokusai Ku-8 [10]
George Kawanishi N1K-J [19]
Glen Yokosuka E14Y [13]
Goose Kokusai Ku-8 [10]
Grace Aichi B7A [10]
GusNakajima AT-27Fictional type. [20]
Gwen Mitsubishi Ki-21-IIb [10]
Hap Mitsubishi A6M3 [13]
Hamp Mitsubishi A6M3 [3] [6]
Hank Aichi E10A [10]
Harry Mitsubishi TK-4 Fictional type. [10] [21]
Helen Nakajima Ki-49 [13]
Hickory Tachikawa Ki-54 [10]
Ida Tachikawa Ki-36 [13]
Ida Tachikawa Ki-55 [10]
Ione Aichi AI-104 Fictional Type [10] [22]
Irene Junkers Ju 87 [16]
Irving Nakajima J1N [19]
Jack Mitsubishi J2M [19]
Jake Aichi E13A [13]
Jane Mitsubishi Ki-21 [10]
Janice Junkers Ju 88 [16]
Jean Yokosuka B4Y [10]
Jerry Heinkel A7He [10]
Jill Nakajima B6N [10]
Joyce Nakajima Unknown [17]
Judy Yokosuka D4Y [13]
Julia Kawasaki Ki-48 Misidentified – same as Lily [10] [23]
Kate Nakajima B5N [13]
Laura Aichi E11A [10]
Lily Kawasaki Ki-48 [13]
Liz Nakajima G5N [13]
Lorna Kyushu Q1W [10]
Louise Mitsubishi Ki-2-II [10]
Luke Mitsubishi J4M [10]
Mary Kawasaki Ki-32 [10]
Mabel Mitsubishi B5M [10]
Mavis Kawanishi H6K [13]
Mike Kawasaki Ki-61 Interim designation, also used for Bf 109 [24]
Millie Vultee V-11GB [10]
Myrt Nakajima C6N [10]
Nate Nakajima Ki-27 [10]
Nell Mitsubishi G3M [13]
Nick Kawasaki Ki-45 [13]
Norm Kawanishi E15K [10]
Norma Mitsubishi Ki-15 [10] [25]
Norma Mitsubishi C5M [10] [25]
Oak Kyushu K10W [13]
Omar Suzukaze 20 Fictional type. [10] [26]
Oscar Nakajima Ki-43 [13]
Pat Tachikawa Ki-74 Initially misidentified – same as Patsy [27]
Patsy Tachikawa Ki-74 [27]
Paul Aichi E16A [10]
Peggy Mitsubishi Ki-67 [10]
Perry Kawasaki Ki-10 [10]
Pete Mitsubishi F1M [13]
Pine Mitsubishi K3M [10]
Randy Kawasaki Ki-102 [10]
Rex Kawanishi N1K [10]
Rita Nakajima G8N [10]
Rufe Nakajima A6M2-N [13]
Ruth Fiat BR.20 [10]
Sally Mitsubishi Ki-21 [13]
Sam Mitsubishi A7M [10]
Slim Watanabe E9W [10]
Sonia Mitsubishi Ki-51 [13]
Spruce Tachikawa Ki-9 [10]
Stella Kokusai Ki-76 [10]
Susie Aichi D1A [10]
Tabby Douglas DC-3/
Showa/Nakajima L2D 		[10]
Tess Douglas DC-2 [13]
Thalia Kawasaki Ki-56 [10]
Thelma Lockheed Model 14 [13]
Theresa Kokusai Ki-59 [10]
Thora Nakajima Ki-34 [10]
Tina Yokosuka L3Y [10]
Tojo Nakajima Ki-44 [13]
Tony Kawasaki Ki-61 [13]
Topsy Mitsubishi Ki-57 [13]
Topsy Mitsubishi L4M [10]
Trixie Junkers Ju 52 [16]
Val Aichi D3A [13]
Willow Yokosuka K5Y [10]
Zeke or Zero Mitsubishi A6M [13]

See also

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References

Explanatory notes
  1. ↑ Not a real aircraft. The aircraft was believed in service but never built, misidentified, or not used (Dunnigan 1998, p. 16).
  2. ↑ The Ki-15 and C5M were the Army and Navy designations respectively for the same aircraft. (Dunnigan 1998, pp. 16–17).
Citations
  1. ↑ Gamble 2010, p. 253.
  2. 1 2 3 Dunnigan 1998, p. 15.
  3. 1 2 3 Gamble 2010, p. 254.
  4. ↑ Dear and Foot 1995, p. 245.
  5. ↑ Gamble 2010, p. 255.
  6. 1 2 3 Bergerud 2000, p. 199.
  7. ↑ Gamble 2010, pp. 254–255.
  8. ↑ Francillon 1979, p. 202.
  9. ↑ Wieliczko and Szeremeta 2004, p. 87.
  10. 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 Mikesh 1993.
  11. ↑ Nakajima SKT-97 (Adam) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18.
  12. ↑ Nagoya-Sento KI-001 (Ben) info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2014-04-25.
  13. 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 Handbook on Japanese Military Forces
  14. ↑ Aichi Type 97 (Bob) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18.
  15. ↑ Francillon 1979, p. 258.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Japanese Aircraft Manual. Office of Naval Intelligence. 1942. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  17. 1 2 Japanese Aircraft Manual. Office of Naval Intelligence. July 1943. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  18. ↑ Francillon 1979, p. 180.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tillman 2010, p. 276.
  20. ↑ Hanson, David. "Nakajima AT-27 (Gus) Info". Dave's Warbirds. Archived from the original on 2016-12-22.
  21. ↑ Mitsubishi TK-4 Type 0 (Harry) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18
  22. ↑ Aichi AI-104 Type 98 (Ione) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18
  23. ↑ Kawasaki Type 97 Heavy Bomber (Julia) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18
  24. ↑ Bueschel, Richard M. Kawasaki Ki.61/Ki.100 Hien in Japanese Army Air Force Service, Aircam Aviation Series No.21. Canterbury, Kent, UK: Osprey Publications Ltd, 1971. ISBN   0-85045-026-8. pp. 7, 8
  25. 1 2 Mitsubishi Type 97 Light Bomber (Norma) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18
  26. ↑ Sukukaze 20 fighter (Omar) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18
  27. 1 2 Francillon 1979, p. 261.
Bibliography
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