Hi guys and gals

I was wondering where do they get the letters from at the start of a planes name
e.g P-40 B-24 F-15

andrew

Off the top of my head, I know P stood for pursuit (what they designated fighters as in WWII), and I am guessing B is for bomber, F for fighter, C for cargo, and A for attack.

Nic

From Gustin's Military Aircraft Database specifically US Designations

1924-48

The 1919 system was rather complicated, and a new system was introduced in 1924. The following designations were applied:

A Attack
AT Advanced trainer
B Bomber
C Cargo
HB Heavy bomber
LB Light bomber
O Observation
OA Observation Amphibian
P Pursuit
PT Primary trainer

This system was formally abandoned in 1948. But then 22 additional categories had been introduced, including:

AG Attack Glider
BC Basic Combat (trainer)
BG Bomb Glider (glide bomb)
BQ Bomb, guided
BT Basic Trainer
BLR Bomber, long range
BQ Bomber, radio-controlled
CB Cargo Bomber
CG Cargo glider
CQ Target controller
F Photographic reconaissance
FG Fuel-carrying glider
FM Fighter, multiplace
G Glider
G Gyroplane
GB Glide bomb
GT Glide Torpedo
JB Jet-propelled bomb
L Liaison
O Observation
OA Observation, amphibian
OQ Target, flying model
PB Pursuit biplace
PG Powered glider
PQ Aerial target
R Rotorcraft
TG Training glider
UC Utility cargo
FP Reconaissance fighter

X and Y letters were used as prefix to indicate prototypes and preseries aircraft. The prefix 'Y1' was used for aircraft bought with 'F-1' funds instead of normally allocated money. The letter Z was used for obsolete aircraft. In some cases, R (meaning 'restricted' was also used for this purpose. Some experimental aircraft had an 'E' prefix, meaning 'Exempt', instead of the more common 'X'.

Post 1962:
The system consists of designations of the following type:

XXXX-...X (-..-XX)

where X indicates a letter, and . indicates a number. Not all letters are used all the time.

1. AIRCRAFT DESIGNATIONS:
Starting at the first dash in the designation above, and moving to the LEFT, we encounter:

VEHICLE TYPE:
It indicates the type of vehicle at hand, e.g. helicopter, V/STOL. For normal aircraft, this designator is NOT used. (Example: the SH-2F uses the H to indicate it is a helicopter. The F-16A is a regular aircraft, and does not have a vehicle type designator).

G - Glider
H - Helicopter
S - Spaceplane
V - VTOL/STOL
Z - Lighter than air

BASIC MISSION:
This is the most important designator. It indicates the primary design task of the aircraft. (Example: The B-1B uses a B because it is a bomber).

A - Attack
B - Bomber
C - Cargo/ transport
E - Special electronic installation
F - Fighter
O - Observation
P - Patrol
R - Reconnaissance:
ER - Electronic Reconnaissance
SR - Strategic Reconnaissance
TR - Tactical Reconnaissance
S - Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
T - Trainer
U - Utility
X - Research

MODIFIED MISSION:
Indicates the vehicle has been modified for a specific mission. Only one modified mission symbol is allowed. The modified mission symbol precedes the basic mission symbol.

A - Attack
C - Cargo/ transport
D - Drone control
E - Special electronic installation
F - Fighter
H - Search and Rescue (SAR)
K - Tanker (from Kerosine tanker)
L - Cold weather
M - Multi-mission
O - Observation
P - Patrol
Q - Drone
R - Reconnaissance
S - Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
T - Trainer
U - Utility
V - Staff/ VIP transport
W - Weather

STATUS PREFIX:
Indicates that the vehicle is not standard due to tests, modifications, or experiments. This prefix precedes the modified and basic mission symbols.

G - Permanently grounded
J - Special test temporary
N - Special test permanent
X - Experimental
Y - Prototype
Z - Planning

Returning to the first dash, and moving RIGHT, we encounter:

DESIGN NUMBER:
Supposedly in sequential order, it indicates the model aircraft within the basic mission category. For example, C-20D, C-21A, C-22A, C-23B, EC-24A, VC-25A, C-26A, C-27A, etc. Obviously, the order is not always sequential, e.g. F-23, F-111, F-117.

SERIES:
Indicates alphabetically major modifications to the original design, which is indicated by the A. For example, the F-16B is a major modification of the F-16A. I and O are skipped.

Then we officially encounter another dash, and two more designators. These are not used very often, however, and are not always indicated on the aircraft. Moving to the right from the dash, we find:

BLOCK NUMBER:
Indicates the block of identical aircraft to which the aircraft belongs.
(another dash)
MANUFACTURER IDENTIFICATION CODE:
Indicates the manufacturer.

Cheers,
Linz

Andrew,
Add to that the naval system up to 1962 which included manufacture codes as well.
F4U-4 Corsair
F=fighter
4=4th aircraft of this type from this builder
U=Vought
4=4th major modification

FG-1Corsair
F=fighter
G=Goodyear
1=1st major modification


F6F Hellcat
F=fighter
6=6th aircraft of this type from this manufature
F=Grumman

SBD
SB=Scout Bomber
D=Douglas

Where it got weird was when the Army Air Corps/Army Air Force/Air Force used the same aircraft as the Navy as in the T-6 Texan where the identical airframe was classified as the T-6 (AAF) and the SNJ (Navy). #:-)

Secretary of Defense Robert McNamera (during the Vietnam era) made the services standardize their method of aircraft designation.

This is how the HU-1 (called the "Huey") became the UH-1 (among others).

As far as skipping numbers, (like F-14, F-15, F-16, F-18..F-22, YF-23...) there are plenty of designs that never make it off the drawing board or even into a 1/10th mock up but suck up a number on paper.

What Linz said #:-) #:-)

Linz, that is the longest reply ever, I think you need a award for that one!
Test Question: what is a P-400 ? anyone know?
Take a guess, I will tell you the correct one next week.
till then cheers,
Bren

Airacobra???

That's my guess....

Matt

#:-) #:-) #:-) #:-) Bren, It's an Olympus Hi-speed digital printer. Just kidding, not a clue on that one. Mav

The P-400 was the KingCobra.A "super" airacobra basically.

:-) P400 was a re-designation of 179 P39's confiscated from the British order when the USA entered the war. They served in the pacific. All P400's have 12 exhaust pipes on each side of the engine, this was the major difference from the P39D series.

ding,ding,ding,ding,ding,ding,ding,!
10 points to Holdfast.