Hi,

after building ships and armour (targets as some wingy-thingy builders might call them) for a long time I have started on an F-15. I know there is a logical explanation why planes are called F-14, F-15, F-16 and F-18. But what happend to the F-17, or the F-13. Did they skip one number to gain a larger technological advance over the Russians much faster :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) . Don't me, that was supposed to be a joke.

cheers,

Mat

There was already a plane, though much older, called the F13. Maybe this is why they skipped the number, or because they thought it would be unlucky . As for the F17, maybe they thought it would get confused with the F117 Nighthawk? I'm just guessing about these, though.

Dave

Nice try Dave, but the "missing" numbers are usually ones assigned to prototypes that didn't make it to flightline service - F-13 was XF-13 Ryan "VertiJet" and the F-17 was YF-17 "Cobra" Northrop design submitted to compete with the F-16, of course the F-16 won, but the YF-17 design was modified and became the F-18 "Hornet" :-)

Seems they don't have a problem recycling numbers as I know of that least 3 aircraft carrying the F-15 designation that saw USAF service :-)

Easyoff, you couldn't stand it, could you. The temptation was just too great. :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

Easy fellas, it started as a good honest question, get too far out there and this will have to go Bye Bye.

Ok, Ok, I deleted, it, silly me.

Hello Chuck. Sorry for OT. What is the other F-15? Just curious. I know of the F-15 Eagle/Strike Eagle and F-15 Reporter. Thanks.

Cheers,
David.

David - One version of the P-38 was reassigned as an F-15 and the reworked P-61 "Reporter" was assigned F-15

*Hits self over head*

I thought it was a reasonable guess... :-)
That's the first thing I learnt today (which says something about how much attention I was paying at school).

As a partial picture of the "missing" numbers check this out http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/Fdesig.html
not all inclusive as some prototypes are missing

Some P's were redesigned F's :-) If they lasted that long.

F=fighter or interceptor role. In the early 60's, the Air Force and Navy combined their two systems of nomenclature to a single one. Things are not as clear, however as all that. The initial "F" series was a continuation of the "P" series of "Pursuit" aircraft from pre-war years. The F-111 has consistently been used as a bomber or electronics platform. The F-117 was introduced wellafter the numbering system had been recycled back to single digits due to its top secret stealth properties. The A-6 was a bomber, while the A-4 was a light attack aircraft and the A-10 is a ground attack aircraft and the A-12 is the interceptor daddy to the SR-71.
The Navy's first system identified manufacturer, type, and how many of thattype had been developed by that manufaturer and variant.
Thus the Corsair was the F4U (Fourth fighter accepted from Vought.) but was not at all related to the F4F (fourth fighter accepted from Grumman) but it was twin brother to the FG-1 (the first fighter accepted from Goodyear) and the AU-1 (the first attack plane accepted from Vought) which had no relationship to the A1D ( the first attack plane from Douglas.)

Indeed, before McNamara "Edselized" the whole system, the F-4 Phantom II was known by the Navy as the F4H1, and later by the Air Force as the F-110 "Spectre."

Why yes it was, I have a photo taken (of the real thing) on the Rollout date for the Air Force at Lambert field, St. Louis, MO

The recon P-38 was the F-5.