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Every change in a military establish-
ent tends to bring automatic opposi- ion~-sornetjrnes j-or g0QC| reason an(j
^°metimes not. Thus, there was opposi- ,'0n’>n large part from the Navy, when nge Department of Defense established a w method of designating military air- ratt two decades ago.
Reportedly at the personal urging of ficretary 0f Defense Robert S. Sej amara> the Department of Defense th tf Un’*'e<^ a‘rcraft designations, using e basic Air Force approach. Previously e Army, Air Force, and Navy-Marine Orps-Coast Guard had used different
systems.
u Navy scheme, dating from 1922,
. ,a detailed method to indicate aircraft lssion, aircraft sequence of that type r°duced by the manufacturer, manufacturer, model, and modification of that model. In this context, an SOC-2 was the first scout-observation (SO) aircraft produced by Curtiss (C), the second model (-2); the S02C was the second scout- observation aircraft design by Curtiss, etc. However, confusion grew with time. Some naval aircraft had one letter, as F for fighter and T for torpedo (N was used for training), or two letters, as PB for patrol-bomber. As the number of manufacturers increased the letter F was used for Grumman (as F4F) because G was already assigned to Galludet, Y for Consolidated (as PBY) with C used by Curtiss and later Cessna and Culver as well, A for Brewster (as F2A) because B was previously assigned to Boeing and later Beech and Budd Manufacturing.
The same aircraft flown by different
Table 1 Explanation of Symbols
U. S. services had different designations. The famed Boeing B-29 Superfortress had the Navy designation P2B, the North American B-25 was used by the Navy and Marine Corps as the PBJ, and the McDonnell Phantom II entered service as the F4H in the Navy and F-110 in the Air Force.
A new, unified scheme came into effect in October 1962. All existing and new naval aircraft and all new Air Force planes were designated in a new, simplified series, almost all beginning with the series number one. The Navy-flown Douglas AD Skyraider, which had begun life with the designation BT2D, became the first plane in the attack series, the A-l. The TF Trader started the cargo series with C-l; the FJ Fury became the F-l; the T2V Sea Star the T-l; and the
YTAV-8B
_rr
L
1st
symbol—
Status prefix " temporary special test
~~ Permanent special
x - test
y ~ experimental y " Prototype ' planning
J
N
2nd symbol— Modified mission A = Attack C = Cargo D = Director (drone control)
E = Electronics F = Fighter H = search/rescue K = tanker L = cold weather M = Missile carrier O = Observation Q = drone
3rd symbol—
Basic mission A = Attack C = Cargo E = Electronic F = Fighter H = search/rescue O = Observation P = Patrol S - antisubmarine T - Trainer U = Utility X = research
4th symbol— Aircraft type H = Helicopter V = V/STOL (none for conventional aircraft)
5th symbol— Design [8th VSTOL] [4th Fighter]
6th symbol— Series [2nd series] [13th series]
R
S
T
U
V
w
Reconnaissance
antisubmarine
Trainer
Utility
staff (VIP)
Weather
F-4 N
Note:
Letters I and O
are not used to avoid confusion with numerals.
Name
UC-1 Otter the U-l. There was no P-1 or S-l, as the new system picked up the Navy’s P2V Neptune and S2F Tracker as the P-2 and S-2, respectively. The improved P3V Orion was the obvious candidate for P-3 and the P5M Marlin, the Navy’s last operational flying boat, for P-5. The designation P-4 was used, briefly, for the drone versions of the Privateer (the P4Y-2K, formerly PB4Y-2s). The designations P-4 and P-6 are thus generally omitted from designation lists, although some contend that they were reserved for the P4M Mercator and P6M Seamaster. But the last of the combination piston-turbojet Mercators were gone and the turbojet Seamaster flying boat had been cancelled. (The next patrol aircraft will be P-7.)
The 1962 system also introduced the mission designation of special electronic E-series aircraft. The first two planes were Navy, the WF-2 Tracer became the E-IB and the W2F-1 Hawkeye the E-2. Next came the Air Force’s E-3 airborne warning and control system (AWACS) and the E-4 airborne command posts, based on the Boeing commercial 707 and 747, respectively. The E-5 was a classified electronics aircraft, and the Navy’s new TACAMO (“take charge and move out”) VLFcommunication aircraft, based on the Boeing 707/E-3 configuration, will be designated E-6. (See Table 1.)
Variations of the previous Air Force X (for experimental) and V (for V/STOL) designations remained in effect, but official records differ as to which aircraft were part of the “old” or “new” series. The Marine’s AV-8 Harrier is officially in the V series, but apparently the A-8 designation was avoided to reduce confusion. However, in the V series the Ryan “flying jeep” had already been designated XV-8. The latter program never took off, hence the “8” spot is firmly held by the successful Harrier.
Navy pre-1962 Manufacturer
Planes that were used by both services, as the Albatross seaplane (Navy UF), generally took on the Air Force designation (U-l6). But the Phantom was recent enough to be given a new designation, its now-familiar F-4.
Helicopters proved a more confusing issue because the Army had a separate (third) designation series before 1962. The Sea Knight was the Navy HRB, while the Army called the helicopter the HC-1A (HC for helicopter—cargo). This became the H-46 in the new scheme. The Army’s HU-1 Iroquois (HU for helicopter—utility) started the new helicopter series as H-l with most of the Army or Air Force designations being integrated into the series. Navy helicopters were “stuck in” where there were gaps, as the Kaman HU2K becoming the H-2, and the HSS-2, the H-3 (the Navy’s HSS-1 and HUS were similar to the Army’s H-34 and took on that designation). Some gaps remain in the helicopter series (see Table 2).
Similar gaps exist in the trainer series as naval aircraft, the T2V Sea Star and T2J Buckeye, took the T-l and T-2 positions, respectively, but the next “new” trainer was the T-28 Trojan, which the Navy had already bought with its Air Force designation. The T-29 was an Air Force plane, after which the series skipped to the T-33, trainer version of the famed F-80 Shooting Star, which the Navy flew as the TV.
The Navy bought the T-34 Mentor with its Air Force designation, which was followed in the new series by another gap to the Air Force T-37. From there the series has been consecutive, reaching the T-45, the Navy’s adaption of British Aerospace’s Hawk trainer, and T-46, the Air Force’s next generation trainer (NGT), recently ordered from Fairchild Republic to replace the Cessna T-37.
Table 2 Post-1962 Aircraft Designations
Status* Name
In the bomber category, the Air Force was having difficulty under McNamara in obtaining backing for the B-70 Valkyrie strategic aircraft. The bomber was changed to RS-70, a post-1962 designs
tion, for reconnaissance-strike, in an e - fort to sell the concept of a bomber tha could seek out and strike Soviet targets that survived initial missile attacks. Th* idea could not be sold either. Then, * February 1964, when President Lynd°a Johnson revealed the existence of a Mac 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft de veloped by the Lockheed “Sku Works,” he apparently erred, calling ma plane the SR-71 instead of RS-71- T e next strategic bomber was the l°n§ delayed B-l. .
The post-1962 aircraft designation scheme is relatively simple and, with pra fix and suffix letters, can provide consi ^ erable detail. But confusion persists, r example, the McDonnell F-4B Phanto^ is sometimes written incorrectly F4B—which was a Boeing fighter of t 1920s. Similarly, the F4F Wildcat oi World War II fame is often written inc°r rectly as F-4F, which is the U. S. designation used for F-4E Phantoms conhg ured for West Germany. .
Another point of confusion is duplio3 tion or attempts to be “cute.” Examp ® are the Cessna A-37 which is a d' trainer used in the ground attack role a is out of sequence in the A series; KC-10 tanker/transport is a military ver sion of the DC-10 commercial airline with C-10 having previously been as signed; and, the Navy’s single Fokker Fairchild 27 is designed UC-27—f°r utl j ity-cargo—although the 27 is derive from its commercial designation and H neither the cargo nor utility series.
The “McNamara” aircraft designati^
scheme was practical and has be widely accepted—but let the writer, e 1 tor, and reader beware.
tier
gut
Hi
i)
N8
Navy pre-1962 Manufacturer
ATTACK AIRCRAFT
A-45 A-1 A-2 A-3 A-4
A-5
A-6
A-7
A-8
A-9
last designation of old Air Force series (changed to B-51)
Skyraider
Savage
Skywarrior
Skyhawk
Vigilante
Intruder
Corsair
AD series AJ series A3D series A4D series
A3J series A2F series
Douglas North America Douglas
McDonnell Douglas
North American Grumman LTV (Vought)
Discarded
Discarded
USN-USNR
USN-USNR-USMC-
MCR-foreign
Discarded
USN-USNR-USMC
USN-USNR-USAF
apparently not used to avoid confusion with AV-8 Harrier series demonstraton close air support aircraft developed by Northrop in competition with the A-10 A-10 Thunderbolt Republic USAF
A-37 Dragonfly (as T-37) Cessna USAF-foreign
BOMBER AIRCRAFT
B-70 last designation of old Air Force series (changed to RS-70)
BOMBER AIRCRAFT B-l
CARGO/TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT
C-142 last designation of old Air Force series C-l C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-l C-8 C-9 C-10 KC-10 C-l 1
Rockwell
International
USAF
Trader Greyhound
--- RM series
Academe
Galaxy
Air King (as T-44)
Caribou (ex-CV-2)
Buffalo (ex-CV-7) Nightingale/Skytrain II
Extender Gulfstream II
TF series
Grumman
Grumman
Martin
Grumman
Lockheed
Beechcraft
DeHavilland
DeHavilland
McDonnell Douglas
Handley Page
McDonnell Douglas
Grumman
USN
USN A Discard^
USN-CG USAF USAF
USAF-fo**"
USAF-f»re'gf,S.»: 6
Alame
Sh^^Tt AIRCRAFr
- (as U-21)
•12
- (STOL)
- (STOL)
Navy pre-1962 Manufacturer
Status*
Name
Navy pre-1962 Manufacturer
Status*
Beechcraft
^r°nic AIRCRAFT Tracer Hawkeye Se«T (AWACS)
ScSS,^1-'
^ aircraft
FuJydeS‘8nati0n °f 0,1 Banshee Demon Ptlantom
Boeing
McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas
USN-USMC-
USA-USAF
Proposal
Prototype
Prototype
Proposal
Development
HELICOPTERS
H-50 DASH/Rotorcycle
DSN, RON series
WF series W2F series
Grumman
Grumman
Boeing
Boeing
H-51
H-52
H-53
H-53E
H-54
H-55
H-56
H-57
H-58
H-59
H-60
Sea Guard HU2S series
Sea Stallion/Super Jolly
Super Stallion Tarhe Osage Cheyenne
SeaRanger (as H-4, H-58) Kiowa (as H-4, H-57)
Gyrodyne
Lockheed
Sikorsky
Sikorsky
Sikorsky
Sikorsky
Hughes
Lockheed
Bell
Bell
Sikorsky
Sikorsky
Discarded
Discarded
CG-foreign
USN-USMC-USAF-
foreign
USN-USMC
USA
foreign
Discarded
USN
USA-foreign
Development
USN-USA-USAF
sCB!l“
Sea Dart
Crusader Panther/Cougar S^knigh, 8 Hger
77* ^ SR-71)
I301 used Tomcat Eagle
^ing Falcon Hornet °fficial
F4D series F2Y series F8U series F9F series F3D series FI IF
Discarded
USN-USNR-foreign
USAF-NATO1
USAF
USAF
Black Hawk/Night Hawk/Seahawk
FJ series F2H series F3H series F4H series
Boeing | Development | H-61 |
|
| Boeing Vertol | Discarded |
|
| H-62 | __ |
| Boeing Vertol | Discarded3 |
|
| FI-63 | __ |
| Bell | Discarded |
|
| H-64 | Apache |
| Hughes | USA |
ies North American | Discarded | H-65 | Dolphin |
| Aerospatiale | CG |
McDonnell | Discarded | OBSERVATION AIRCRAFT |
|
| ||
McDonnell | Discarded |
|
|
|
|
|
McDonnell Douglas | USN-USNR-USMC- | 0-1 | Bird Dog | OE series | Cessna | foreign |
| USMCR-USAF- | 0-2 | — |
| Cessna | USAF-foreign |
| foreign |
|
|
|
|
|
Northrop | USN-USAF-foreign | PATROL AIRCRAFT |
|
|
| |
Douglas | Discarded | P-1 | not used |
|
|
|
Convair | Discarded | P-2 | Neptune | P2V series | Lockheed | foreign |
LTV (Vought) | USNR-foreign | P-3 | Orion | P3V series | Lockheed | USN-USNR-foreign |
Grumman | Discarded | P-4 | Privateer | P4Y-2K | Convair | Discarded |
Douglas | Discarded | P-5 | Marlin | P5M series | Martin | Discarded |
Grumman | Discarded | P-6 | not used |
|
|
|
Lockheed
Discarded
2rj rePorts
statement
Grumman USN-foreign
McDonnell Douglas USAF-foreign General Dynamics USAF-foreign Northrop Discarded
McDonnell Douglas- USN-USMC-foreign Northrop
is not used to avoid confusion with Soviet MiG-19;
llo
Tigerchlrf!^1 '*laI tb's>s a Stealth-type aircraft design, (formerly F-5G)
°pters
Iro(t
•obra
Northrop
Development
SeS^yCobra/
Bell
8easprite/
^mahawk
Gea King/Jolly
£*> Giant/ pehcan
7 (as Pi-57, H-58) Gayiise Sioux
Chickasaw
HU2K series Kaman
HSS-2
Sikorsky
USN-USNR-USMC-
MCR-USA-USAF-
foreign
USN
USN-USNR-CG-
USAF-foreign
RECONNAISSANCE/STRIKE RS-70 Valkyrie (Ex-B-70) ANTISUBMARINE AIRCRAFT S-l not used
S-2 Tracker S2F series
S-3 Viking
STRATEGIC RECONNAISSANCE SR-71 Blackbird TRAINING AIRCRAFT
North American
Grumman
Lockheed
Lockheed
Discarded
foreign
USN
USAF
escuer/
Shawnee/ 0rkhorse Kaven
Mule/
Betneve,.
Oscarne XV-3
Se^ktaw/Seabat/
^ahorse Mojave became H-l Seneca
HTL, HUL
series
H04S, HRS
series
HRP-2
HTE series HUP series
HUS, HUS-1 series
HR2S series
Fairchild Hiller
Hughes
Bell
Sikorsky
Piasecki
foreign
foreign
foreign
Discarded
Discarded
Hiller
Paisecki
Sikorsky
Sikorsky
Discarded
Discarded
Discarded
T-l
T-2
T-28
T-29
T-33
T-34
T-37
T-38
T-39
T-40
T-41
T-42
T-43
T-44
T-45
T-46
Sea Star Buckeye Trojan
Flying Classroom
Shooting Star Mentor
Talon Sabreliner Not used Mescalero Cochise
__ (modified 737)
Air King (as C-6) Hawk
T2V series T2J series
TV series
T3J series
Lockheed North American North American Convair
Lockheed Beechcraft Cessna Northrop North American
Cessna Beechcraft Boeing Beechcraft British Aerospace- McDonnell Douglas Fairchild Republic
Discarded
USN
USN-USAF-foreign
USN-USAF-
foreign
USAF-foreign
USN-foreign
USAF-foreign
USAF-USN
USN-USAF
USAF-foreign
foreign
USAF
USN
Development
Development
TACTICAL RECONNAISSANCE TR-1 (modified U-2R)
Lockheed
USAF
f6
'7
'8
Sea
Chi
Knight
"nook
came UTT-lF
Discarded
UTILITY AIRCRAFT4
U-l Otter UC series
DeHavilland
| Cessna | Discarded | U-2 | __ | Lockheed |
hok, htk, | Kaman | Discarded | U-3 | __ | Cessna |
HUK series |
|
| U-4 | Aero Commander | Aero Design |
HRB series | Boeing Vertol | USN-USMC-MCR- | U-5 | __ | Helio |
|
| foreign | U-6 | Beaver | DeHavilland |
| Boeing Vertol | USA-foreign | U-7 | __ | Piper |
|
|
| U-8 | Seminole | Beechcraft |
Name
Navy pre-1962
Manufacturer
Status*
Name
Navy pre-1962 Manufacturer
VERTICAL AND SHORT TAKE-OFF AND LANDING (V/STOL)
UTILITY AIRCRAFT4
U-9 | Aero Commander |
| Aero Design |
|
U-10 | __ |
| Helio |
|
U-1I | Aztec | UO series | Piper |
|
U-I2 | to U-15 not used |
|
| |
U-16 | Albatross | JR2F/UF | Grumman |
|
|
| series |
|
|
U-17 | Skywagon |
| Cessna |
|
U-18 | Navion |
| North American |
|
U-19 | Sentinel |
| Convair |
|
U-20 | __ |
| Cessna |
|
U-21 | Ute (as C-12) |
| Beechcraft |
|
U-22 | __ |
| Beechcraft |
|
U-23 | __ |
| Fairchild |
|
U-24 | Stallion |
| Helio |
|
U-25 | Falcon |
| Falcon Jet |
|
U-26 | — |
| Cessna | USAF |
VERTICAL AND SHORT TAKE-OFF | AND LANDING (V/STOL) |
| ||
OV-1 | Mohawk | AO series | Grumman | USA |
CV-2 | changed to C-7 |
|
|
|
XV-3 | ___ (as H-33) |
| Bell | Discarded |
XV-4 | Hummingbird |
| Lockheed | Discarded |
XV-5 | ___ (fan-in-wing) |
| Ryan | Discarded |
XV-6 | Kestrel (VSTOL) |
| Hawker Siddeley | Discarded |
CV-7 | changed to C-8 |
|
| |
XV-8 | ----- (flying jeep) |
| Ryan | Discarded |
AV-8 | Harrier |
| Hawker Siddeley- McDonnell Douglas | USMC-USAF-foreign |
XV-9 | ___ (hot-cycle helicopter) |
| Hughes | Discarded |
OV-10 | Bronco |
| North American | USMC-foreign |
XV-11 | ___ (VSTOL) |
| Parsons | Discarded |
FV-12 | ___ (VSTOL fighter) | North American | Development only |
V-13
V-14
Bell
McDonnell Douglas DeHavilland
Develop"*"'
Cancelled
Oft'
XV-15 (tilt-rotor)
AV-16 ____
XV-17
UV-18 Twin Otter RESEARCH AIRCRAFT
X-7 | classified USAF project |
|
X-13 | classified USAF project |
|
X-15 | ----- (Mach 6.72 rocket plane) | North American |
X-18 | ----- (tilt-wing V/STOL) | Hiller |
X-19 | ----- (V/STOL aircraft) | Curtiss-Wright |
X-21 | ___ (modified B-66) | Douglas |
X-22 | ___ (tilt-duct V/STOL) | Bell |
X-24 | ----- (lifting body) | Martin |
X-25 | ___ (gyrocopter) | Benson Aircraft |
X-26 | ___ (sailplane) | Schweizer |
X-21 | not built (engine test bed) | Lockheed |
X-28 | ----- (small seaplane) | Osprey Aircraft |
X-29 | ___ (technology demonstrator) | Grumman |
AIRSHIPS (LIGHTER-THAN-AIR) |
| |
Z-l | ----- ZPG series |
|
* Current users: USN = Navy, USNR = Naval Air Reserve; USMC = ^ e$Cfje MCR = Marine Corps Reserve; CG = Coast Guard; USA = Army (including^ c. ponents); USAF = Air Force (including reserve components); foreign = f°rel^ 'This is the only aircraft operated by NATO.
2 Prototype for F-18 Hornet aircraft. cUfreiH
3 Work on this heavy lift helicopter was cancelled in 1974; however, there isa by NASA to further develop some of the H-62 components.
4 Details of users of these aircraft are not readily available.
Discarded
Discarded
Discarded
Discarded
Discarded
Discarded
Discarded
Discarded
Discarded
Develop"*"'
Discarded
(
WIN $100
22nd Annual Naval and Maritime Photo Contest Deadline 31 December 1983
Ten prize-winning photos will be chosen and awarded $10° each in the U. S. Naval Institute’s 22nd Annual Naval and Maritime Photo Contest. The winning photos will be published in a 1984 issue of Proceedings.
..... '"*• 1 -to
?r
S»'v .......... ■
; mm'im- ............. ... ■■■■■- .......... .. -
1. Each photograph must pertain to a naval or maritime subject. (The photo is not limited to the calendar year of the contest)
2. Limit: 5 entries per person.
3. Entries must be either black and white prints, color prints or color
transparencies. .
4. Minimum print size is 5" x 7".
5. Minimum transparency size is 35mm. (No glass-mounted transparencies, please.)
6. Full captions and the photographer’s name and address must be printed or typed on a separate sheet of paper and attached to the back of
each print, or printed on the transparency mount. (No staples, please)
7. Entries must arrive at the U. S. Naval Institute no later than 31 De- _ camber 1983.
% Photographs not awarded prizes may be purchased by the U. S. Naval Institute. Those photographs not purchased will be returned to the owner if accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope.
Mail entries to:- Naval and Maritime Photo Contest U. S. NAVAL INSTITUTE Annapolis, Md. 21402