rec.aviation.military Frequently Asked Questions (part 1 of 5)
Ross Smith
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Last-Modified: 1-Oct-1994
rec.aviation.military Frequently Asked Questions
Ross Smith
<av...@meanmach.actrix.gen.nz>
(Please note that my address has changed since the last posting)
------------------------------
Subject: A.1. Introduction
Every newsgroup on Usenet finds that certain questions crop up time after
time. Regular readers of a group get tired of seeing the same old
questions (and posting the same old answers) time and time again, while new
readers wonder why they're getting so many impolite replies, and so few
useful ones, to perfectly reasonable queries. The result is frustration
all round.
This list of Frequently Asked Questions attempts to provide answers to some
of the most popular questions about military aircraft and aviation. It
will be posted to "rec.aviation.military" every month. If you're fairly
new to this group (or even if you're not) and have a question related to
military aviation, you should check here first, to avoid wasting bandwidth
on a topic that may have already been discussed many times. Of course,
this is not intended to discourage interesting discussions; if you have
something new to say about any of the topics covered here (or any other
topic, for that matter), by all means share it with us.
Further contributions are welcome; send any comments, corrections, new
questions, or new answers to me at the address above (note that the address
for FAQ-related mail is different from my normal address). If you send me
mail about the FAQ, please reduce any quoted material to the absolute
minimum (ideally, just give the number of the question and answer you're
talking about).
Nearly all FAQs and similar regular postings on Usenet are archived at
"rtfm.mit.edu"; you should be able to find the most recent version of this
FAQ there. If you don't have access to FTP, you can get instructions for
using their mail server by sending email to "mail-...@rtfm.mit.edu" with
a blank subject line and a body containing just the word "help" (no
quotes).
This FAQ file is copyright 1994 by Ross Smith. It may be copied and
archived freely, provided it remains unchanged. Portions may be quoted
with appropriate acknowledgements.
------------------------------
Subject: A.2. Table of contents
(For this release, the section numbering has been rearranged somewhat, and
the information on the status of current projects has been expanded to form
a section in its own right.)
[* Significant changes to this entry]
[** New entry]
Section A. Preliminaries
A.1. Introduction
* A.2. Table of contents
A.3. A note on character sets
A.4. Common abbreviations
A.5. Conversion factors
Section B. Current Projects
B.1. A/F-X
B.2. Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey
B.3. Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche
B.4. Dassault Rafale
* B.5. Eurofighter 2000
B.6. JAST
B.7. Lockheed/Boeing F-22
B.8. McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III
B.9. Mikoyan 1.42
B.10. Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit
B.11. Saab JAS 39 Gripen
B.12. Shenyang J-8/F-8
* B.13. Yakovlev Yak-41 "Freestyle"
Section C. Contemporary Aircraft
C.1. Why is the "stealth fighter" called F-117 instead of F-19?
C.2. Does the USAF have a hypersonic spyplane called "Aurora"?
C.3. What's a TR-3?
C.4. Why wasn't the B-1 or B-2 used in Desert Storm?
C.5. Is fighter X better than fighter Y?
C.6. Why was the YF-22 chosen over the YF-23?
C.7. Did someone buy Grumman?
* C.8. Why do recent articles refer to the "Lockheed F-16"?
C.9. Whatever happened to the F/A-16?
C.10. Why do some aircraft have gold-tinted canopies?
C.11. Why do USAF aircraft have tailhooks?
C.12. What's the composition of an aircraft carrier's air wing?
C.13. What's happened to the former USSR's aircraft carriers?
C.14. What's an Su-35?
C.15. What air-to-air missiles are in service?
Section D. Post-War Aircraft
D.1. Is aircraft X still in service?
D.2. Did one of the XB-70 prototypes crash during a photo shot?
Section E. World War II Aircraft
* E.1. What jet aircraft were the Germans working on during WW2?
E.2. How "stealthy" was the wooden Mosquito?
Section F. Books and Sources
F.1. What good books are there on air combat?
F.2. Where can I get a pilot's manual for aircraft X?
* F.3. What FTP sites have aircraft pictures and related material?
F.4. What military aviation related mailing lists are available?
Section G. Museums and Warbirds
* G.1. Where can I see surviving examples of famous aircraft?
Section H. Aircraft Designations
H.1. American aircraft designations
H.2. US Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962)
* H.3. USAF/USN fighters and attack aircraft
H.4. American missile designations
H.5. Russian aircraft designations
H.6. Russian aircraft codenames
H.7. Russian missile designations and codenames
H.8. British aircraft designations
* H.9. Canadian aircraft designations
* H.10. Chinese aircraft designations
H.11. German aircraft designations (WW2)
H.12. Japanese aircraft designations and codenames (WW2)
H.13. Swedish aircraft designations
Section J. Notes
J.1. Reference books
J.2. Magazines
J.3. Acknowledgements
------------------------------
Subject: A.3. A note on character sets
A FAQ on a subject like this will necessarily include a lot of non-English
names and words which contain letters not in the English alphabet, mainly
accented vowels. I don't like the idea of forcing foreign words into an
English straitjacket by converting these letters into diphthongs (or, even
worse, just ignoring the accents). There is an international standard
8-bit character set, ISO 8859/1, also known as Latin 1; it's an extension
of 7-bit ASCII to include most of the characters used in European
languages. I've used the Latin 1 characters in this document.
A lot of news transport and news reading software now supports Latin 1, and
it's becoming more widely supported; unfortunately, there's still a lot of
software around that reduces everything to 7-bit ASCII. For the benefit of
those using such software, here's a table of the accented letters in Latin
1 (not all of these appear in this document, of course), so you can tell
whether you have 8-bit software, and if not, which characters the accented
letters are being turned into. If you come across a name that seems to be
spelled oddly, this should help you figure out what it's meant to be.
Letter A a E e I i N n O o U u Y y
Acute accent (') Á á É é Í í - - Ó ó Ú ú Ý ý
Grave accent (`) À à È è Ì ì - - Ò ò Ù ù - -
Caret (^) Â â Ê ê Î î - - Ô ô Û û - -
Tilde (~) Ã ã - - - - Ñ ñ Õ õ - - - -
Umlaut (") Ä ä Ë ë Ï ï - - Ö ö Ü ü - ÿ
Ring (o) Å å - - - - - - - - - - - -
Slash (/) - - - - - - - - Ø ø - - - -
------------------------------
Subject: A.4. Common abbreviations
(See also section H)
Abbreviations in common use on Usenet
:-) = Smile
:-( = Frown
AFAIK = As Far As I Know
AKA = Also Known As
BTW = By The Way
FAQ = Frequently Asked Questions
FTP = File Transfer Protocol
FWIW = For What It's Worth
FYI = For Your Information
GIF = Graphic Interchange Format
HTTP = Hypertext Transfer Protocol
IIRC = If I Remember Correctly
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion
IMNSHO = In My Not So Humble Opinion
ISTR = I Seem To Recall
RL = Real Life
ROTFL = Rolling On The Floor Laughing
UL = Urban Legend
URL = Uniform Resource Locator
WRT = With Respect To
WWW = World-Wide Web
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary
Abbreviations related to military aviation
AA = Anti-Aircraft
AAA = Anti-Aircraft Artillery
AAM = Air-to-Air Missile
AB = Air Base
a/c = Aircraft
ACM = Air Combat Manoeuvring
AEW = Airborne Early Warning
AEW&C = Airborne Early Warning and Control
AF = Air Force
AFB = Air Force Base
AFTI = Advanced Fighter Technology Integration
AGM = Air-to-Ground Missile
AH = Attack Helicopter
ALARM = Air-Launched Anti-Radiation Missile
ALCM = Air-Launched Cruise Missile
AMRAAM = Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile
AOA = Angle of Attack
AP = Armour Piercing
APU = Auxiliary Power Unit
ARH = Active Radar Homing
ARM = Anti-Radiation Missile
ASM = Air-to-Surface Missile
ASPJ = Airborne Self-Protection Jammer
ASRAAM = Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile
ASTOVL = Advanced Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing
ASV = Anti-Surface-Vessel
ASW = Anti-Submarine Warfare
AT = Advanced Trainer
ATB = Advanced Technology Bomber
ATF = Advanced Tactical Fighter
ATGM = Anti-Tank Guided Missile
ATGW = Anti-Tank Guided Weapon
ATM = Anti-Tank Missile
AWACS = Airborne Warning and Control System
BDA = Bomb Damage Assessment
BUFF = Big Ugly Fat Fucker (B-52)
CAD = Computer Aided Design
CAG = Carrier Air Group
CAM = Computer Aided Manufacturing
CAP = Combat Air Patrol
CAS = Close Air Support
CAW = Carrier Air Wing
CCIP = Continuously Computed Impact Point
CO = Commanding Officer
COD = Carrier On-Board Delivery
COIN = Counter-Insurgency
CTOL = Conventional Take-Off and Landing
CV = Carrier, Heavier-than-Air
CVA = Carrier, Heavier-than-Air, Attack
CVE = Carrier, Heavier-than-Air, Escort
CVN = Carrier, Heavier-than-Air, Nuclear Powered
CVS = Carrier, Heavier-than-Air, Anti-Submarine
CVW = Carrier Air Wing
DACT = Dissimilar Air Combat Training
DS = Desert Storm
EAP = Experimental Aircraft Programme
ECCM = Electronic Counter-Countermeasures
ECM = Electronic Countermeasures
ECR = Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance
EFA = European Fighter Aircraft
EFIS = Electronic Flight Information System
ehp = Equivalent Horsepower
ekW = Equivalent Kilowatts
ELINT = Electronic Intelligence
EMP = Electromagnetic Pulse
ESM = Electronic Support/Surveillance Measures
Eurofar = European Future Advanced Rotorcraft
EW = Electronic Warfare
F/A = Fighter/Attack
FAC = Forward Air Control
FAST = Fuel and Sensor, Tactical
FB = Fighter-Bomber
FBW = Fly by Wire
FGA = Fighter/Ground Attack
FLA = Future Large Airlifter
FLIR = Forward-Looking Infrared
FOD = Foreign Object Damage
FR = Flight Refuelling
FSW = Forward-Swept Wings
Ftr = Fighter
FY = Fiscal Year
GA = Ground Attack
GCA = Ground Controlled Approach
GCI = Ground Controlled Interception
GPS = Global Positioning System
HARM = High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile
HE = High Explosive
Helo = Helicopter
HOTAS = Hands On Throttle and Stick
HUD = Head-Up Display
IADS = Integrated Air Defence System
IAS = Indicated Airspeed
IFF = Identification Friend-or-Foe
IFR = Instrument Flight Rules
IIR = Imaging Infrared
INS = Inertial Navigation System
Intel = Intelligence
INU = Inertial Navigation Unit
IR = Infrared
IRH = Infrared Homing
IRST = Infrared Search and Track
JATO = Jet-Assisted Take-Off
JPATS = Joint Primary Aircraft Training System
JSTARS = Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System
JTIDS = Joint Tactical Information Distribution System
KE = Kinetic Energy
LAMPS = Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System
LANA = Low-Level All-Weather Night Attack
LANTIRN = Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night
LCA = Light Combat Aircraft
LGB = Laser-Guided Bomb
LLLTV = Low-Light-Level Television
LTA = Lighter Than Air
LWF = Lightweight Fighter
M = Mach
MAD = Magnetic Anomaly Detection
MFI = Multirole Fighter/Interceptor
MG = Machine Gun
MP = Maritime Patrol
MRF = Multirole Fighter
MSIP = Multi-Stage Improvement Programme
NAS = Naval Air Station
NATF = Naval Advanced Tactical Fighter
NAVSAT = Navigation Satellite
NAW = Night/All Weather
NBC = Nuclear/Biological/Chemical Warfare
NOTAR = No Tail Rotor
NVG = Night Vision Goggles
PGM = Precision Guided Munitions
PR = Photographic Reconnaissance
PRF = Pulse Repetition Frequency
PT = Primary Trainer
RATO = Rocket-Assisted Take-Off
RCS = Radar Cross-Section
Recce = Reconnaissance
Recon = Reconnaissance
RIO = Radar Intercept Officer
RPV = Remote-Piloted Vehicle
RTB = Return to Base
RWR = Radar Warning Receiver
SABA = Small Agile Battlefield Aircraft
SAM = Surface-to-Air Missile
SAR = Search and Rescue
SARH = Semi-Active Radar Homing
SEAD = Suppression of Enemy Air Defences
SDI = Strategic Defense Initiative
SFC = Specific Fuel Consumption
SHAR = Sea Harrier
SL = Sea Level
SLAM = Standoff Land Attack Missile
SLAR = Sideways-Looking Airborne Radar
SLUF = Short Little Ugly Fucker (A-7)
SOP = Standard Operating Procedure
SPAAG = Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun
Sqn = Squadron
SR = Strategic Reconnaissance
SRAM = Short-Range Attack Missile
STOL = Short Take-Off and Landing
STOVL = Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing
TACAMO = Take Command and Move Out
TARPS = Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System
TAS = True Airspeed
TASM = Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile
TCS = Television Camera System
TFR = Terrain-Following Radar
TFW = Tactical Fighter Wing
TIALD = Thermal Imaging and Laser Designation
TLAM = Tomahawk Land Attack Missile
TO&E = Table of Organisation and Equipment
TOW = Tube-Launched Optically-Tracked Wire-Guided Missile
TRAM = Target Recognition and Attack Multi-Sensor
UAV = Unmanned Air Vehicle
UH = Utility Helicopter
VFR = Visual Flight Rules
VG = Variable Geometry
VIFF = Vectoring in Forward Flight
V/STOL = Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing
VTO = Vertical Take-Off
VTOL = Vertical Take-Off and Landing
WIG = Wing In Ground-Effect
WSIP = Weapons System Improvement Programme
WSO = Weapon Systems Officer
Abbreviations for air forces and other organisations
ACC = Air Combat Command (USA)
AETC = Air Education and Training Command (USA)
AFPLA = Air Force of the People's Liberation Army (China)
AFRES = Air Force Reserve (USA)
AMC = Air Mobility Command (USA)
ANG = Air National Guard (USA)
ARPA = Advanced Research Projects Agency (USA)
AVMF = Aviatsiya Voenno-Morsko Flota (Naval Air Force) (Russia)
BMDO = Ballistic Missile Defence Office (USA)
CIS = Commonwealth of Independent States
DA = Dalnaya Aviatsiya (Strategic Aviation) (Russia)
DARO = Defence Aerial Reconnaissance Office (USA)
DARPA = Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (USA)
DOD = Department of Defense (USA)
FA = Frontovaya Aviatsiya (Tactical Aviation) (Russia)
FSU = Former Soviet Union
FUSSR = Former USSR
IDF/AF = Israeli Defence Force/Air Force (Heyl Ha'Avir)
JASDF = Japan Air Self-Defence Force
KLu = Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force)
MAC = Military Airlift Command (USA)
MATS = Military Air Transport Service (USA)
NASA = National Aeronautics and Space Administration (USA)
NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
NRO = National Reconnaissance Office (USA)
PVO = Protivo-Vozdushnoy Oborony (Air Defence Force) (Russia)
PVOS = Protivo-Vozdushnoy Oborony Strany (Air Defence Force)
(Russia)
RAAF = Royal Australian Air Force
RAF = Royal Air Force (UK)
RNAF = Royal Norwegian Air Force
RNZAF = Royal New Zealand Air Force
ROKAF = Republic of Korea Air Force (South Korea)
RSAF = Royal Saudi Air Force
RVSN = Raketnye Voiska Strategityesko Naznatseniya (Strategic
Missile Force) (Russia)
SAAF = South African Air Force
SAC = Strategic Air Command (USA)
TAC = Tactical Air Command (USA)
USAAF = United States Army Air Force
USAF = United States Air Force
USMC = United States Marine Corps
USN = United States Navy
VTA = Voenno-Transportnaya Aviatsiya (Military Transport Aviation)
(Russia)
VVS RF = Voenno-Vozdushniye Sily Rossiskoi Federatsii (Air Forces of
the Russian Federation)
WP = Warsaw Pact
Abbreviations for manufacturers' names
AIDC = Aero Industry Development Centre (Taiwan)
An = Antonov (Ukraine)
AS = Aérospatiale (France)
ASTA = Aerospace Technologies of Australia
BAC = British Aircraft Corporation
BAe = British Aerospace
Be = Beriev (Russia)
BMAC = Boeing Military Aircraft Corporation (USA)
CAC = Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (China)
CASA = Construcciones Aeronauticas SA (Spain)
CNIAR = Centrul National al Industriei Aeronautice Române (Romania)
DASA = Deutsche Aerospace SA (Germany)
DH = De Havilland (UK)
DHC = De Havilland Canada
EC = Eurocopter (France/Germany)
EHI = Ellicoteri/Helicopter Industries (Italy/UK)
Embraer = Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica (Brazil)
Euroflag = European Future Large Airlifter Group
(France/Germany/Italy/Portugal/Spain/Turkey/UK)
GD = General Dynamics (USA)
GE = General Electric (USA)
HAL = Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (India)
HAMC = Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (China)
HP = Handley Page (UK)
HS = Hawker Siddeley (UK)
IAI = Israel Aircraft Industries
Il = Ilyushin (Russia)
Ka = Kamov (Russia)
LTV = Ling-Temco-Vought (USA)
MBB = Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (Germany)
MD = McDonnell Douglas (USA)
Mi = Mil (Russia)
MiG = Mikoyan-Gurevich (Russia)
NAMC = Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company (China)
P&W = Pratt and Whitney (USA)
P&WC = Pratt and Whitney Canada
RR = Rolls-Royce (UK)
SAC = Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (China)
SEPECAT = Société Européenne de Production de l'Avion d'Ecole de
Combat et d'Appui Tactique (France/UK)
Su = Sukhoi (Russia)
Tu = Tupolev (Russia)
XAC = Xian Aircraft Company (China)
Yak = Yakovlev (Russia)
------------------------------
Subject: A.5. Conversion factors
I've used metric units throughout this FAQ. The following conversion
factors may come in useful.
Length
Inch = 2.540 cm
Foot = 0.3048 m
Yard = 0.9144 m
Mile = 1.609 km
Nautical mile = 1.852 km
Volume
Gallon (US) = 3.785 L
Gallon (UK) = 4.546 L
Mass
Pound = 0.4536 kg
Short ton = 907.2 kg
Long ton = 1016 kg
Speed
Mile per hour = 1.609 km/h
Knot = 1.852 km/h
Force
Pound force = 4.448 N
Kilogram force = 9.807 N
Power
Horsepower = 0.7457 kW
------------------------------
Subject: B.1. A/F-X
The A/F-X (Attack/Fighter X) was a joint USAF/USN project to produce a
heavy attack aircraft with a secondary fighter role; it would have replaced
the F-111 and A-6 in the attack role, and (partially) the F-14 in the
fighter role. It was a short-lived programme, originating in 1991 after
the cancellation of the McDonnell Douglas/General Dynamics A-12, a highly
advanced, highly stealthy aircraft intended to replace the A-6. A new
programme, originally designated A-X, was initiated to provide a cheaper
A-6 replacement. At the same time, the NATF (Naval Advanced Tactical
Fighter) programme, intended to produce an F-14 replacement, had recently
been put on hold, and the USAF was starting to think seriously about an
F-111 replacement. The three programmes were merged under the title A/F-X.
The leading contender was the Lockheed/Boeing AFX-653, essentially a
navalised version of the USAF's F-22 Advanced Tactical Fighter (see below).
This would have been a two-seat aircraft with Tomcat-like swing wings, but
otherwise similar to the F-22. The A/F-X project was cancelled at the end
of 1993; the US Navy intends to procure the F/A-18E/F series as partial
replacements for its aircraft. Lockheed and Boeing are still working on
the AFX-653, and hope to offer a further developed version for a future
project (but probably not JAST (see below), for which the AFX-653 would
probably be too big). You can find an article on the subject, with plans
of the AFX-653, in the 26-Jan-94 issue of _Flight International_.
Vital statistics (AFX-653): power plant: two 113 kN Pratt & Whitney
PW7000 augmented turbofans; armament: one 20mm cannon, internal bays for
various air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, including AGM-86E missiles
and GBU-24 guided bombs.
------------------------------
Subject: B.2. Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey
The tilt-rotor programme began with Bell's XV-15 technology demonstrator.
A tilt-rotor multimission aircraft was commissioned under the title JVX
(Joint VTOL X); the aircraft, developed jointly by Bell Helicopter Textron
and Boeing Vertol, was later designated V-22 Osprey. The first prototype
flew on 19 March 1989; development has been interrupted by the destruction
of two of the prototypes in crashes. Despite attempts by the US Secretary
of Defence to have the programme halted in favour of conventional
helicopters and transport aircraft, the Osprey has survived several rounds
of budget cutting, thanks mainly to lobbying by the US Marine Corps. The
first production aircraft is expected to fly in December 1996. Current
production plans consist of 552 MV-22A assault transports for the USMC, 50
HV-22A combat rescue aircraft for the US Navy, and 55 CV-22A special
mission transports for the Special Operations Forces. The US Army's
original requirement for 251 of the transport version has been deferred,
but not irrevocably cancelled. Japan is expected to order four search and
rescue aircraft, and is considering the V-22 for the anti-submarine role.
Vital statistics (MV-22A): length 19.09 m, span 14.36 m, empty weight
14463 kg, max weight 27442 kg, max speed 556 km/h, range 3892 km, payload
9072 kg; power plant: two 4586 kW Allison T406-AD-400 turboshafts.
------------------------------
Subject: B.3. Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche
The LHX (Light Helicopter X) programme, to provide the US Army with a light
scout/attack helicopter to replace the AH-1 Cobra, OH-6 Cayuse, and OH-56
Kiowa, was initiated in 1982. The original plan was to acquire 5000
helicopters, in a mixture of LHX SCAT (scout/attack) and LHX Utility
versions; the latter was intended as a UH-1 replacement. The utility role
was dropped, and the requirement reduced to 2096 aircraft, in 1987. Two
consortia were awarded demonstration and validation contracts in October
1988, one consisting of Bell and McDonnell Douglas, the other Boeing and
Sikorsky. On 5 April 1991, the Boeing/Sikorsky team was awarded a contract
for development of the LHX, now designated RAH-66A Comanche. The programme
has survived recent budget cuts; the first flight is scheduled for
September 1994, service delivery 1997. The production total is now
expected to be 1292 aircraft, of which about one third will be the RAH-66B
version, carrying a slightly smaller version of the Longbow radar fitted to
the AH-64D Apache.
Vital statistics (RAH-66A): fuselage length 13.22 m, rotor diameter 11.90
m, empty weight 3402 kg, max weight 7790 kg, max speed 328 km/h, range 2335
km; power plant: two 690 kW LHTEC T800-LHT-800 turboshafts; armament:
20mm cannon, internal and external carriage for up to 14 Hellfire or 18
Stinger missiles.
------------------------------
Subject: B.4. Dassault Rafale
When France withdrew from what was then the FEFA programme (now Eurofighter
2000; see below) in 1985, Dassault went ahead with a very similar multirole
fighter of its own, named Rafale (squall). In the first few years there
were half-hearted attempts to bring in foreign partners, but nothing came
of this. The first prototype Rafale A flew on 4 July 1986. The Armée de
l'Air (French AF) has ordered the "Rafale D", a generic name covering the
two-seat Rafale B and single-seat Rafale C; the first pre-production Rafale
C flew on 19 May 1991. The original plan was for a force consisting mainly
of single-seat aircraft, but the Armée de l'Air now appears to like the
idea of two-seat combat aircraft, and it is expected that most, possibly
all, of the Rafales for the Armée de l'Air will be the Rafale B version.
The Armée de l'Air is expected to order 235 Rafales, entering service in
2000, or possibly 2002. The Aéronavale (French Navy air arm) has ordered
the Rafale M, a single seat carrier-borne fighter; the first Rafale M flew
on 12 December 1991, and made its first carrier landing on the _Foch_ on 19
April 1993. The Aéronavale intends to purchase 86 Rafales, probably
entering service in 1999.
Vital statistics (Rafale B): length 15.30 m, span 10.90 m, empty weight
9550 kg, max weight 19500 kg, max speed 2124 km/h (Mach 2.0), ferry range
3706 km; power plant: two 72.90 kN Snecma M88-2 augmented turbofans;
armament: 30mm cannon, AAM rail on each wingtip, 14 hardpoints; max
external load 8000 kg.
------------------------------
Subject: B.5. Eurofighter 2000
In 1982 British Aerospace began development of what was then called ACA
(Agile Combat Aircraft), a fighter technology demonstrator, originally
privately funded, although it later attracted some assistance from the
British government. The single aircraft first flew on 8 August 1986, by
which time it had been redesignated EAP (Experimental Aircraft Programme).
Meanwhile, in December 1983, the air forces of France, Germany (then West
Germany), Italy, Spain, and the UK announced a programme for the
development of a next generation combat aircraft, designated FEFA (Future
European Fighter Aircraft), based largely on the EAP demonstrator, and on
similar work done by MBB (now part of DASA) in Germany, under the
designation JF-90 (a research project rather than an actual aircraft).
FEFA was originally intended to enter service with all five countries in
the mid-1990s. From the beginning the programme was dogged by political,
commercial, technological, and military infighting (leading _Flight
International_ columnist Roger Bacon to suggest that the acronym actually
stood for Five Europeans Farting Around). Disagreement over the size of
the aircraft and the production schedule led France to withdraw from the
programme in July 1985 (France wanted a smaller aircraft, and postponement
of production to avoid competing with Dassault's Mirage 2000). In June
1986 Eurofighter GmbH was formed to manage what was now the EFA (European
Fighter Aircraft) programme, with participation by British Aerospace (33%),
MBB (now DASA, 33%), Aeritalia (now Alenia, 21%), and CASA (13%). The
aircraft is now known as the Eurofighter 2000; a proper name is expected to
be assigned eventually. The first flight was made on 27 March 1994;
production delivery is expected to begin in 2000. Orders are 250 for the
UK (but they're considering an increase to 350), 165 for Italy, 100 for
Spain, and probably about 100-120 for Germany (who originally wanted 140
but are expected to reduce their order). BAe and Rolls-Royce have proposed
a future version with VTOL capability.
Vital statistics (Eurofighter 2000): length 14.50 m, span 10.50 m, empty
weight 9750 kg, max weight 17000 kg, max speed 1912 km/h (Mach 1.8), ferry
range 1112 km; power plant: two 90.00 kN augmented turbofans; armament:
27mm cannon, AAM rail on each wingtip, 11 hardpoints; max external load
6500 kg.
------------------------------
Subject: B.6. JAST
The US Joint Advanced Strike Technology programme, established in early
1994, is intended to be a technology development programme rather than an
actual service aircraft. It involves all the improvements that would be
expected for a next generation aircraft (advanced materials, stealth,
reduced costs, better systems integration, and so forth), plus two
particularly innovative concepts. The first is the idea of a modular
aircraft design, so that individual aircraft could be built with different
combinations of components for different services and missions (take-off
capability, for example -- the same basic airframe could be built in
conventional runway versions for the USAF, carrier-borne versions for the
USN, and V/STOL versions for the USMC). The second is the possibility of
providing a "virtual reality" environment for the pilot, which would
integrate tactical information with the outside view. JAST has inherited
much of the defunct A/F-X project, and may be partially combined with
ARPA's ASTOVL (Advanced Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing) programme (though
this is being resisted by the DOD, which wants JAST to be a relatively
low-risk project). Twelve technology development contracts were awarded in
May 1994, the largest going to Boeing. The JAST project is expected to
lead to the construction of two technology demonstrator aircraft (at least
one of which will probably have V/STOL capability), and eventually to a
service aircraft (which may or may not be derived from one of the
demonstrators) which will begin to replace the F-16 in USAF service, the
F/A-18 (and possibly F-14) in USN service, and the Harrier in USMC service
by 2010. No contracts for actual flying hardware have been awarded yet
(this is expected to happen in 1997), but its leading role in the initial
phases and its experience with the A/F-X project suggest that Boeing will
probably be a prime contractor.
------------------------------
Subject: B.7. Lockheed/Boeing F-22
The ATF (Advanced Technology Fighter) programme began in September 1983,
when design contracts were awarded to seven companies; in October 1986,
development contracts were awarded to two consortia, one consisting of
Lockheed (prime contractor), Boeing, and General Dynamics, the other of
Northrop (prime contractor) and McDonnell Douglas. The first Northrop/MD
YF-23A (unofficially "Black Widow II") flew on 27 August 1990, followed by
the first Lockheed/Boeing/GD YF-22A (unofficially "Lightning II") on 29
September 1990. In April 1991, the YF-22A was selected for development and
eventual service. Recent budget cuts have slowed down the schedule
slightly; the first flight of the production Lockheed/Boeing F-22A (General
Dynamics sold its fighter division to Lockheed in December 1992),
originally scheduled for June 1996, will now be in (probably) March 1997.
Service entry is expected to begin in 2003; the USAF is currently fighting
an attempt by the General Accounting Office to delay this to 2010. Total
production, originally planned to be 648 aircraft, has now been reduced to
442. Reports differ as to whether the aircraft has an official name yet;
for a while the Pentagon was considering "Superstar", and some magazine
reports have claimed that the name "Rapier" has been assigned. However,
Chris Ridlon of USAF ROTC/Academy reports that all the USAF people he knows
(including F-22 acquisition officers) are using Lockheed's name of
"Lightning II", so that may be officially approved after all.
Vital statistics (YF-22A): length 18.90 m, span 13.56 m, empty weight
15422 kg, max weight 28123 kg, max speed 2655 km/h (Mach 2.5), ferry range
3704 km; power plant: two 155.68 kN Pratt & Whitney F119-100 augmented
turbofans; armament: 20mm cannon, internal bays for two AIM-9 and four
AIM-120A or six AIM-120C air-to-air missiles, or two AIM-9, two AIM-120,
and two air-to-surface missiles, external hardpoints for four more AIM-120s
or other ordnance; radar: Westinghouse/Texas Instruments APG-77.
------------------------------
Subject: B.8. McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III
The USAF initiated the C-X (Cargo X) programme in October 1980; McDonnell
Douglas was selected as prime contractor on 19 August 1981. The C-X, later
designated C-17, is primarily a C-141 replacement, with some overlap with
the roles of the C-5 and C-130. The first prototype flew in September
1991. The programme has suffered many technical and political setbacks,
but production has begun, although the USAF's order has been reduced from
the original 210. 40 have been definitely ordered, of which 10 had been
delivered by February 1994. A follow-up order for another 80 is on hold,
conditional on MD correcting design flaws and cost overruns; a decision
will be made by the end of 1995. McDonnell Douglas are considering a
civilian airfreight version, under the designation MD-17.
Vital statistics (C-17A): length 53.04 m, span 52.20 m, empty weight
122016 kg, max weight 263083 kg, cruise speed 818 km/h, range 8710 km,
payload 78108 kg; power plant: four 185.50 kN Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100
turbofans.
------------------------------
Subject: B.9. Mikoyan 1.42
Also known as MFI (Multirole Fighter/Interceptor), and sometimes referred
to in the West as "ATFski", Mikoyan's Project 1.42 is a low-visibility
multirole fighter, with air superiority as the primary mission, intended as
an Su-27/35 replacement; in short, the Russian equivalent of the F-22. The
1.42 is one of the few Mikoyan projects to survive the recent wave of
defence budget cuts from the Kremlin, although its schedule has apparently
been slowed by shortage of funds as well as technical problems. The first
airframe is reported to be already complete, but problems with the engines
have delayed the first flight, now expected to be in September 1994.
_Jane's Defence Weekly_ and _Flight International_ have published CAD
images of the 1.42; they show an aircraft resembling a scaled-up F-16, with
two engines with vectored-thrust nozzles, inward-canted twin tails,
slightly downturned wingtips, Rafale-like rounded intakes, and possibly
foreplanes. The 1.42, like the F-22, can carry weapons both internally and
externally. It is expected to enter service about 2004 to 2006; service
designation will probably be MiG-35. The related Project 7.01, a heavier
and stealthier interceptor designed along similar lines, has been
cancelled.
The only available vital statistic is a maximum take-off weight of 30000
kilograms.
------------------------------
Subject: B.10. Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit
Development of the ATB (Advanced Technology Bomber) began in 1978; the
programme was revealed to the public in 1981, when Northrop's design was
chosen over a Lockheed/Rockwell proposal. Although no details of the
design were revealed, it was widely assumed that the aircraft would be a
"flying wing" design, based on Northrop's experience with the XB-35 and
YB-49, and this was confirmed when the first prototype was rolled out on 22
November 1988. It made its first flight on 17 July 1989, and the first
production B-2 was delivered to the USAF in 1993. Production plans have
been drastically cut from 135 aircraft to only 20, of which the last is
expected to be delivered in 1997. The aircraft was officially named
"Spirit" in February 1994; Northrop became Northrop Grumman in May 1994.
Vital statistics (B-2A): length 21.03 m, span 52.42 m, empty weight 72575
kg, max weight 168434 kg, max speed 1103 km/h, range 13898 km, payload
22370 kg; power plant: four 84.51 kN General Electric F118-100 turbofans.
------------------------------
--
... Ross Smith (Wellington, New Zealand) <av...@meanmach.actrix.gen.nz> ...
"Being in the air farce and navy means you only get to kill people by
remote control, which takes some of the fun out of it."
(Steve Kieffer-Higgins, in alt.tasteless)
Ross Smith
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Last-Modified: 1-Oct-1994
rec.aviation.military Frequently Asked Questions
Ross Smith
<av...@meanmach.actrix.gen.nz>
(Please note that my address has changed since the last posting)
------------------------------
Subject: H.6. Russian aircraft codenames
During the Cold War, it was common for the West to know (or suspect) that
an aircraft existed in the Soviet inventory, but not know its correct
designation. Even when the USSR released publicity pictures of their
aircraft (or allowed Western journalists to film them flying past during
displays), the aircraft's name was usually never mentioned. Because of
this, a system of codenames was invented by NATO.
Each type was given a name starting with "B" for bombers, "C" for cargo or
passenger transports, "F" for fighters, "H" for helicopters, or "M" for
miscellaneous (everything else). Fixed-wing aircraft received names with
one syllable if they were propeller-driven, two syllables if they were jets
(there is no rule for the number of syllables in a helicopter's codename).
Variants were indicated by suffix letters (e.g. the fourth version of the
MiG-25 "Foxbat" to be identified became "Foxbat-D").
With the modern opening up of the Russian military, it's becoming more
common to refer to Russian aircraft by their real designations (now better
known in the West). Some recent types haven't been given codenames, and
the system seems likely to disappear altogether in the near future.
Four foreign-built aircraft have been given codenames: The Czech-built
Aero L-29 Delfin ("Maya"), at one time the standard Warsaw Pact jet trainer
(oddly, its successor, the L-39 Albatros, was never assigned a codename);
the US-built North American B-25 Mitchell ("Bank"), used by the Soviet air
forces for a while after World War II; and the Chinese J-8 ("Finback") and
Q-5 ("Fantan") (see section H.10).
Antonov An-2/3 = "Colt"
Antonov An-8 = "Camp"
Antonov An-10 = "Cat"
Antonov An-12 = "Cub"
Antonov An-14 = "Clod"
Antonov An-22 = "Cock"
Antonov An-24 = "Coke"
Antonov An-26 = "Curl"
Antonov An-28 = "Cash"
Antonov An-30 = "Clank"
Antonov An-32 = "Cline"
Antonov An-72/74 = "Coaler"
Antonov An-74AEW = "Madcap"
Antonov An-124 = "Condor"
Antonov An-225 = "Cossack"
Beriev Be-2 = "Mote"
Beriev Be-6 = "Madge"
Beriev Be-8 = "Mole"
Beriev Be-10 = "Mallow"
Beriev Be-12 = "Mail"
Beriev Be-30 = "Cuff"
Beriev Be-40/42/44 = "Mermaid"
Chetverikov Che-2 = "Mug"
Ilyushin Il-2 = "Bark"
Ilyushin Il-4 = "Bob"
Ilyushin Il-10 = "Beast"
Ilyushin Il-12 = "Coach"
Ilyushin Il-14 = "Crate"
Ilyushin Il-18/20 = "Coot"
Ilyushin Il-28 = "Beagle"
Ilyushin Il-28U = "Mascot"
Ilyushin Il-38 = "May"
Ilyushin Il-40 = "Brawny"
Ilyushin Il-54 = "Blowlamp"
Ilyushin Il-62 = "Classic"
Ilyushin Il-76 = "Candid"
Ilyushin Il-78 = "Midas"
Ilyushin Il-86 = "Camber"
Ilyushin/Beriev A-50 = "Mainstay"
Kamov Ka-10 = "Hat"
Kamov Ka-15 = "Hen"
Kamov Ka-18 = "Hog"
Kamov Ka-20 = "Harp"
Kamov Ka-22 = "Hoop"
Kamov Ka-25 = "Hormone"
Kamov Ka-26/126/128/226 = "Hoodlum"
Kamov Ka-27/28/29/32 = "Helix"
Kamov Ka-50 = "Hokum"
Lavochkin La-7 = "Fin"
Lavochkin La-9 = "Fritz"
Lavochkin La-11 = "Fang"
Lavochkin La-15 = "Fantail"
Lisunov Li-2 = "Cab"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-9 = "Fargo"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 = "Fagot"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15U = "Midget"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 = "Fresco"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 = "Farmer"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 = "Fishbed"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21U = "Mongol"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23/27 = "Flogger"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23-01 = "Faithless"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 = "Foxbat"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29/30/33 = "Fulcrum"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-31 = "Foxhound"
Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-2A = "Faceplate"
Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-152A = "Flipper"
Mil Mi-1 = "Hare"
Mil Mi-2 = "Hoplite"
Mil Mi-4 = "Hound"
Mil Mi-6/22 = "Hook"
Mil Mi-8/9/17/171 = "Hip"
Mil Mi-10 = "Harke"
Mil Mi-12 = "Homer"
Mil Mi-14 = "Haze"
Mil Mi-24/25/35 = "Hind"
Mil Mi-26 = "Halo"
Mil Mi-28 = "Havoc"
Mil Mi-34 = "Hermit"
Myasishchyev M-3/4 = "Bison"
Myasishchyev M-17/55 = "Mystic"
Myasishchyev M-50/52 = "Bounder"
Petlyakov Pe-2 = "Buck"
Polikarpov Po-2 = "Mule"
Sukhoi Su-7/17/20/22 = "Fitter"
Sukhoi Su-7U = "Moujik"
Sukhoi Su-9/11 = "Fishpot"
Sukhoi Su-11U = "Maiden"
Sukhoi Su-15 = "Flagon"
Sukhoi Su-24 = "Fencer"
Sukhoi Su-25/28 = "Frogfoot"
Sukhoi Su-27/30/33/34/35 = "Flanker"
Tupolev Tu-2/6 = "Bat"
Tupolev Tu-4/80 = "Bull"
Tupolev Tu-10 = "Frosty"
Tupolev Tu-14/89 = "Bosun"
Tupolev Tu-16 = "Badger"
Tupolev Tu-20/95/142 = "Bear"
Tupolev Tu-22 = "Blinder"
Tupolev Tu-22M = "Backfire"
Tupolev Tu-70 = "Cart"
Tupolev Tu-82 = "Butcher"
Tupolev Tu-85 = "Barge"
Tupolev Tu-91 = "Boot"
Tupolev Tu-98 = "Backfin"
Tupolev Tu-104 = "Camel"
Tupolev Tu-110 = "Cooker"
Tupolev Tu-114 = "Cleat"
Tupolev Tu-124 = "Cookpot"
Tupolev Tu-126 = "Moss"
Tupolev Tu-128 = "Fiddler"
Tupolev Tu-134 = "Crusty"
Tupolev Tu-144 = "Charger"
Tupolev Tu-154 = "Careless"
Tupolev Tu-160 = "Blackjack"
Yakovlev Yak-6/8 = "Crib"
Yakovlev Yak-7U = "Mark"
Yakovlev Yak-9 = "Frank"
Yakovlev Yak-10 = "Crow"
Yakovlev Yak-11 = "Moose"
Yakovlev Yak-12 = "Creek"
Yakovlev Yak-14 = "Mare"
Yakovlev Yak-15/17 = "Feather"
Yakovlev Yak-16 = "Cork"
Yakovlev Yak-17U = "Magnet"
Yakovlev Yak-18 = "Max"
Yakovlev Yak-23 = "Flora"
Yakovlev Yak-24 = "Horse"
Yakovlev Yak-25/27 = "Flashlight"
Yakovlev Yak-25RV = "Mandrake"
Yakovlev Yak-27R = "Mangrove"
Yakovlev Yak-28 = "Brewer"
Yakovlev Yak-28P = "Firebar"
Yakovlev Yak-28U = "Maestro"
Yakovlev Yak-30 = "Magnum"
Yakovlev Yak-32 = "Mantis"
Yakovlev Yak-36 = "Freehand"
Yakovlev Yak-38 = "Forger"
Yakovlev Yak-40 = "Codling"
Yakovlev Yak-41/141 = "Freestyle"
Yakovlev Yak-42 = "Clobber"
------------------------------
Subject: H.7. Russian missile designations and codenames
Russian rockets and missiles are mostly given designations in the "R"
series (guided rockets), "S" series (unguided rockets), or "Kh" series
(this seems to be reserved for air-to-surface missiles, but I have no idea
what the significance of the prefix is; "Kh" is one letter in Russian, and
looks like an "X", so you will often see these designations quoted with an
"X" prefix instead).
NATO codenames for Russian missiles start with "A" (air to air), "G"
(surface to air), "K" (air to surface), or "S" (surface to surface). In
addition to the names, they are also given designations consisting of a
two-letter code for the mission type ("AA", "AS", "SA", or "SS", plus some
special codes such as "AT" for "anti-tank"), an "N" for naval missiles, and
a number.
(See C.15 for current Russian air-to-air missiles)
------------------------------
Subject: H.8. British aircraft designations
Unlike the US system, the proper name is the principal part of an
aircraft's formal designation in British service. The full designation
consists of the name, a letter or set of letters indicating the role, and a
mark number; in a few cases the mark number is followed by a letter
indicating a modification. The full designation is written as, for
example, "Tornado GR.1A", or sometimes "Tornado GR Mk 1A" (the Tornado GR.1
is the ground attack/reconnaissance version of the Tornado; the GR.1A is a
variant in which one of the two guns is replaced by reconnaissance gear).
For export versions, the role letters are usually left out, and the mark
numbers are restarted from a high number, usually 50 (for example, the
Indian Navy's Sea Harriers are Mk 51).
Before WW2, mark numbers alone were used, and were written in Roman
numerals; during the war, the role letters were added, and conventional
numerals were used for mark numbers above 20. The Roman numerals were
dropped altogether after the war; apart from that, the system has remained
largely unchanged.
Role letters (an asterisk indicates an obsolete code):
AEW = Airborne early warning
AH = Army helicopter
AL = Army liaison
AS = Anti-submarine (*)
B = Bomber
B(I) = Bomber/interdictor
B(K) = Bomber/tanker
B(PR) = Bomber/photo-reconnaissance
C = Cargo transport
CC = Communications (also used for VIP transports)
E = Electronic warfare
F = Fighter
FA = Fighter/attack
FAW = All-weather fighter (*)
FB = Fighter/bomber (*)
FG = Fighter/ground attack
FGA = Fighter/ground attack
FGR = Fighter/ground attack/reconnaissance
FR = Fighter/reconnaissance
FRS = Fighter/reconnaissance/strike
GA = Ground attack
GR = Ground attack/reconnaissance
HAR = Search and rescue helicopter
HAS = Anti-submarine helicopter
HC = Cargo helicopter
HCC = Communications helicopter (also used for VIP transports)
HT = Training helicopter
HU = Utility helicopter
K = Tanker
KC = Tanker/transport
Met = Weather reconnaissance (*)
MR = Maritime reconnaissance
NF = Night fighter (*)
PR = Photographic reconnaissance
R = Reconnaissance
S = Strike
SR = Strategic reconnaissance
T = Trainer
TF = Torpedo fighter (*)
TT = Target tug
U = Unmanned drone
W = Weather reconnaissance
------------------------------
Subject: H.9. Canadian aircraft designations
The Canadian designation system is based on a simplified version of the
American system. A designation consists of the letter "C" (for Canadian),
a letter to indicate the aircraft's role, a dash, and a number, sometimes
followed by a letter to indicate a modification; usually "A" for a modified
version, or "D" for a dual-control trainer. Sometimes the aircraft's
original designation in its country of origin is used, with some
modification; for example, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, in Canadian
service, is known as the CC-130, versions being CC-130E (C-130E) and
CC-130H (C-130H) transports and CC-130HT (KC-130H) tankers.
The numbers are assigned in a single sequence for all types in Canadian
service, and are always over 100. This has led to a few aircraft having a
real designation that differs from the one they're commonly known by; for
example, the F-5 and F/A-18 in Canadian service are usually referred to as
the CF-5 and CF-18, but the correct designations are CF-116 and CF-188,
respectively.
Role letters:
C = Cargo transport
F = Fighter
H = Helicopter
P = Maritime patrol
T = Trainer
Types in current Canadian service:
CH-113 Labrador = Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight
CT-114 Tutor = Canadair CL-41 Tutor
CC-115 Buffalo = De Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo
CF-116 = Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter
CH-118 Iroquois = Bell UH-1 Iroquois
CH-124 Sea King = Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King
CC-130 Hercules = Lockheed C-130 Hercules
CT-133 Silver Star = Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
CH-135 = Bell 212
CH-136 Kiowa = Bell OH-58 Kiowa
CC-137 = Boeing 707
CC-138 Twin Otter = De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
CH-139 Jetranger = Bell 206 Jetranger
CP-140 Aurora/Arcturus = Lockheed P-3 Orion derivatives
CC-142/CT-142 = De Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8
CC-144 Challenger = Canadair CL-601 Challenger
CH-146 = Bell 412 (about to enter service)
CC-150 Polaris = Airbus A310
CF-188 Hornet = McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
------------------------------
Subject: H.10. Chinese aircraft designations
Chinese aircraft use a fairly simple system consisting of a letter or
letters to indicate the role, a dash, and a number, sometimes followed by
additional letters or numbers to indicate subtypes. The role letters are
often replaced by their English equivalents for export versions (for
example, the export version of the Q-5 (Qiang = Attack) is the A-5).
The numeric sequences always start with 5. Oddly enough for one of the
last bastions of Communism, this is the result of superstition; 4 is
considered an unlucky number in China (because the Chinese words for "four"
and "death" are very similar). The designation "J-2", often quoted for the
licence-built MiG-15, is mythical; the Chinese aircraft have always been
known simply as MiG-15, even after the Chinese and Russian governments
parted ways.
Role letters:
CJ (export PT) = Chujiao (basic trainer)
H (export B) = Hong (bomber)
J (export F) = Jian (fighter)
JJ (export FT) = Jianjiao (fighter trainer)
Q (export A) = Qiang (attack)
SH (export PS) = Shuihong (maritime bomber)
Y = Yun (transport)
Z = Zhi (vertical, i.e. helicopter)
Many Russian, and more recently Western, aircraft have been manufactured in
China and given Chinese designations. These include:
CJ-5 = Yakovlev Yak-18 "Max"
H-5 = Ilyushin Il-28 "Beagle"
H-6 = Tupolev Tu-16 "Badger"
J-5 = Mikoyan MiG-17 "Fresco"
J-6 = Mikoyan MiG-19 "Farmer"
J-7 = Mikoyan MiG-21 "Fishbed"
JJ-7 = Mikoyan MiG-21U "Mongol" (but see below)
Y-5 = Antonov An-2 "Colt"
Y-7 = Antonov An-24/26 "Coke/Curl"
Y-8 = Antonov An-12 "Cub"
Z-5 = Mil Mi-4 "Hare"
Z-8 = Aérospatiale AS.321 Super Frelon
Z-9 = Aérospatiale AS.365 Dauphin 2
Training versions of the J-5 and J-6 were built (JJ-5 and JJ-6); these had
no Russian counterparts (there was no MiG-17U or MiG-19U). Equating the
JJ-7 to the MiG-21U in the list above is slightly misleading, since the
trainer version was developed independently, not based on the Russian
trainer. Indigenous Chinese fighter designs have gone up to at least J-12,
although only the J-8 has entered service so far (see B.12).
Two Chinese aircraft have been given NATO codenames: J-8 "Finback" and Q-5
"Fantan".
------------------------------
Subject: H.11. German aircraft designations (WW2)
German aircraft were identified by two letters denoting the manufacturing
company, a number denoting the aircraft type (separated from the letters by
a space), and various modifiers for subtypes.
Manufacturer codes:
Arado = Ar
Bücker = Bü
Bachem = Ba
Blohm und Voss = Bv, Ha
Dornier = Do
Fieseler = Fi
Flettner = Fl
Focke-Achgelis = Fa
Focke-Wulf = Fw, Ta
Gotha = Go
Heinkel = He
Henschel = Hs
Horten = Ho
Junkers = Ju
Messerschmitt = Bf, Me
"Bf" for Messerschmitt came from Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, the company's
name before Willy Messerschmitt took over. "Ha" for Blohm und Voss came
from Hamburger Flugzeugbau, the name of the aircraft division of the Blohm
und Voss shipbuilding company. "Ta" for Focke-Wulf was used in honour of
designer Kurt Tank.
Type numbers were assigned by the RLM (air ministry); a single sequence was
used for all manufacturers. Related types were often given numbers
differing by 100; for example, the Messerschmitt Me 210 was designed as a
replacement for the Bf 110, and was developed into the Me 310 (abandoned
before flight) and Me 410.
Prototype aircraft had a "V" followed by a number identifying individual
aircraft, separated from the main designation by a space (e.g. Me 262 V1).
Major variants were denoted by a letter immediately following the type
number (e.g. Me 262A), minor variants by a number separated from the major
variant letter by a dash (e.g. Me 262A-1). Pre-production aircraft had a
zero in this position (e.g. Me 262A-0). Further variations on a subtype
could be denoted by a lower case letter attached to the variant number
(e.g. Me 262A-1a). Modified aircraft were indicated by "/R" or "/U" and a
number (e.g. Me 262A-1a/U5), or by "/Trop" (which I assume indicated a
tropical climate adaption).
------------------------------
Subject: H.12. Japanese aircraft designations and codenames (WW2)
Japanese aircraft designations are a highly confusing subject, since four
different systems were in use simultaneously in Japan, in addition to the
codenames used by the Allies. The Japanese Army and Navy each used two
systems to identify the same aircraft, so a type used by both services
(there were a few) could have up to five different designations -- Japanese
Army Kitai number, Army type number, Navy designation code, Navy type
number, and Allied codename!
Just to confuse matters a bit further, a few types were known best by
nicknames that had no official status. The Mitsubishi A6M fighter, also
known as the Carrier-Borne Fighter Type 0, had the official Allied codename
of "Zeke"; but it went down in history under the unofficial nickname used
by both sides: "Zero".
The Japanese Army Air Force identified aircraft by "Kitai" (airframe)
numbers, which simply consisted of "Ki", a dash, and a number. Originally
the numbers were a simple numeric sequence; later, some randomisation was
added, as a security measure. Gliders received "Ku" ("Guraida") numbers
instead. Subtypes or variants were indicated by Roman numeral suffixes, or
by various Japanese abbreviations (a common one was "Kai" (for "Kaizo"),
indicating a major modification).
In addition to Kitai numbers, most Army aircraft also received a second
designation in a parallel system based on role and the year of entry into
service. Originally this was the last two digits of the year; 100 was used
for the Japanese year 2600 (1940), then the numbers were restarted from 1.
Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft received a designation code very similar to
those used by the US Navy. This consisted of a letter to indicate the
aircraft's function, a sequential number to indicate a specific aircraft
type (unlike the USN system, the number 1 was left in), and a letter to
indicate the manufacturing company. This was followed by a dash and a
number to indicate a subtype, plus an optional letter or letters for
further variations.
Function letters:
A = Carrier-borne fighter
B = Carrier-borne torpedo bomber
C = Carrier-borne reconnaissance
D = Carrier-borne dive bomber
E = Reconnaissance seaplane
F = Observation seaplane
G = Land-based bomber
H = Flying-boat
J = Land-based fighter
K = Trainer
L = Transport
M = Special-purpose seaplane
N = Fighter seaplane
P = Bomber
Q = Patrol
R = Land-based reconnaissance
S = Night fighter
Some manufacturer letters:
A = Aichi
D = Showa
K = Kawanishi
M = Mitsubishi
N = Nakajima
P = Nihon
V = Seversky
W = Kyushu, Watanabe
Y = Yokosuka
The IJN also used a parallel system based on role description and year
number, similar to (but independent of) the Army's, except that the year
2600 (1940) became 0 instead of 100. This system was abandoned in 1943,
when it was decided that revealing the year of an aircraft's entry into
service might give useful information to the enemy. Aircraft were then
given proper names instead.
Because the correct designations of Japanese aircraft were often not known
(and, as you've probably gathered by now, difficult to keep straight
anyway), the Allies assigned codenames to them. The basic rules for these,
not always followed, were:
Bombers, dive bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, seaplanes, torpedo
bombers -- Girls' names
Fighters, reconnaissance seaplanes -- Boys' names
Gliders -- Names of birds
Trainers -- Names of trees
Transport aircraft -- Girls' names beginning with "T"
The following list gives various designations for some of the more
important Japanese aircraft of WW2:
Aichi D3A = Navy Type 99 Carrier-Borne Fighter = "Val"
Kawanishi H8K = Navy Type 2 Flying-Boat = "Emily"
Kawanishi N1K1/2 Shinden = "George"
Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu = Navy Type 2 Heavy Fighter = "Nick"
Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien = Navy Type 3 Fighter = "Tony"
Kawasaki Ki-100 = Navy Type 5 Fighter
Kyofu N1K = "Rex"
Mitsubishi A5M = Navy Type 96 Carrier-Borne Fighter = "Claude"
Mitsubishi A6M = Navy Type 0 Carrier-Borne Fighter = "Zeke"
Mitsubishi F1M = Navy Type 0 Observation Seaplane = "Pete"
Mitsubishi G4M = Navy Type 1 Attack Bomber = "Betty"
Mitsubishi J2M Raiden = "Jack"
Mitsubishi Ki-15 Karigane = C5M = "Babs"
Mitsubishi Ki-21 = Army Type 97 Heavy Bomber = "Sally"
Mitsubishi Ki-30 = Army Type 97 Light Bomber = "Ann"
Mitsubishi Ki-46 Shitei = Army Type 100 Reconnaissance Aircraft = "Dinah"
Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu = Army Type 4 Heavy Bomber = "Peggy"
Nakajima B5N = Navy Type 97 Carrier-Borne Bomber = "Kate"
Nakajima B6N Tenzan = "Jill"
Nakajima J1N Gekko = "Irving"
Nakajima Ki-27 = Army Type 97 Fighter = "Nate"
Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa = Army Type 1 Fighter = "Oscar"
Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki = Army Type 2 Fighter = "Tojo"
Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu = Army Type 100 Heavy Bomber = "Helen"
Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate = Army Type 4 Fighter = "Frank"
Yokosuka D4Y Suisei = "Judy"
Yokosuka P1Y Ginga = "Frances"
------------------------------
Subject: H.13. Swedish aircraft designations
The aircraft designations used by the Swedish armed forces consist of a set
of letters to indicate the role, and a number to indicate an aircraft type,
with a space between them. A letter may be added after the number to
indicate subtypes.
The numbers are assigned in a single sequence for all types of aircraft.
The same number is always used for the same basic aircraft type, but the
prefix may be changed to indicate different roles.
Role codes (these may be combined, e.g. "JA" for fighter/attack):
A = Attack
B = Bomb
Fpl = Flygplan (aeroplane; used for multirole light aircraft)
Hkp = Helikopter
J = Jakt (fighter)
S = Spaning (reconnaissance)
SF = Spaning foto (photographic reconnaissance)
SH = Spaning havsövervakning (maritime reconnaissance)
Sk = Skol (trainer)
T = Torped (torpedo bomber) (obsolete)
Tp = Transport
The following types are currently in Swedish service:
Hkp 3 = Agusta/Bell AB-204 Iroquois
Hkp 4 = Boeing/Kawasaki KV-107 Sea Knight
Hkp 5 = Schweizer (Hughes) 300
Hkp 6 = Agusta/Bell AB-206 Jetranger
Hkp 9 = MBB BO 105
Hkp 10 = Aérospatiale AS.332 Super Puma
J 32 = Saab Lansen
J/Sk 35 = Saab Draken
AJ/AJS/JA/SF/SH/Sk 37 = Saab Viggen
JAS 39 = Saab Gripen
Sk 50 = Saab Safir
Fpl 53 = Dornier 27
Tp 54 = Piper PA-31 Navajo
Sk 60 = Saab 105
Fpl/Sk 61 = BAe Bulldog
Tp 84 = Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Tp 86 = Rockwell Sabreliner
Tp 88 = Fairchild Metro
SH 89 = CASA C-212 Aviocar
Tp 100 = Saab 340
Tp 101 = Beech Super King Air
Tp 102 = Gulfstream IV
------------------------------
Subject: J.1. Reference books
This is not intended to be a general list of reference books on military
aviation; it's simply a list of most of the books I found useful in
compiling this FAQ list. I've quoted ISBN numbers where I could find them.
I assume Jane's Planes has a new ISBN each year; the one quoted here is
from the 1990-91 edition, the latest available to me.
Roy Braybrook, S Skrynnikov & L Yakutin (1993): _Russian Warriors:
Sukhois, MiGs and Tupolevs_ (Osprey Aerospace, UK; ISBN 1-85532-293-5)
Piotr Butowski (1992): _Military Aircraft of Eastern Europe: (1) Fighters
and Interceptors_ (Concord Publications, Hong Kong; ISBN 962-361-028-9)
Piotr Butowski (1992): _Military Aircraft of Eastern Europe: (2) Bombers
and Attack Aircraft_ (Concord Publications, Hong Kong; ISBN 962-361-035-1)
David Donald & Robert F Dorr (1990): _Fighters of the United States Air
Force_ (Military Press, USA; ISBN 0-517-66994-3)
Lou Drendel (1984): _C-130 Hercules in Action_ (Squadron/Signal
Publications, USA; ISBN 0-89747-111-3)
Marcus Fülber (1993): _Red Stars Over Europe_ (Concord Publications, Hong
Kong; ISBN 962-361-709-7)
Tony Gibbons and David Miller (1992): _Modern Warships_ (Salamander Books,
UK; ISBN0-86101-673-4)
Yefim Gordon & Bill Sweetman (1992): _Soviet X-Planes_ (Motorbooks
International, USA; ISBN 0-87938-498-0)
Bill Gunston (1976): _The Encyclopaedia of the World's Combat Aircraft_
(Salamander Books, UK)
Bill Gunston (1981): _Military Helicopters_ (Salamander Books, UK; ISBN
0-86101-110-4)
Bill Gunston (1983): _Modern Airborne Missiles_ (Lansdowne Press,
Australia; ISBN 0-7018-1705-4)
Bill Gunston (1987): _Modern Fighters and Attack Aircraft_ (Salamander
Books, UK; ISBN 0-86101-320-4)
Bill Gunston (1987): _The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Aircraft Armament_
(Salamander Books, UK; ISBN 0-86101-314-X)
Bill Gunston (1988): _Combat Arms: Modern Fighters_ (Salamander Books,
UK; ISBN 0-86101-413-8)
Bill Gunston (1989): _Combat Arms: Modern Attack Aircraft_ (Salamander
Books, UK; ISBN 0-86101-451-0)
Bill Gunston & Mike Spick (1983): _Modern Air Combat_ (Salamander Books,
UK)
Bill Gunston & Mike Spick (1986): _Modern Fighting Helicopters_ (Tiger
Books, UK; ISBN 1-85501-164-6)
John Jordan (1992): _Modern US Navy_ (Salamander Books, UK; ISBN
0-8317-5061-8)
Mark Lambert, ed (annual): _Jane's All the World's Aircraft_ (Jane's
Publishing, UK; ISBN 0-7106-0908-6)
Chris Marshall, ed (1988): _The Defenders_ (Oriole Publishing, UK; ISBN
1-870318-10-2)
R A Mason & John W R Taylor (1986): _Aircraft, Strategy and operations of
the Soviet Air Force_ (Jane's Publishing, UK; ISBN 0-7106-0373-8)
Doug Richardson (1989): _Stealth Warplanes_ (Salamander Books, UK)
Mike Spick (1987): _Modern Fighter Combat_ (Salamander Books, UK; ISBN
0-86101-319-0)
Mike Spick & Tim Ripley (1992): _Modern Attack Aircraft_ (Smithmark
Publishers, USA; ISBN 0-8317-5054-5)
Mike Spick & Barry Wheeler (1992): _Modern Aircraft Markings_ (Salamander
Books, UK; ISBN 0-86101-695-5)
Mike Spick & Barry Wheeler (1992): _Modern American Fighters and Attack
Aircraft_ (Salamander Books, UK; ISBN 0-86101-696-3)
Bill Sweetman (1989): _Stealth Bomber_ (Airlife Publishing, UK; ISBN
1-85310-097-8)
Bill Sweetman (1993): _Aurora_ (Motorbooks International, USA; ISBN
0-87938-780-7)
Michael J H Taylor (1983): _Military Prototypes of the 1950s_ (Arms and
Armour Press; UK; ISBN 0-85368-579-7)
Michael J H Taylor (1987): _Encyclopaedia of Modern Military Aircraft_
(Bison Books, UK; ISBN 0-86124-349-8)
Michael J H Taylor (1991): _Jane's American Fighting Aircraft of the 20th
Century_ (Studio Editions, UK; ISBN 1-85170-767-0)
Masami Tokoi (1990): _Soviet Military Aircraft in Monino_ (Dai Nippon
Kaiga, Japan; ISBN 4-499-20561-1)
Steven J Zaloga (1991): _Modern Soviet Warplanes: Fighters and
Interceptors_ (Concord Publications, Hong Kong; ISBN 962-361-014-9)
Steven J Zaloga (1991): _Modern Soviet Warplanes: Strike Aircraft and
Attack Helicopters_ (Concord Publications, Hong Kong; ISBN 962-361-015-7)
Steven J Zaloga (1992): _Russian Falcons_ (Concord Publications, Hong
Kong; ISBN 962-361-707-0)
------------------------------
Subject: J.2. Magazines
As with the list of reference books, these are the magazines whose articles
I found useful in compiling these answers.
_Air Forces Monthly_ (Key Publishing, UK; monthly)
_Air International_ (Key Publishing, UK; monthly)
_Aviation Week and Space Technology_ (McGraw Hill, USA; weekly)
_Flight International_ (Reed Business Publishing, UK; weekly)
------------------------------
Subject: J.3. Acknowledgements
Thanks to the following people for their help:
Dan <da...@cup.portal.com>
Raymundio <ray...@io.ame.arizona.edu>
Kevin Au <k...@haas.berkeley.edu>
Guy Beaver <bea...@hops.larc.nasa.gov>
Al Bowers <ak...@yfn.ysu.edu>
Martin Briscoe <martin....@almac.co.uk>
Carlton Brown <br...@ils.unc.edu>
Dwight Brown <stai...@ghostwheel.bga.com>
Wei-Bin Chang <wei...@cae.wisc.edu>
Dave Cherkus <che...@unimaster.com>
Rodney Clark <rcl...@vibuscy.ccdn.otc.com.au>
Geoff A Cohen <gac...@seas.gwu.edu>
Jim Davis <jime...@aol.com>
Albert Dobyns <albert...@mwbbs.com>
Dave Elliott <ell...@gsoc0007.rm.op.dlr.de>
Bernd Felsche <ber...@metapro.metapro.dialix.oz.au>
Peter Fenelon <pe...@minster.york.ac.uk>
Robert M Franklin <gt9...@brunel.ac.uk>
Urban Fredriksson <u...@icl.se>
George Gale <gg...@vax1.umkc.edu>
Emmanuel Gustin <gus...@uia.ac.be>
Lee Hauser <76264...@compuserve.com>
Scott Hemsley <shem...@malthus.acs.ryerson.ca>
John B Iodice <jio...@telesciences.com>
Cal Jewell <jew...@data-io.com>
Larry & Kim Jewell <jew...@mace.cc.purdue.edu>
Rheza Jina <rh...@emb.frmug.fr.net>
Paul Kennedy <pa...@brt.com>
Lanny Lancaster <pp00...@interramp.com>
Robin John Lee <amr...@uclink.berkeley.edu>
Steven Malikoff <ste...@syacus.acus.oz.au>
Duane P Mantick <wb9...@constellation.ecn.purdue.edu>
Chris Maxfield <ch...@saucer.cc.umr.edu>
Paul McGinnis <tra...@cup.portal.com>
Jack McKillop <je...@donuts0.bellcore.com>
Jeff Mitchell <jmi...@mail.vt.edu>
Eugene N Miya <eug...@nas.nasa.gov>
Chris Neary <cm...@pge.com>
Vince Norris <vp...@psuvm.psu.edu>
Christopher Ridlon <air...@u.washington.edu>
Jaap Romers <jaap....@cs.ruu.nl>
Geoff Russell <g.ru...@uws.edu.au>
Ling Shi <cp...@jcu.edu.au>
Simon D Shpilfoygel <c...@cs.ucla.edu>
Steven Vincent <ste...@unipalm.co.uk>
Rustam Yusupov <pri...@fund.omsk.su>
Stefan Zamel <z...@ft1.ipt.rwth-aachen.de>
...and some others who have asked not to be named.
Ross Smith
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Last-Modified: 1-Oct-1994
rec.aviation.military Frequently Asked Questions
Ross Smith
<av...@meanmach.actrix.gen.nz>
(Please note that my address has changed since the last posting)
------------------------------
Subject: C.13. What's happened to the former USSR's aircraft carriers?
Of the four 43000 tonne Kiev class carriers, three (_Kiev_, _Minsk_, and
_Novorossiysk_) have been retired, leaving only one (_Admiral Gorshkov_) in
service with the Northern Fleet. The Yak-38 V/STOL strike aircraft
formerly assigned to the ships have also been retired; the _Gorshkov_ now
carries only helicopters.
_Minsk_ and _Novorossiysk_ have been stricken for scrapping; _Kiev_ is
mothballed, but will be cannibalised for parts to keep _Gorshkov_ in
service. However, _Gorshkov_ itself is currently described as "inactive";
given the Russian government's chronic shortage of money, and the fact that
there are no shipyards in Russia capable of servicing them (the only
suitable one is in the Ukraine), it's quite possible that the entire class
may disappear in the near future.
The 67500 tonne _Admiral Kuznetsov_, the only conventional aircraft carrier
ever operated by the Soviet Navy, remains in service with the Russian
Navy's Northern Fleet. Its sister ship, _Varyag_, remains at the Nikolayev
shipyard, not quite complete. Its fate was decided in June 1994, when the
Ukrainian government ordered it to be scrapped, after Russia's decision not
to buy the vessel, and no success in attempts to sell it to other countries
such as China and India.
The 75000 tonne, nuclear powered _Ulyanovsk_ was never completed; the hull
has been scrapped.
The _Kuznetsov_, although nominally in active service, has so far been used
primarily for testing aircraft and operating procedures, the Russian Navy
having very little experience with fixed-wing carrier operations. Its
primary aircraft type is the Sukhoi Su-33 single-seat multirole fighter
(production version of the Su-27K prototypes), which is currently in
low-rate production. The Mikoyan MiG-29K was tested aboard _Kuznetsov_
alongside the Su-27K, but has not been selected for production. A naval
training version of the Sukhoi Su-25, the Su-25UTG, is also in production
(a handful of another version, the Su-25UBP, were also built). The
_Kuznetsov_ also carries a number of Kamov Ka-27/28/29/32 helicopters, in
various subtypes.
Two AEW aircraft were developed but cancelled. The first was an AEW
version of the Antonov An-72 twin-turbofan STOL transport, codenamed
"Madcap" by NATO; this interesting design (the radar disc was mounted atop
a forward-swept, V-shaped set of tail fins) was cancelled in favour of
Yakovlev's Yak-44, a twin turboprop apparently very similar to the Grumman
E-2 Hawkeye. The official reason given was that a turboprop was more
efficient for the AEW role than a jet (although your FAQ compiler suspects
that the fact that Yakovlev is a Russian company while Antonov is Ukrainian
probably had something to do with it too). The Yak-44 has also in turn
been cancelled (although a revival is being considered), and recent reports
suggest that an AEW version of the Kamov Ka-32 helicopter is under
development.
Assuming the _Kuznetsov_ remains in service, a strike aircraft is likely to
be added to its air wing; this will almost certainly be another Su-27
variant, since the Russian air forces currently have a policy of minimising
the number of different types in service by using Su-27 derivatives
wherever possible. Navalised strike versions of the MiG-27, Su-24, and
Su-25 were all tested on imitation flight decks on land bases, but none
were ever developed into carrier-capable naval aircraft (the naval Su-25s
are all trainers).
Both surviving carriers serve with the Northern Fleet, because current
Russian Navy policy is to concentrate all carriers, aircraft, and pilots in
one fleet.
[Much of the above is from recent magazine reports; thanks to Simon
Shpilfoygel for additional information]
[Oh, and thanks to John Iodice for pointing out to me that "Kuznetsov" is
Russian for "Smith" :-) ]
------------------------------
Subject: C.14. What's an Su-35?
Formerly known as the Su-27M, the Sukhoi Su-35 is an advanced derivative of
the Su-27 "Flanker". The first Su-27M prototype was displayed at the 1992
Farnborough Air Show. The Su-35 is expected to go into production in 1994;
a production standard aircraft will probably appear at Farnborough '94.
Changes from the Su-27 include a new radar, requiring a somewhat larger
nose; foreplanes, as on the naval Su-33; more powerful engines (also
originally developed for the Su-33); an enlarged and improved infrared
search and track unit in front of the cockpit; an infrared missile-warning
scanner on the fuselage spine; numerous internal electronic improvements;
larger tail fins (required by aerodynamic changes imposed by the enlarged
nose); and a large "spine" between the engines containing a rearward-facing
air-to-air radar, allowing the use of rear-firing semi-active radar guided
missiles. Not present on the prototype, but expected to be on the
production version, are two-dimensional thrust-vectoring engine nozzles (as
on the F-15SMTD demonstrator and YF-22).
The interesting concept of rearward-firing missiles has apparently been
tested on Su-27s, using modified R-73 missiles mounted on rotating pylons
that can fire missiles in either direction. The production version
apparently has a "nose cone" over the rocket engine (jettisoned on launch),
and modified fins to prevent instability problems while briefly flying
backwards after launch. The launch rails are fitted with gas cartridges to
boost the missile backwards, so its own engine doesn't have to overcome the
aircraft's full forward speed. It isn't clear whether the missiles will be
mounted on fixed rearward facing rails, or rotating pylons similar to those
used during development. How well any of this will work in practice
remains to be seen.
Besides being a better fighter, the Su-35 also has greatly improved ground
attack capability compared to the original Su-27, which was more
specialised for the air-to-air role.
Other Su-27 derivatives include the tandem two-seat Su-30 in interceptor
(Su-30, formerly Su-27PU, intended to supplement the more capable but more
expensive MiG-31) and ground attack (Su-30M (and export Su-30MK), possibly
intended for the "Wild Weasel" anti-radar role, replacing the MiG-25BM)
versions; Su-33 (formerly Su-27K) carrier-borne multirole fighter; and
Su-34 (formerly Su-27IB/KU) side-by-side two-seat strike aircraft (intended
to replace the MiG-27, Su-17, and Su-24 in the interdiction/strike role).
The Su-30 has been offered for export to India. The Su-34 shares the
Su-35's tail radar and rear-firing AAMs.
Vital statistics (Su-35): length 21.96 m, span 14.70 m, empty weight 18400
kg, normal TO weight 25700 kg, max speed 2440 km/h (Mach 2.30), ferry range
3500 km; power plant: two 137.30 kN Lyulka AL-31MF augmented turbofans;
armament: one GSh-30 30mm cannon, 14 hardpoints, max external load 8200
kg.
[My main source here is Steven Zaloga's _Russian Falcons_; thanks also to
Rustam Yusupov for posting additional details]
------------------------------
Subject: C.15. What air-to-air missiles are in service?
The following list covers the air-to-air missiles known to be in service or
under development, as of late 1993.
Guidance types: AR = active radar, IR = infrared, Opt = optical, PR =
passive radar, SAR = semi-active radar.
Missile Length Mass Range Speed Warhead Guidance
(m) (kg) (km) (M) (kg)
------------------------------ ------ ---- ----- ----- ------- --------
International
AIM-132A ASRAAM 2.90 87 15 ? 10 IR
S225X ? ? 100 ? ? AR
Brazil
MAA-1 Mol 2.82 90 10 2.0 12 IR
China
PL-2 2.99 76 3 ? 11 IR
PL-3 2.99 82 3 ? 14 IR
PL-5B 2.89 85 16 ? 9 IR
PL-7 2.75 90 ? ? 13 IR
PL-8 3.00 120 5 ? 11 IR
PL-9 2.99 120 5 ? 10 IR
PL-10 3.99 300 15 3.0 ? SAR
France
MICA AR 3.10 110 60 ? ? AR
MICA IR 3.10 110 60 ? ? IR
R.550 Magic 1 2.72 89 10 2.0 13 IR
R.550 Magic 2 2.75 90 10 2.0 13 IR
Super 530D 3.80 270 40 4.5 30 SAR
Super 530F 3.54 245 35 4.5 30 SAR
Germany
Iris ? ? ? ? ? IR
India
Astra ? ? ? ? ? AR
Israel
Python 3 3.00 120 15 3.5 11 IR
Python 4 3.00 ? ? ? ? IR
Shafrir 2 2.60 93 5 ? 11 IR
Italy
Aspide 1 3.70 220 100 4.0 35 SAR
Aspide 2 3.65 230 100 4.0 35 SAR
Japan
AAM-3 Type 90 2.60 70 5 ? ? IR
Russia
K-13A/R-13S "AA-2 Atoll" 2.84 75 8 2.5 11 IR
K-13M/R-13M "AA-2-2 Atoll-D" 2.87 90 13 2.5 11 IR
K-13R/R-13R "AA-2-2 Atoll-C" 3.50 93 8 2.5 11 SAR
Kh-31P "AS-17 Krypton" 5.23 600 200 3.0 90 PR
KS-172 RVV-L 7.40 750 400 ? ? AR
R-23R "AA-7 Apex" 4.46 244 27 3.4 35 SAR
R-23T "AA-7 Apex" 4.16 217 27 3.4 35 IR
R-24R "AA-7 Apex" 4.46 ? ? ? ? SAR
R-24T "AA-7 Apex" 4.16 ? ? ? ? IR
R-27EA "AA-10 Alamo" 4.78 350 130 ? 39 AR
R-27EM "AA-10 Alamo" 4.78 350 170 ? 39 SAR
R-27ER "AA-10 Alamo-C" 4.78 350 130 ? 39 SAR
R-27ET "AA-10 Alamo-D" 4.78 350 130 ? 39 IR
R-27P "AA-10 Alamo" ? ? ? ? 39 PR
R-27R "AA-10 Alamo-A" 4.08 235 60 ? 39 SAR
R-27T "AA-10 Alamo-B" 3.80 245 40 ? 39 IR
R-33 "AA-9 Amos" 4.15 490 120 ? 47 SAR
R-37 ? 600 150 ? ? AR
R-40RD "AA-6 Acrid" 5.98 461 70 4.5 38 SAR
R-40TD "AA-6 Acrid" 5.98 460 30 4.5 38 IR
R-60 "AA-8 Aphid" 2.14 45 7 2.5 4 IR
R-60M "AA-8 Aphid" 2.14 45 ? 2.5 4 IR
R-60MK "AA-8 Aphid" 2.14 45 12 2.5 4 IR
R-73/R-73M1 "AA-11 Archer" 2.90 105 15 ? 7 IR
R-73E/R-73M2 "AA-11 Archer" 2.90 110 30 ? 7 IR
R-77 RVV-AE "AA-12" 3.60 175 90 3.0 18 AR
South Africa
Darter 2.75 89 10 4.2 16 IR
V3B Kukri 2.94 73 4 3.9 ? IR
Taiwan
Sky Sword I 2.87 90 15 ? ? IR
Sky Sword II 3.60 190 40 ? ? SAR
United Kingdom
Active Sky Flash 3.66 208 50 4.0 30 AR
Sky Flash 3.66 192 50 4.0 30 SAR
United States of America
AIM-7M Sparrow 3.66 230 100 2.5 39 SAR
AIM-7P Sparrow 3.66 230 45 ? 39 SAR
AIM-7R Sparrow 3.66 ? 45 ? ? IR+SAR
AIM-9J Sidewinder 3.07 78 15 2.5 ? IR
AIM-9L Sidewinder 2.87 87 18 2.5 10 IR
AIM-9M Sidewinder 2.87 87 8 2.5 10 IR
AIM-9P Sidewinder 3.07 82 8 2.5 12 IR
AIM-9R Sidewinder 2.87 87 8 2.5 10 Opt
AIM-9S Sidewinder 2.87 87 8 2.5 10 IR
AIM-9TC Sidewinder 3.00 84 ? ? ? IR
AIM-54C Phoenix 4.30 463 200 4.0 60 AR
AIM-92A Stinger 1.52 14 5 2.0 3 IR
AIM-120A AMRAAM 3.65 157 75 4.0 22 AR
Have Dash 3.00 180 50 3.0 ? AR+IR
[Most of the information here is from Doug Richardson and Piotr Butowski's
survey of AAMs in the October 1993 issue of _Air International_]
------------------------------
Subject: D.1. Is aircraft X still in service?
* Blackburn Buccaneer: NO -- The last squadron of Buccaneers in RAF
service was disbanded in early 1994. South Africa, the only other
Buccaneer user, had already disposed of its aircraft by then.
* Boeing B-29 Superfortress: SORT OF -- China still has 15 Russian-built
B-29 copies (Tu-4) on its inventory; these are now used entirely for
training and research. One was fitted with a pylon-mounted disk for AEW
radar experiments.
* Convair F-106 Delta Dart: SORT OF -- The last aircraft in US service
were retired in 1988. About 180 were converted to QF-106 target drones;
most have been destroyed by now, of course, but some are still flying (July
1994).
* Dassault Ouragan: YES -- El Salvador still has eight Ouragans in
service.
* De Havilland Vampire: NO -- There are no Vampires in military service;
several are still flying in private hands.
* De Havilland Venom: NO -- There are no Venoms in military service;
several are still flying in private hands.
* English Electric Canberra: YES -- The Canberra is still in service with
Argentina, Chile, India (largest user, with 46), Peru, and the UK. The 20
aircraft on the British inventory are used for training and photographic
reconnaissance, not in the bomber role.
* Grumman S-2 Tracker: YES -- Eight countries still have S-2s in service.
Many retired examples have been converted to civilian firebombers.
* Handley Page Victor: NO -- The RAF retired its last Victor K.2 tanker on
30 November 1993.
* Hawker Hunter: YES -- The Hunter is still in service with Chile, India,
Oman, and Switzerland (largest user, with 87). Lebanon and Somalia still
have a handful of Hunters listed, but these are almost certainly
unserviceable. The handful of Hunters still flying in the UK are operated
by civilian organisations. Switzerland plans to dispose of its Hunters by
the end of 1995.
* Ilyushin Il-28 ("Beagle"): YES -- The Chinese-built Hong-5 is in service
in large numbers (about 650) with China, as well as North Korea and
Romania, but only Egypt still operates five Russian-built Il-28s.
* Lockheed F-104 Starfighter: YES -- Remains in service with Greece,
Italy, Taiwan, and Turkey (largest user, with 220).
* Lockheed P-2 Neptune: YES -- Japan still flies 14 of its locally-built
P-2J version.
* Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: SORT OF -- These were retired from USAF
service in 1990. Three aircraft were transferred to NASA, and are used for
atmospheric research. Currently (June '94) there seems to be serious talk
of reactivating some USAF SR-71s for reconnaissance, probably in connection
with the Korean situation.
* Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star: YES -- 14 countries still use T-33s for
training; the largest user is Japan, with 113.
* Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 ("Fagot/Midget"): YES -- About 20 countries
operate the MiG-15UTI trainer; three (Albania, Cuba, and Romania) still
operate the single-seat fighter. All Chinese MiG-15s have been retired
(see also H.10).
* Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 ("Fresco"): YES -- About 25 countries still use
the MiG-17, or the Chinese-built J-5. The Chinese PLA Air Force only
operates the JJ-5 trainer version.
* Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 ("Farmer"): YES -- The Chinese J-6 is still in
service with 14 countries, but only Cuba still flies the genuine article
(about 30). Production of the J-6 stopped about 1981.
* Myasishchyev M-3/4 ("Bison"): YES -- The last M-3M and M-4 "Bison-A"
bombers and M-3MD "Bison-C" maritime patrol aircraft were retired or
converted in 1987. A small number of M-3MS-2 "Bison-B" tankers remain in
service with the Russian AF, but are being replaced by the Il-78T "Midas",
and will probably be gone by the end of 1994. A few aircraft (possibly
only one) have been converted to M-3VM-T Atlant heavy transports; these
remain in use, mainly for transporting space hardware, pending the
manufacture of more An-225 transports.
* North American F-86 Sabre: YES -- The Bolivian Air Force still operates
four F-86F interceptors.
* North American F-100 Super Sabre: NO -- Turkey, the last operator of the
F-100, disposed of its aircraft in 1989.
* Sukhoi Su-7 ("Fitter/Moujik"): YES -- Only Algeria, Iraq, and North
Korea (largest user, with 30) still fly the Su-7.
* Sukhoi Su-15 ("Flagon"): NO -- This was withdrawn from Russian service
about 1992.
* Tupolev Tu-128 ("Fiddler"): NO -- This was withdrawn from Russian
service about 1992.
* Vought A-7 Corsair II: YES -- In service with Greece (largest user, with
85) and Portugal. The last A-7s in US service were withdrawn at the end of
1993.
* Vought F-8 Crusader: YES -- 19 F-8E(FN) Crusaders serve with the French
Navy, and are expected to remain in service until the Rafale M is available
in 1999.
* Yakovlev Yak-28 ("Brewer/Firebar/Maestro"): NO -- The last Yak-28P
"Firebar" interceptors were withdrawn in the 1980s, the last Yak-28R
"Brewer-D" reconnaissance aircraft about 1990, and the last Yak-28PP
"Brewer-E" electronic warfare aircraft (along with the last Yak-28U
"Maestro" trainers) about 1992.
* Yakovlev Yak-38 ("Forger"): NO -- The Russian Navy retired the last of
its Yak-38 fleet around the end of 1993.
[Most of the above comes from the "Air Forces of the World" directory in
the 24-Nov-93 issue of _Flight International_]
------------------------------
Subject: D.2. Did one of the XB-70 prototypes crash during a photo shot?
On 8 June 1966, XB-70 AV/2 (Air Vehicle 2) took part in a publicity flight
involving five aircraft powered by General Electric engines, over the
Mojave Desert. The aircraft were flying in a V formation; from left to
right, a Northrop T-38A Talon, a McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom II, the
North American XB-70 Valkyrie, a Lockheed F-104N Starfighter, and a
Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter. Two more aircraft, a Learjet and an F-104D,
carried photographers.
At 9:26 a.m., just after the end of the photo session, with no warning or
explanation, the F-104N's tail hit the XB-70's right wingtip. The F-104
flipped over and passed above the XB-70, slicing off parts of both of its
vertical fins on the way, then rammed into its port wing several times.
The XB-70 then flipped over and began spinning, spraying fuel from the
ruins of its port wing. Both aircraft dived into the ground.
The command pilot of AV/2, Al White (North American's test pilot), ejected
and survived, although he suffered back injuries when the air bag that
should have served as shock absorber on his ejection capsule failed. He
said later that the other pilot, Major Carl Cross (USAF), was slumped
forward in his seat; White tried to activate Cross's ejection capsule but
was unable to do so before he had to eject himself. It was speculated that
Cross had suffered a blow to the head, or was incapacitated by G forces.
The F-104N pilot, Joseph A Walker (NASA's chief research pilot) was
apparently killed in the initial collision.
The collision is believed to have been caused by the F-104 getting too
close to the XB-70 and getting caught in its wingtip vortices, but nobody
knows for certain.
The surviving XB-70, AV/1 (tail number 20001), is on display at the Air
Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio.
[Information from _Valkyrie -- North American XB-70_ by Steve Pace (thanks
Dan); also thanks to Al Bowers for additional details]
------------------------------
Subject: E.1. What jet aircraft were the Germans working on during WW2?
* Arado Ar 234 Blitz (Lightning): The world's first jet bomber. First
flight, 15 June 1943; service entry, September 1944. The two versions to
see service, the Ar 234B-1 unarmed reconnaissance aircraft and B-2 bomber,
were single-seat aircraft powered by two 8.83 kN thrust Jumo 004B
turbojets. The Ar 234C series, with four 7.85 kN BMW 003A-1 turbojets,
never reached service, although several prototypes flew. 210 Ar 234s were
completed before the end of the war; the Ar 234 was involved in the Battle
of the Bulge, the destruction of the Remagen bridge, and several other
battles. Plans included the Ar 234C-1 reconnaissance plane, C-2 bomber,
and C-3 in bomber, ground attack, and night fighter subtypes; a C-3 variant
carrying a V-1 cruise missile on its back was also planned. Other
proposals included the Ar 234D (two Heinkel HeS 011A turbojets), Ar 234E
(fighter based on Ar 234D), Ar 234P (night fighter), and Ar 234R (rocket
engines).
Vital statistics (Ar 234B-2): length 12.65 m, span 14.20 m, empty weight
5200 kg, max weight 8410 kg, max speed 742 km/h, range 1630 km; armament:
two 20mm cannon, 1500 kg bomb load.
* Bachem Ba 349 Natter (Viper): This was a tiny, extremely short-range
rocket-powered interceptor. It was designed to be launched vertically,
fire its rocket armament into a bomber formation, and then come apart in
mid-air; the forward section would be thrown away, the rear section would
descend by parachute to be re-used, and the pilot, released from between
the two, would descend on his own parachute. The initial version, the Ba
349A, was powered by four 11.77 kN Schmidding 109-533 booster rockets and
one 16.67 kN Walter 109-509A-2 sustainer rocket; 20 of this version were
built, of which only one made a single manned flight. Part of the forward
fuselage broke away prematurely, and the aircraft crashed, killing the
pilot. There were plans for a Ba 349C with a more powerful rocket and a
larger tail for better control.
Vital statistics (Ba 349B): length 6.10 m, span 3.60 m, max weight 2200
kg, max speed 800 km/h, range 40 km; armament: 24 Föhn rockets.
* DFS 228: High-altitude, air-launched reconnaissance aircraft with a
rocket engine, in development during 1945. Claimed are a ceiling of 20000
m, a speed of 1000 km/h, and a range of 720 km -- but no DFS 228, and few
documents, survived the war.
* DFS 346: A 1945 design for an aircraft with two 20 kN Walter rocket
engines, swept wings and a prone pilot position. It had an estimated top
speed of Mach 2.6 at 30500 m. The incomplete prototype was captured by the
USSR and test flown, with one of the interned B-29s as launch aircraft.
* Fieseler Fi 103R Reichenberg: Basically a manned version of the Fi 103
("V-1") flying bomb (the first cruise missile). In theory, this wasn't a
Kamikaze-style suicide weapon, since the pilot was intended to bail out
after aiming the aircraft/missile at its target. In practice, this would
have presented certain difficulties, since the cockpit was placed directly
underneath the jet intake! The engine was the same one used on the V-1,
one 2.94 kN As 109-014 pulse-jet. Versions planned were the Fi 103R-I and
R-II training gliders, R-III powered trainer, and R-IV operational version.
About 175 were built, and a few test flights were made by the R-III, but
none flew operationally.
Vital statistics (for the V-1; the Fi 103R-IV would have been very
similar): length 7.90 m, span 5.30 m, weight 2180 kg, max speed 645 km/h,
range 240 km; armament: 850 kg warhead.
* Focke-Wulf Ta 183: Single-seat jet fighter powered by one 12.75 kN
Heinkel HeS 011 turbojet. Planned versions included the Ta 183A-1 and A-2
fighters, and A-3 photo-reconnaissance version. It was selected for
production in January 1945 over the Messerschmitt P-1101; it is not known
how far it had progressed by the end of the war, but it is unlikely that
any examples flew. Drawings and parts were taken by the Russians, and
probably contributed to the design of the MiG-15, which was similar in
appearance.
Vital statistics (Ta 183A-1): length 9.20 m, span 10.00 m, max weight 4300
kg, max speed 954 km/h, range 722 km; armament: four 15mm or 20mm cannon
or two 30mm cannon; 500 kg bomb load.
* Heinkel He 162 Salamander: A tiny, single-engine fighter, famous for the
speed of the development programme -- the first prototype flew on 6
December 1944, less than three months after the requirement was issued! It
was intended to be a "Volksjäger" (people's fighter) that could be flown by
Hitler Youth volunteers after minimal training; fortunately for the youths
concerned, the war ended before this plan could be put into action. 280
aircraft were completed before the end of the war (and another 800 were
found in various stages of completion in the factories), but only a handful
actually saw combat, in the hands of expert pilots. By all accounts the
Salamander had lousy handling characteristics and was difficult for even
experienced pilots to fly. In addition, the high-tech glue used to make
the wooden laminate wings in the prototypes was replaced with a cheaper
type in the production aircraft, resulting in frequent catastrophic
failures. Versions built were the He 162A-1 and A-2, both powered by one
7.85 kN BMW 003E-1 or E-2 turbojet (differing only in being armed with two
30mm or two 20mm cannon, respectively); proposals included the He 162B (one
or two pulse-jet engines), He 162C (forward-swept wings), He 162D
(swept-back wings), and various combinations of jet and rocket propulsion.
Vital statistics (He 162A-2): length 9.00 m, span 7.20 m, empty weight
2180 kg, max weight 2695 kg, max speed 784 km/h, range 695 km; armament:
two 20mm cannon.
* Heinkel He 280: The first jet fighter to fly, the He 280 was powered by
two 8.24 kN Junkers Jumo 004 turbojets. Development was delayed, and
eventually abandoned in favour of the superior Me 262.
Vital statistics (He 280 V6): max speed 817 km/h; armament: three 20mm
cannon.
* Henschel Hs 132: A dive bomber powered by a single 7.85 kN BMW 003A-1
turbojet, the Hs 132 was built along the same general lines as the He 162,
with the engine mounted dorsally on the fuselage. The unique feature was a
prone pilot position, intended to improve G tolerance. The factory was
overrun by the Soviet Army shortly before the first flight was planned.
Vital statistics: Max speed 700 km/h; armament: one 500 kg bomb.
* Horten Ho IX (also known as Gotha Go 229): A flying wing fighter of
futuristic and elegant appearance. It had a flat, tailless design, and was
intended to be constructed mainly of wood, with special glues and lacquers
to minimise radar signature -- in other words, it was the first stealth
fighter! Only one prototype flew, the Ho IX V2, making its first and only
powered flight in January 1945; unfortunately it crashed on landing. The
prototype was powered by two 8.73 kN Jumo 004B turbojets (which would also
have powered the production Go 229 versions). Production of the fighter
was assigned to the Gotha factory; versions planned were the single-seat Go
229A day fighter, and the two-seat, radar-equipped Go 229B night fighter.
A captured prototype rests at Silver Hill, Maryland, USA.
Vital statistics (Go 229A-0): empty weight 4600 kg, max weight 7507 kg,
max speed 977 km/h, range 1900 km; armament: four 30mm cannon; 2000 kg
bomb load.
* Horten Ho X: Single-engined flying wing fighter, basically a slightly
scaled-down Ho IX. None were built.
* Horten Ho XVIII "Amerika bomber": Six-engine flying wing bomber. Apart
from the curved trailing edge, this design bore an amazing resemblance to
the Northrop B-2. None were built, although the first prototype was under
construction at the end of the war. Rumour has it this aircraft was
intended to carry the German atomic bomb to America.
Vital statistics: range 11900 km; armament: 3600 kg bomb load.
* Junkers Ju 287: A heavy jet bomber, unusual in having forward swept
wings. A single prototype flew before the end of the war (a second was
completed and flown in Russia after the war). The prototype was built
largely from salvaged parts, including an He 177 fuselage, and was powered
by four turbojets, one under each wing and one on either side of the nose;
planned versions included several different arrangements of two, four, or
six engines.
* Lippisch P13a: This one takes the prize (any prize). It was a
ramjet-powered, sharply swept delta, with the cockpit built into the tail
fin. It was powered by coal gas generated from solid fuel, and had a
nominal design speed of 1650 km/h. Yes, you read that right -- a
coal-powered supersonic fighter. A small rocket engine was provided for
take-off. Alas, it never flew. The DM-1 glider, built along the same
general lines and intended to validate the airframe design, was completed
after the war and test-flown in the US; some results were published in
_Lippisch P13a and Experimmental DM-1_ by Hans-Peter Dabrowski (Schiffer
Military History; ISBN 0-88740-479-0). Aerodynamic testing in a
wind-tunnel took place at Langley field, by what was then NACA, in 1946.
Results were "disappointing", but led eventually to the successful delta
wing concept.
Vital statistics: length 6.7 m, span 6.0 m, max speed 1650 km/h (Mach
1.55; this was the original design speed, although wind tunnel tests went
up to Mach 2.6), range 1240 km; armament: two cannon.
* Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet: The only rocket-powered aircraft ever to
enter service. First flight, early 1941; service entry, May 1944. Unusual
in appearance as well as propulsion, it had a short fuselage with swept
wings and no horizontal tail; despite the tailless design, it had excellent
flight characteristics and was reportedly very easy to fly. Landing was a
different matter, though -- the awkward centreline skid arrangement (to
save weight, the wheeled trolley used for take-off was jettisoned once the
plane was airborne), combined with the presence of highly volatile and
explosive rocket fuel, resulted in many Komets living up to their name and
ending their days as fireballs. In the air, however, the combination of
tremendous speed, small size, and the element of surprise made them
reasonably successful against American bomber formations, on the few
occasions they entered combat. There was only one service version, the Me
163B-1, powered by one 16.67 kN Walter HWK 509A-2 liquid fuel rocket; about
370 of these saw service. Plans existed for a greatly improved version,
the Me 263 (also known as the Junkers Ju 248; Junkers did much of the
development work), with a new engine (16.67 kN Walter HWK 109-509C-4, with
separate boost and cruise chambers, giving a 15-minute endurance), more
fuel, and a real landing gear, but none were built by the end of the war.
Vital statistics (Me 163B-1): length 5.69 m, span 9.30 m, empty weight
1905 kg, max weight 4110 kg, max speed 960 km/h, range 100 km; armament:
two 30mm cannon.
* Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow): The first jet fighter to enter
service with any country. First flight, 4 April 1941; service entry, 30
June 1944. The Me 262 was much faster and more heavily armed than the
contemporary Gloster Meteor, and could have had a much greater effect on
the war than it actually did if it had been produced in larger numbers in
time. The story that delays were caused by Hitler's insistence that the
promising fighter be used only as a bomber (quoted in many sources,
including earlier versions of this FAQ) appears to be a myth. The Me 262
was designed as a versatile fighter-bomber from the start; delays were
mainly caused by the difficulty of manufacturing the engines in large
enough quantities in the face of materials shortages caused by Allied
bombing (the service life of an engine was only about 20 hours!). The Me
262 was also the first aircraft in service with swept wings, although this
came about by accident -- a redesign of the fuselage happened to move the
centre of gravity further back than had originally been intended (an early
design had the engines mounted in the wing roots), and the wings were
angled slightly back to compensate; it was only later that it was
discovered that this had fortuitously improved the aerodynamics. Not quite
enough, though; transonic aerodynamics were not considered in the design,
and the Me 262 became effectively uncontrollable in a shallow dive, some
pilots having to jettison the canopy to recover from spins! Variants to
see service were the Me 262A-1a fighter, A-2a fighter-bomber, B-1a two-seat
trainer, and B-1a/U1 radar-equipped night fighter, all powered by two 8.83
kN Junkers Jumo 004B turbojets. Although 1433 Me 262s had been delivered
by VE day, shortage of fuel (and pilots) meant that only about 100 of them
ever saw active service. Plans included the Me 262B-2a night fighter with
enlarged fuselage carrying more fuel and Schräge Musik upward-firing
cannon, and Me 262C with rocket boosters (a few prototypes flew before the
war ended).
Vital statistics (Me 262A-1a): length 10.60 m, span 12.50 m, empty weight
4000 kg, max weight 7045 kg, max speed 870 km/h, range 1050 km; armament:
four 30mm cannon.
* Messerschmitt Me 328: This was a short-lived design, powered by two 2.94
kN Argus As 014 pulse-jets and intended to be a cheap and quickly-built
ground attack aircraft, with a secondary role as a day fighter. Only one
prototype flew, sometime in 1944; this was enough to convince even the
desperate Germans that a pulse-jet powered fighter was a Dumb Idea.
Vital statistics (Me 328A-1): max speed 755 km/h; armament: two 15mm
machine guns.
* Messerschmitt P-1101: Jet fighter powered by one Junkers Jumo 004B
turbojet, mounted in the lower forward fuselage and fed by a nose inlet, in
a design similar to the post-war Yak-17 or Saab 29. The unique feature was
the variable geometry wings, the first time "swing wings" had been tried on
an aircraft. Only one prototype was completed before the P-1101 was
cancelled in favour of the Focke-Wulf Ta 183; it was never flown during the
war, but was taken back to the US and fitted with an Allison J35 turbojet.
Unfortunately it was damaged in the only attempt to take off. The Bell X-5
was based on the P-1101's design, and was successfully used to investigate
variable sweep. The P-1101 prototype (like the X-5) lacked true variable
geometry; the sweep angle could only be adjusted on the ground, and could
not be varied in flight. The cancelled production version would have had
true variable sweep.
* Mistel 5: This was an unmanned flying bomb, intended to carry an He 162
fighter piggyback, in the same way as the Me 109 or Fw 190 was coupled with
a warhead-carrying Ju 88 in the original Mistel versions. The He 162 pilot
would aim the missile at its target, then separate the two aircraft and fly
his fighter back home. The unmanned component is referred to by different
sources as either the Arado E-377a or the Junkers Ju 268. Power plant was
two BMW 003 turbojets. This one never left the drawing board.
For those interested in plastic modelling, the Dragon line of kits includes
many of the above types (Ar 234B/C/C+V1, Ba 349, Fi 103, Go 229A/B, He 162,
Me 163, Me 262A/B, Mistel 5, P-1101) in 1/48 or 1/72 scale; the Japanese
company Mauve produce a 1/48 kit of the Lippisch P13a; PM Models make a Ta
183 kit.
A few other projects are worthy of note. The A4b was a winged A4 ("V-2")
rocket, with a gliding trajectory giving it a range of 750 km, compared to
the A4's 33 km. It was test flown in 1945 but never used in the war. A
winged rocket was reported to reach 4340 km/h (Mach 4.1), although it isn't
clear whether this was the A4b or A10.
The A9/A10 was a planned two-stage missile; the first stage (A9) was
basically a scaled-up V-2, while the second stage (A10) was a winged
skip-glide re-entry vehicle, based on the A4b, that could have carried a
massive warhead (I don't know exactly how massive) to the United States.
Prototype versions of the two components were tested separately, but not
together. There were also plans for a manned version.
The Sänger-Bredt "spaceplane" was a design for a manned craft launched by a
captive rocket booster on rails; the booster remained on the ground after
the spaceplane separated (at about Mach 1.5!). The 100-tonne plane (of
which 90 tonnes was fuel) would not reach orbit, but would attain a maximum
altitude of 185 kilometres in a series of boosts and glides which would
carry it all the way around the world. It was designed as a bomber, but
could easily have been adapted for other purposes. An orbital version,
although not officially investigated, must surely have been on the minds of
the designers, Eugen Sänger and Irene Bredt.
[Most of the above is from Bill Gunston's _Encyclopaedia of the World's
Combat Aircraft_ and Kenneth Munson's _German War Birds_; also thanks to
Steve Malikoff for further information on the Lippisch deltas, and Emmanuel
Gustin and Bernd Felsche for much additional information]
------------------------------
Subject: E.2. How "stealthy" was the wooden Mosquito?
The suggestion that the Mosquito, being made largely of wood, would have
made a good "stealth bomber" is brought up every now and then. It's a
myth. It's true that wood absorbs some radio waves, but it also reflects
some and transmits some. The Mosquito showed up perfectly well on radar,
mainly because the waves that passed through the wood reflected very well
off the metal internal structures -- framework, wing spars, bomb racks,
cockpit, and (especially) engines.
On modern stealth aircraft, the cockpit in particular is still a problem;
most canopy materials are almost as transparent to radio waves as they are
to visible light, and the complex shape of the interior of the cockpit (not
to mention the pilot, especially their helmet) is an excellent radar
reflector. The materials used for canopy coatings are among the most
secret parts of stealth designs (see C.10).
It would, however, have been possible to built a stealth aircraft out of
wood, if (unlike the Mosquito) it was designed with stealth in mind from
the start. The Germans tried it with the Horten Ho IX flying-wing fighter,
which (besides its tailless design, which helped a lot) was constructed
with special glues and coatings designed to absorb radar. Presumably the
same would have been true of the Ho XVIII bomber. (See E.1 for further
details.)
------------------------------
Subject: F.1. What good books are there on air combat?
The definitive work on air combat manoeuvring (ACM) is generally believed
to be _Fighter Combat_ by Robert L Shaw (the full title is either _Fighter
Combat: Tactics and Manoeuvring_ or _Fighter Combat: The Art and Science
of Air-to-Air Warfare_, depending on which edition you have). The book is
published by the US Naval Institute, Annapolis, Maryland (ISBN
1-85260-201-5). It covers a wide range of mission profiles, engagements
(one-on-one to many-on-many), and weapon types.
------------------------------
Subject: F.2. Where can I get a pilot's manual for aircraft X?
You might try:
Historic Aviation
Snail: 1401 Kings Wood Rd, Eagan, Minn 55122, USA
Voice: US/Canada 1-800-225-5575, overseas 1-612-454-2493
They have a wide selection of aircraft related books, including
reproduction pilot's manuals (and Shaw's book, mentioned above). Most
manuals cost about US$10.00, some running up to US$15.00; the SR-71 manual
is a special case, costing US$99.95. Dwight Brown reports good service
from them.
Manuals available include AT-6, B-17, B-24, B-25, B-26, B-29, F-80, F-82,
F4U, F6F, FM-2, Hurricane, Me 262, Mosquito, P-38, P-39, P-40, P-47, P-51,
P-61, P-63, Spitfire, and SR-71.
------------------------------
Subject: F.3. What FTP sites have aircraft pictures and related material?
<ftp://byrd.mu.wvnet.edu/pub/history/military/airforce/>
-- Military history site, with J Baugher's posts on American fighters,
Emmanuel Gustin's lists of military aircraft, the "Boomerang Barbara"
posts, several other fact sheets, this FAQ, and some pictures. Other
directories are worth scanning too.
<ftp://ftp.cs.ruu.nl/pub/AIRCRAFT-IMAGES/>
<http://www.cs.ruu.nl/ftp/aircraft-images.html>
-- Aircraft pictures.
<ftp://ftp.rutgers.edu/pub/wwii/usaf/>
-- Part of the USAF history.
<ftp://ftp.shell.portal.com/pub/trader/> (IP 156.151.3.4)
-- Information related to "excessive military secrecy", Groom Lake, and
similar subjects.
<ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/pictures/vehicles/aircraft/>
-- A lot of modern aircraft pictures.
<ftp://ftp.uws.edu.au/pub/images/>
-- A number of ".bmp" images, including F-111 dump-and-burn,
helicopters, Mustangs, Neptunes, others.
<ftp://harbor.ecn.purdue.edu/pub/skunk-works/>
-- Articles, lists and pictures of Lockheed "Skunk Works" aircraft.
<ftp://rascal.ics.utexas.edu/misc/av/>
-- Numerous aviation-related files. Includes "combat-aircraft",
"humor-folder", "aircraft-info-folder", etc.
<ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/rec.travel.air/>
<ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/sci.military/>
-- FAQs nd other regular postings.
------------------------------
Subject: F.4. What military aviation related mailing lists are available?
Groom Lake Desert Rat: Covers America's secret aircraft mecca. To
subscribe, send requests to Glenn Campbell at <psyc...@aol.com>.
Neon Azimuth: Devoted to the sources and methods that can be used to
locate secret US military programs. To subscribe, send requests to Paul
McGinnis at <tra...@cup.portal.com>.
Skunk Works Digest: To subscribe, send a message to
<majo...@mail.orst.edu>; in the body of the message, include the line
"subscribe skunk-works-digest".
[Thanks to Paul McGinnis]
Ross Smith
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Last-Modified: 1-Oct-1994
rec.aviation.military Frequently Asked Questions
Ross Smith
<av...@meanmach.actrix.gen.nz>
(Please note that my address has changed since the last posting)
------------------------------
Subject: G.1. Where can I see surviving examples of famous aircraft?
There are many museums all over the world with historic aircraft in their
collections; the following are just the random sample I've assembled from
posts on the newsgroup and contributions by email. Further contributions
are solicited.
United States:
* EAA Aviation Museum, Oshkosh, Wisconsin (B-17, Voyager)
* Hill AFB Museum, Utah (SR-71C, others)
* Museum of Flight, Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington (707 and 747
prototypes, B-29, B-47, F4U, SR-71 + D-21, others)
* Pima County Air Museum, Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona (B-29,
B-58, SR-71, YF-107, others)
* San Diego Aerospace Museum, San Diego, California (Bf 109, F-4,
Spitfire, SR-71)
* Sea, Air, and Space Museum, New York City (A-12, others; the museum
itself is the retired aircraft carrier USS _Intrepid_)
* Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC (many historically
significant aircraft)
* Wright Field USAF Museum, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio (B-36,
B-58, Fw 190, Kawanishi N1K2 Shinden, Me 262, P-75, Storch, Wright 1909
Military Flyer, XB-70, many more; probably the largest aircraft museum in
the world)
* US Navy Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Florida
* Virginia Air and Space Museum, Hampton, Virginia (F-4, F4U, F-84,
F-104, F-106, Langley Aerodrome, P-39, YF-16)
United Kingdom:
* Cosford Air Museum, Wolverhampton (Avro 707, F.D.2, Hunter, Lincoln,
Me 163, P.5, S.R.177, TSR.2, many others)
* Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yevilton, Somerset
* Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire (probably the biggest
collection in Europe)
* Imperial War Museum, Lambeth, London
* Mosquito Museum, Salisbury Hall, near Hatfield, St Albans (several
Mosquitos, including the first prototype; closed in winter for restoration
work)
* RAF Museum, Hendon, London
* Science Museum, South Kensington, London
* Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden, Sandy, Bedfordshire ("string and
fabric" planes)
Western Europe:
* Aviodome, Schiphol, Netherlands (many Dutch aircraft)
* Caproni Museum, Trento, Italy (Breda 19, Ca 6, Ca 9, Ca 100, Ca 163,
Ca 193, Fokker D.VIII, others)
* Deutsches Museum, München, Germany (Ba 349, Do 335, Ju 52, Me 262
many other aircraft from pre-WW1 to present)
* Le Bourget, Paris, France (large collection)
* Luftwaffenmuseum Untersen, 2081 Appen, near Hamburg, Germany (all
aircraft flown by both Germanies since 1945)
* Military Museum, Brussels, Belgium (CF-100, Draken, F-86, Hanriot
HD-1, Hurricane, MiG-15, Spad XIII, others)
* Motor und Technik Museum, Sinsheim, Germany (F-104, Fw 190, He 111,
Ju 52, Ju 87, Ju 88, Me 109, MiG-21, MiG-23, Venom, others)
* Musee de l'Hydravion, Biscarosse, France
* Museo Nazionale Leonardo da Vinci, Milano, Italy
* Museum of the Aviation Legere de l'Armee, Dax, France (mainly
helicopters)
Eastern Europe:
* Monino, Moscow, Russia (vast collection of rare and unusual Russian
types, e.g. La-250, M-52, T-4, T-6, V-12, Yak-36, Ye-166, Ye-231, many
others)
* Plovdiv Museum, Plovdiv, Bulgaria (Ar 196, Il-2, Il-28, Li-2, Mi-1,
Mi-4, MiG-15, MiG-17, Yak-9, Yak-11, Yak-23, many others)
China:
* Chinese People's Revolutionary Military Museum, West-City Region,
Beijing (J-5/MiG-17, MiG-15, captured U-2, many missiles, tanks, model
warships)
* Datang Mountain Aerospace Museum (Da4-Tang1-Shan1-Hang2-Kong1-Bo2-
Wu4-Guan3), Chang-Ping, Beijing (all Chinese military aircraft, including
prototypes such as J-12 and Tu-4/B-29 AWACS plane, plus many missiles and
Russian aircraft; this is the Chinese equivalent of Monino in Russia, and
is probably the largest aircraft collection in Asia)
Australia:
* Airworld, Wangaratta, Victoria (Dragon, Hudson, Rapide, Staggerwing,
others; mainly civil aircraft)
* Australian War Memorial Museum, Canberra, ACT (Bf 109, Lancaster, Me
163, Me 262, P-40, Spitfire, Zero, others)
* RAAF Museum, Point Cook, Victoria (Boomerang, Canberra, F-4, F-86,
Meteor, Mirage, P-2, P-51, Vampire, Ventura, Walrus, Wirraway, others;
claimed to be the largest collection of military aircraft in the Southern
Hemisphere)
* RAN Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra, NSW (A-4, Firefly, Gannet, MiG-15,
S-2, Sea Fury, Sea Venom, Vampire, others)
------------------------------
Subject: H.1. American aircraft designations
The US Air Force (and its predecessor, the US Army Air Force) has used
several aircraft designation systems in its history. The three most
important are the USAAF system adopted in 1924 and used through World War
II and up to 1948; the USAF system used from 1948 to 1962; and the
Tri-Service system adopted in 1962 to provide a common system for USAF, US
Army, and US Navy aircraft. The three systems are similar enough that they
can conveniently be described together.
A designation consists of a letter (or set of letters) indicating the type
and mission of the aircraft, and a sequence number indicating a specific
aircraft within a category, separated by a hyphen. The number may be
followed by a series letter to indicate a variant of an aircraft. Most
aircraft are also given a proper name, but this is not part of the formal
designation.
Mission codes used in the USAAF system included the following:
A = Attack
AG = Assault glider
AT = Advanced trainer
B = Bomber
BC = Basic combat
BG = Bomb glider
BQ = Guided bomb
BT = Basic trainer
C = Cargo transport
CG = Cargo glider
CQ = Target control
F = Photographic reconnaissance
FG = Fuel-carrying glider
FM = Multiplace fighter
G = Gyroplane
GB = Glide bomb
GT = Glide torpedo
JB = Jet-propelled bomb
L = Liaison
O = Observation
OA = Observation amphibian
OQ = Target
P = Pursuit
PB = Biplace pursuit
PG = Powered glider
PQ = Manned target
PT = Primary trainer
R = Rotorcraft
TG = Training glider
These were sometimes modified by one of the following prefixes, indicating
a special status or modification:
C = Cargo transport
F = Photographic reconnaissance
K = Ferret
R = Restricted operations
T = Trainer
U = Utility
V = Staff/VIP transport
X = Experimental
Y = Service test
Z = Obsolete
The first version of a type had no series letter; the second was suffixed
with "A", the third with "B", and so on. For obvious reasons, the letters
"I" and "O" are usually skipped. For example, the B-29A is the second
version of the 29th bomber aircraft identified by the USAAF.
The USAF system (1948) was similar to the USAAF system; it retained the
three-part code, although the series letters now started with "A" for the
first version rather than the second. The mission codes were rationalised
somewhat; "F" for "Fighter" replaced "P" for "Pursuit" (the existing
P-series aircraft being redesignated, and new aircraft receiving F-series
numbers continuing the old P-series), "H" for "Helicopter" replaced "R" for
"Rotorcraft", and "R" for "Reconnaissance" replaced "F" for "Photographic".
The "L" for "Liaison" code was subsumed by "O" for "Observation", and most
of the two-letter codes were combined into one (e.g. a single "T" series
replaced the old "AT", "BT", and "PT").
The Tri-Service system (1962) underwent further changes, although it still
retained the basic scheme of the older systems. The most important changes
were that the system now included Navy aircraft as well as USAF and Army,
and that most of the numeric sequences were restarted from 1, since some
were now well past 100 and were becoming unwieldy.
Starting from the central dash and moving *left*, the letter codes now
consist of up to four letters (although only the "basic mission" code is
mandatory, and I've never seen a real designation with more than three
letters).
(1) Vehicle type (optional; indicates something other than a conventional
fixed-wing aircraft):
G = Glider
H = Helicopter
V = VTOL or STOL
Z = Lighter than air (Z for Zeppelin)
(2) Basic mission:
A = Attack
B = Bomber
C = Cargo transport
E = Special electronics
F = Fighter
O = Observation
P = Maritime patrol
R = Reconnaissance
S = Anti-submarine warfare
T = Trainer
U = Utility
X = Research
(3) Modified mission (optional; indicates that a type originally designed
for the mission indicated by its "basic mission" code has been modified for
a different mission); includes the A, C, E, F, O, P, R, S, T, and U mission
codes, plus:
D = Drone control
H = Search and rescue
K = Tanker (K for Kerosene)
L = Cold weather
M = Multi-mission
Q = Drone
V = VIP or staff transport
W = Weather observation
(4) Status (optional; indicates any unusual status):
G = Permanently grounded
J = Temporary special test
N = Permanent special test
X = Experimental
Y = Prototype
Z = Planning
The sequence numbers are based on the vehicle type (if present) or the
basic mission. For example, all helicopters (vehicle type "H") are
numbered in a single sequence regardless of the basic mission code, while
conventional aircraft (with no vehicle type code) follow separate sequences
for attack aircraft, bombers, transports, and so on. There are a few
oddities here; for example, the AV-8 Harrier seems to have taken the number
8 slot in both the "A" and "V" sequences. For some reason, the "T"
(trainer) sequence, last seen in the Cessna T-47 in 1984, was restarted
with the Beech T-1 Jayhawk in 1990.
The system has not been followed perfectly; exceptions include the A-37
Dragonfly (attack version of T-37 trainer; there was an AT-37, so the A-37
should have either continued the AT-37 designation or been given a proper
A-series number), F/A-18 Hornet (should have been just F-18, or possibly
AF-18), FB-111 (bomber version of the F-111; should have been BF-111),
SR-71 (the letters indicate "strategic reconnaissance", not an
anti-submarine modification, and the number is actually from the pre-1962
bomber series!), and a few others.
------------------------------
Subject: H.2. US Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962)
Before the adoption of the Tri-Service system in 1962, the US Navy had its
own system of aircraft designations, completely different from that used by
the USAAF and USAF. This consisted of up to five parts:
(1) One or two letters to indicate the function. These included:
A = Attack
BF = Fighter-bomber
F = Fighter
HC = Transport helicopter
HO = Observation helicopter
HU = Utility helicopter
J = Utility
N = Trainer
O = Observation
P = Patrol
PB = Patrol bomber
R = Transport
SB = Scout bomber
T = Trainer
TB = Torpedo bomber
W = Early warning
(2) A sequence number, to distinguish between aircraft of the same function
built by the same manufacturer. The number was left out if it was 1.
(3) A letter to indicate the manufacturer. Because the US Navy used
aircraft from considerably more than 26 different manufacturers, most of
the letters of the alphabet were shared between several companies; the same
company frequently used more than one letter at various times. If the same
aircraft was built by more than one firm, the designation was changed to
reflect the individual manufacturers (for example, the Chance-Vought F4U
Corsair was also built by Goodyear, whose Corsairs were designated FG).
Some of the most important manufacturers were:
A = Brewster, Noorduyn
B = Beech, Boeing, Vertol
C = Cessna, Curtiss, De Havilland Canada
D = Douglas, McDonnell
E = Cessna, Piper
F = Fairchild, Grumman
G = Goodyear
H = McDonnell
J = North American
K = Fairchild, Kaman
L = Bell
M = Bell, Martin
O = Lockheed, Piper
P = Piasecki
Q = Fairchild
S = Sikorsky, Stearman
T = Northrop
U = Chance-Vought
V = Lockheed, Vultee
W = Wright
Y = Consolidated, Convair
(4) After a dash, a number to indicate a subtype.
(5) Optionally, a letter to indicate a minor variation on a subtype.
For example, the F4U was the fourth fighter designed by Chance-Vought for
the US Navy. The F4U-1A was a modified version of the first subtype of the
F4U. The F4U was commonly known as the Corsair, but, as with Air Force
types, the name was not part of the formal designation (Vince Norris, who
has quite a few hours in USN aircraft, reports that they were always
referred to by their designations, not the proper names; using names
instead of numbers was the mark of a civilian).
When the Tri-Service system was adopted in 1962, aircraft then in USN
service (as well as some under development or recently retired) were
redesignated under the new system. Some were simply given the designation
already used by the USAF for the same aircraft; others were given new
designations. They included:
Beech SNB Expediter = C-45 *
Bell HTL/HUL Sioux = H-13 *
Convair F2Y Sea Dart = F-7
Convair P4Y Privateer = P-4
Convair R4Y Samaritan = C-131 *
De Havilland Canada UC Otter = U-1 *
Douglas AD Skyraider = A-1
Douglas A3D Skywarrior = A-3
Douglas A4D Skyhawk = A-4
Douglas F3D Skyknight = F-10
Douglas F4D Skyray = F-6
Douglas JD Invader = B-26 *
Douglas R4D Skytrain = C-47/117 *
Douglas R5D Skymaster = C-54 *
Douglas R6D Liftmaster = C-118 *
Fairchild R4Q Boxcar = C-119 *
Grumman A2F Intruder = A-6
Grumman F9F Panther/Cougar = F-9
Grumman F11F Tiger = F-11
Grumman S2F Tracker = S-2
Grumman TF Trader = C-1
Grumman UF Albatross = U-16 *
Grumman WF Tracer = E-1
Grumman W2F Hawkeye = E-2
Kaman HOK/HTK/HUK Huskie = H-43 *
Kaman HU2K Seasprite = H-2
Lockheed GV/R8V Hercules = C-130 *
Lockheed P2V Neptune = P-2
Lockheed P3V Orion = P-3
Lockheed R7V/WV Constellation = C-121 *
Lockheed TV Shooting Star = T-33 *
Lockheed T2V Seastar = T-1
Lockheed UV Jetstar = C-140 *
Martin P5M Marlin = P-5
Martin RM = C-3
McDonnell F2D/F2H Banshee = F-2
McDonnell F3H Demon = F-3
McDonnell F4H Phantom II = F-4
North American AJ Savage = A-2
North American A3J Vigilante = A-5
North American FJ Fury = F-1
North American T2J Buckeye = T-2
North American T3J Sabreliner = T-39 *
Piasecki HUP Retriever = H-25 *
Piper UO Aztec = U-11
Sikorsky HO4S/HRS Chickasaw = H-19 *
Sikorsky HR2S Mojave = H-37 *
Sikorsky HSS Sea King = H-3 *
Sikorsky HUS Seabat/Seahorse = H-34 *
Sikorsky HU2S Seaguard = H-52
Vertol HRB Sea Knight = H-46
Vought F8U Crusader = F-8
(* Designation already used by USAF)
------------------------------
Subject: H.3. USAF/USN fighters and attack aircraft
A complete list of US aircraft would take up far too much space; instead,
I've listed only the post-war "F" and "A" series, the ones most often asked
about.
One star indicates a type that existed only as one or more prototypes and
never entered service; two stars indicate a type that never left the
drawing board; three stars indicate that the number was never assigned at
all (as far as I could determine).
USAF fighter designations, since the initiation of the "F" series in 1948:
F-80: Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star
F-81: * Convair XF-81 (experimental mixed-power jet/turboprop fighter)
F-82: North American F-82 Twin Mustang
F-83: * Bell XF-83
F-84: Republic F-84 Thunderjet/Thunderstreak/RF-84 Thunderflash
F-85: * McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (parasite fighter experiment)
F-86: North American F-86 Sabre
F-87: * Curtiss XF-87 Blackhawk
F-88: * McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo
F-89: Northrop F-89 Scorpion
F-90: * Lockheed XF-90
F-91: * Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor
F-92: * Convair XF-92
F-93: North American YF-93 (F-86 derivative)
F-94: Lockheed F-94 Starfire (F-80/T-33 derivative)
F-95: North American YF-95 (became F-86D)
F-96: Republic YF-96 (became F-84F)
F-97: Lockheed YF-97 (became F-94C)
F-98: Hughes F-98 Falcon (air-to-air missile; became GAR-1, later
AIM-4)
F-99: Boeing F-99 Bomarc (ground-to-air missile; became IM-99, later
CIM-10)
F-100: North American F-100 Super Sabre
F-101: McDonnell F-101 Voodoo
F-102: Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
F-103: ** Republic XF-103 (turbojet/ramjet hypersonic interceptor)
F-104: Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
F-105: Republic F-105 Thunderchief
F-106: Convair F-106 Delta Dart
F-107: * North American YF-107 (F-100 derivative)
F-108: ** North American XF-108 Rapier (long range interceptor and
XB-70 escort)
F-109: ** Bell XF-109 (but see below)
F-110: McDonnell F-110 Spectre (designation used briefly for USAF
version of F4H/F-4 Phantom II)
F-111: General Dynamics F-111 (the common name "Aardvark" is
unofficial)
F-112: ***? (may have been attached to Russian aircraft)
F-113: ***? (may have been attached to Russian aircraft)
F-114: ***? (may have been attached to Russian aircraft)
F-115: ***? (may have been attached to Russian aircraft)
F-116: ***? (may have been attached to Russian aircraft)
F-117: Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
Note: Bell applied the designation "XF-109" to a VTOL fighter project of
the late 1950s; however, this was assigned unilaterally by the company, and
was not sanctioned by the USAF. The "F-109" designation has never been
officially used, probably as a result of Bell's breaking the rules.
USAF/USN fighter designations, since the adoption of the Tri-Service
designations in 1962:
F-1: North American F-1 Fury (formerly FJ)
F-2: McDonnell F-2 Banshee (formerly F2H)
F-3: McDonnell F-3 Demon (formerly F3H)
F-4: McDonnell F-4 Phantom II (formerly F4H, briefly F-110)
F-5: Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter/Tiger II
F-6: Douglas F-6 Skyray (formerly F4D)
F-7: * Convair F-7 Sea Dart (formerly F2Y)
F-8: Vought F-8 Crusader (formerly F8U)
F-9: Grumman F-9 Panther/Cougar (formerly F9F)
F-10: Douglas F-10 Skyknight (formerly F3D)
F-11: Grumman F-11 Tiger (formerly F11F)
F-12: * Lockheed YF-12 (A-12/SR-71 derivative)
F-13: *** (never used)
F-14: Grumman (now Northrop Grumman) F-14 Tomcat
F-15: McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
F-16: General Dynamics (now Lockheed) F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-17: * Northrop YF-17 Cobra (lost to F-16 in Lightweight Fighter
contest)
F-18: McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (YF-17 derivative)
F-19: *** (never used, at least officially)
F-20: * Northrop F-20 Tigershark (F-5 derivative)
F-21: IAI F-21 Lion (leased Kfirs, used as Aggressors in training)
F-22: Lockheed/Boeing F-22 Lightning II
F-23: * Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 (lost to F-22 in Advanced
Technology Fighter contest)
Note: The Rockwell XFV-12 was number 12 in the "V" series, not part of the
"F" series.
USAF/USN attack designations, since the adoption of the Tri-Service
designations in 1962:
A-1: Douglas A-1 Skyraider (formerly AD)
A-2: North American A-2 Savage (formerly AJ)
A-3: Douglas A-3 Skywarrior (formerly A3D)
A-4: Douglas A-4 Skyhawk (formerly A4D)
A-5: North American A-5 Vigilante (formerly A3J)
A-6: Grumman A-6 Intruder (formerly A2F)
A-7: Vought A-7 Corsair II (F-8 derivative)
A-8: British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas AV-8 Harrier
A-9: ** Northrop YA-9 (lost to A-10 in AX contest)
A-10: Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II
A-11: ***? (apparently never used)
A-12: ** McDonnell Douglas A-12 (cancelled A-6 replacement)
Notes: The Harrier seems to have taken the number 8 slot in both the "A"
and "V" series. The designation A-12 for the original, single-seat version
of the aircraft that became the SR-71/YF-12/M-21 was an internal Lockheed
designation, not an official USAF one (the A-12s were operated by the CIA
and never officially entered military service). The designation A-37 for
the attack version of Cessna's T-37 was derived from the trainer version of
the aircraft and was not part of the real "A" series.
------------------------------
Subject: H.4. American missile designations
These have their own version of the Tri-Service designation system,
consisting of a three-letter prefix, a dash, a series number to indicate
the specific type, and a letter to indicate subtypes. Series numbers are
assigned within vehicle types, so there are only two numeric series, the
M-series for guided missiles and the R-series for unguided rockets.
The three letters indicate (left to right):
(1) Launch platform:
A = Aircraft
B = Multiple
C = Container
F = Individual
G = Runway
H = Silo stored
L = Silo launched
M = Mobile
P = Soft pad
R = Ship
S = Space
U = Underwater
(2) Mission type:
C = Cargo transport
D = Decoy
E = Electronics or communication
G = Surface attack
I = Interception
L = Launch detection or surveillance
M = Calibration or scientific research
N = Navigation
Q = Drone
S = Space support
T = Training
U = Underwater attack
W = Weather
(3) Vehicle type:
M = Missile (guided)
R = Rocket (unguided)
Example: AIM-9L Sidewinder. Aircraft-launched interception missile (i.e.
air-to-air missile), the ninth missile to be designated since 1962, and the
eleventh version of the AIM-9. As with aircraft, an official proper name
is usually assigned, but is not part of the formal designation.
(See C.15 for current American air-to-air missiles)
------------------------------
Subject: H.5. Russian aircraft designations
In the 1920s and 1930s, many different designation systems were used for
Russian aircraft; the People's Comissariat of Defence had its own system,
and each manufacturer had another, usually based on the initials of the
designer or organisation (for example, A N Tupolev's ANT-6 was also known
as the TB-3).
Prefixes used included:
A = Autogyro
ARK = Arctic coastal reconnaissance
B = Bomber
BB = Short-range bomber
BSh = Armoured attack aircraft (Sh = Shturmovik)
DAR = Long-range arctic reconnaissance
DB = Long-range bomber
DVB = Long-range high-altitude bomber
DI = Two-seat fighter
DIS = Twin-engined escort fighter
G = Paratroop transport
I = Fighter (Istrebitel; literally "destroyer")
KOR = Ship-borne reconnaissance
M = Seaplane
MA = Amphibian
MBR = Short-range maritime reconnaissance
MDR = Long-range maritime reconnaissance
MI = Fighter seaplane
MK = Maritime cruiser (heavily armed seaplane)
MP = Transport seaplane
MR = Reconnaissance seaplane
MTB = Maritime heavy bomber
MU = Trainer seaplane
P = Mailplane
PB = Dive bomber
PI = Single seat fighter
PL = Transport
PS = Mail/passenger transport
R = Reconnaissance
ROM = Open sea reconnaissance
SB = High-speed bomber
SCh = Low-level attacker
SChR = Attack fighter/reconnaissance
SPB = Fast dive bomber
TB = Heavy bomber
TSh = Heavy attack aircraft
U = Primary trainer
UT = Basic trainer (Uchebnotrenirovochny)
UTI = Fighter trainer
V = Airship
VI = High-altitude fighter
VIT = High-altitude tank destroyer
VT = Supervised design
In the early years of WW2, a new systematic designation scheme was set up
for all Soviet aircraft (military and civil), based on (usually) the first
two letters of the designer's name; this replaced the former military
designation system. Later, as the original designers became the heads of
design bureaus (OKBs), and eventually retired or died, the original
initials were retained for all aircraft produced by each OKB.
The full designation consists of the OKB initials, a dash, a number to
indicate a particular aircraft type designed by that OKB, and optionally a
letter or letters (and sometimes numbers) to indicate a subtype. Unlike
the American system, subtype letters are not a simple alphabetic sequence,
but are assigned arbitrarily, sometimes to indicate some particular feature
of the subtype. Common suffix letters include "D" (long range), "K" (which
can mean export, ground attack, or naval), "M" (modified), "P"
(interceptor), "R" (reconnaissance), "T" (transport), and "U" (trainer).
Stalin decided that fighters would be given odd numbers, while bombers and
transports would get even numbers; this rule largely fell out of use after
his death.
OKB abbreviations include the following (for those still in use I've added
a description of what the letters look like in the Cyrillic (Russian)
alphabet, since you will often see an aircraft's designation written on
it):
An = Antonov (AH)
Be = Beriev ([broken B] [reversed E])
Il = Ilyushin ([reversed N] [linked JI or inverted V])
Ka = Kamov (KA)
La = Lavochkin
M = Myasishchyev (M)
Mi = Mil (M [reversed N])
MiG = Mikoyan-Gurevich (M [reversed N] [gamma])
Pe = Petlyakov
Po = Polikarpov
Su = Sukhoi (CY)
Tu = Tupolev (TY)
Yak = Yakovlev ([reversed R] K)
The Lavochkin OKB still exists, but switched from aircraft to missile and
space technology in the 1950s. The Petlyakov and Myasishchyev OKBs are
really the same bureau, which was headed by Myasishchyev after Petlyakov's
death in 1942, disbanded in 1946, but revived in 1952 under Myasishchyev's
name. Polikarpov's OKB was disbanded after his death in 1944.
The remaining OKBs recently became companies in the wake of perestroika.
With the breakup of the USSR, Antonov is now a Ukrainian company; the rest
are Russian. Beriev has been renamed Taganrog (after the city in which the
new company is based), and Mikoyan-Gurevich is now just Mikoyan, but the
original abbreviations are retained in their aircraft designations.
One special case is the A-50 AWACS aircraft ("Mainstay"). This was a joint
venture of the Ilyushin and Beriev OKBs (providing the airframe and
electronics, respectively); the A-series designation, normally used by
Beriev to indicate a prototype or experimental aircraft, has been retained
for the production aircraft. Ilyushin used the designation Il-82 for the
airframe (following the Il-76 transport, Il-78 tanker, and cancelled Il-80
SLAR reconnaissance aircraft, all based on the same airframe); Beriev
argued that they had designed the most important part of the aircraft, so
an Ilyushin designation was inappropriate. They were still arguing when
the aircraft entered service, so its internal name of A-50 went to the
print shop.
A few cases where confusion has reigned should be mentioned; the present
climate of openness has allowed these to be settled. All Sukhoi "Flagon"
versions carried Su-15 designations; the later versions were not Su-21
(which in fact referred to Sukhoi's Su-27-derived supersonic bizjet
project, now abandoned). The designation Tu-20 was used for the early
"Bear" bombers ("Bear-A/B"), but was changed back to Tupolev's internal
designation, Tu-95, from "Bear-C" onwards (some later versions were
Tu-142). The Tupolev "Backfire" bomber is Tu-22M, not Tu-26. The
"Fiddler", Tupolev's only production fighter, was Tu-128, not Tu-28.