World War II Allied names for Japanese aircraft

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

Identification chart of Japanese aircraft

Mitsubishi G3M aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy were nicknamed "Nell" by Allied forces during World War II.

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

History

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

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

A6M3-32 "Hamp" fighters

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

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

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

List of names

Allied reporting name	Aircraft	Type designation	Notes
Abdul	Nakajima Ki-27	Army Type 97 Fighter	see "Nate"[8]
Abdul	Mitsubishi	Navy Type 97 Fighter	Fictional type.[9][Note 1]
Adam	Nakajima SKT-97	Navy Type 97 Seaplane Fighter	Fictional type.[10][11]
Alf	Kawanishi E7K	Navy Type 94 Reconnaissance Seaplane	[10]
Ann	Mitsubishi Ki-30	Army Type 97 Light Bomber	[10]
Babs	Mitsubishi C5M	Navy Type 98 Reconnaissance Aircraft	[10]
Babs	Mitsubishi Ki-15	Army Type 97 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft	See "Norma"[10][Note 2]
Baka	Yokosuka MXY7	Navy Suicide Attacker Ohka	[10]
Belle	Kawanishi H3K	Navy Type 90-2 Flying Boat	[10]
Ben	Nagoya-Sento KI-001	Army(?) Type 1 Fighter	Fictional type.[12]
Bess	Heinkel He 111	Army Type 98 Medium Bomber	[10]
Betty	Mitsubishi G4M	Navy Type 1 Land-based Attack Aircraft	[13]
Bob	Nakajima E2N	Navy Type 15 Reconnaissance Floatplane	"Aichi Type 97"[10][14]
Buzzard	Kokusai Ki-105 Otori	Army Transport
Cedar	Tachikawa Ki-17	Army Type 95-3 Basic Grade Trainer	[10]
Cherry	Yokosuka H5Y	Navy Type 99 Flying Boat	[13]
Clara	Tachikawa Ki-70	Army Reconnaissance	[15]
Claude	Mitsubishi A5M	Navy Type 96 Carrier Based Fighter	[10]
Clint	Nakajima Ki-27	Army Type 97 Fighter	[10]
Cypress	Kokusai Ki-86	Army Type 4 Primary Trainer	[10]
Cypress	Kyushu K9W	Navy Type 2 Primary Trainer	[10]
Dave	Nakajima E8N	Navy Type 95 Reconnaissance Seaplane	[10]
Dick	Seversky A8V	Navy Type S Two Seat Fighter	[10]
Dinah	Mitsubishi Ki-46	Army Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft	[13]
Doc	Messerschmitt Bf 110	Unknown	[16]
Doris	Unknown	Unknown	[17]
Edna	Mansyu Ki-71	Army Type 99 Assault aircraft	[18]
Emily	Kawanishi H8K	Navy Type 2 Large Flying Boat	[13]
Eva/Eve	Mitsubishi Ohtori	n/a	civil record aircraft misreported as operated by the IJNAS
Fran	Yokosuka P1Y	Navy Land-based Bomber	[19]
Frances	Yokosuka P1Y	Navy Land-based Bomber	[19]
Frank	Nakajima Ki-84	Army Type 4 Fighter	[19]
Gander	Kokusai Ku-8	Army Type 4 Special Transport Glider	[10]
George	Kawanishi N1K-J	Navy Interceptor Fighter	[19]
Glen	Yokosuka E14Y	Navy Type 0 Small Reconnaissance Seaplane	[13]
Goose	Kokusai Ku-8	Army Type 4 Special Transport Glider	[10]
Grace	Aichi B7A	Navy Carrier Attack Bomber	[10]
Gus	Nakajima AT-27	Fighter	Fictional type.[20]
Gwen	Mitsubishi Ki-21-IIb	Army Type 0 Medium Bomber	[10]
Hap	Mitsubishi A6M3	Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter Model 32	[13]
Hamp	Mitsubishi A6M3	Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter Model 32	[3][6]
Hank	Aichi E10A	Navy Type 96 Night Reconnaissance Seaplane	[10]
Harry	Mitsubishi TK-4	Army Type 0 Single Seat Twin-engined Fighter	Fictional type.[10][21]
Helen	Nakajima Ki-49	Army Type 100 Heavy Bomber	[13]
Hickory	Tachikawa Ki-54	Army Type 1 Trainer	[10]
Ida	Tachikawa Ki-36	Army Type 98 Direct Co-operation Aircraft	[13]
Ida	Tachikawa Ki-55	Army Type 99 Advanced Trainer	[10]
Ione	Aichi AI-104	Navy Type 98 Reconnaissance Seaplane	Fictional Type[10][22]
Irene	Junkers Ju 87	Unknown	[16]
Irving	Nakajima J1N	Navy Type 2 Land Reconnaissance Aircraft	[19]
Jack	Mitsubishi J2M	Navy Interceptor Fighter	[19]
Jake	Aichi E13A	Navy Type 0 Reconnaissance Seaplane	[13]
Jane	Mitsubishi Ki-21	Army Type 97 Heavy Bomber	[10]
Janice	Junkers Ju 88	Unknown	[16]
Jean	Yokosuka B4Y	Navy Type 96 Carrier Attack Bomber	[10]
Jerry	Heinkel A7He	Navy Type He Interceptor Fighter	[10]
Jill	Nakajima B6N	Navy Carrier Attack Bomber	[10]
Joyce	Nakajima Unknown	Army Type 1 Medium Bomber	[17]
Judy	Yokosuka D4Y	Navy Type 2 Carrier Reconnaissance Aircraft	[13]
Julia	Kawasaki Ki-48	Army Type 97 Heavy Bomber	Misidentified – same as Lily[10][23]
Kate	Nakajima B5N	Navy Type 97-1 Carrier Attack Bomber	[13]
Laura	Aichi E11A	Navy Type 98 Reconnaissance Seaplane	[10]
Lily	Kawasaki Ki-48	Army Type 99 Twin-engined Light Bomber	[13]
Liz	Nakajima G5N	Navy Experimental 13-Shi Attack Bomber	[13]
Lorna	Kyushu Q1W	Navy Patrol Aircraft	[10]
Louise	Mitsubishi Ki-2-II	Army Type 93-2 Twin-engined Light Bomber	[10]
Luke	Mitsubishi J4M	Navy Experimental 17-Shi Interceptor	[10]
Mary	Kawasaki Ki-32	Army Type 98 Single Engine Light Bomber	[10]
Mabel	Mitsubishi B5M	Navy Type 97-2 Carrier Attack Bomber	[10]
Mavis	Kawanishi H6K	Navy Type 97 Large Flying Boat	[13]
Mike	Kawasaki Ki-61	Army Type 3 Fighter	Interim designation, also used for Bf 109[24]
Millie	Vultee V-11GB	Type 98 Showa Light Bomber	[10]
Myrt	Nakajima C6N	Navy Carrier Reconnaissance Aircraft	[10]
Nate	Nakajima Ki-27	Army Type 97 Fighter	[10]
Nell	Mitsubishi G3M	Navy Type 96 Attack Bomber	[13]
Nick	Kawasaki Ki-45	Army Type 2 Two-seat Fighter	[13]
Norm	Kawanishi E15K	Navy Type 2 High Speed Reconnaissance Seaplane	[10]
Norma	Mitsubishi Ki-15	Army Type 97 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft	[10][25]
Norma	Mitsubishi C5M	Navy Type 98 Reconnaissance Aircraft	[10][25]
Oak	Kyushu K10W	Navy Type 2 Intermediate Trainer	[13]
Omar	Suzukaze 20	Fighter	Fictional type.[10][26]
Oscar	Nakajima Ki-43	Army Type 1 Fighter	[13]
Pat	Tachikawa Ki-74	Army Fighter	Initially misidentified – same as Patsy[27]
Patsy	Tachikawa Ki-74	Army Reconnaissance Bomber	[27]
Paul	Aichi E16A	Navy Reconnaissance Seaplane	[10]
Peggy	Mitsubishi Ki-67	Army Type 4 Heavy Bomber	[10]
Perry	Kawasaki Ki-10	Army Type 95 Fighter	[10]
Pete	Mitsubishi F1M	Navy Type 0 Observation Seaplane	[13]
Pine	Mitsubishi K3M	Navy Type 90 Crew Trainer	[10]
Randy	Kawasaki Ki-102	Army Type 4 Assault Aircraft	[10]
Rex	Kawanishi N1K	Navy Fighter Seaplane	[10]
Rita	Nakajima G8N	Navy Type 18 Land Based Attack Aircraft	[10]
Rufe	Nakajima A6M2-N	Navy Type 2 Interceptor/Fighter-Bomber	[13]
Ruth	Fiat BR.20	Army Type I Heavy Bomber	[10]
Sally	Mitsubishi Ki-21	Army Type 97 Heavy Bomber	[13]
Sam	Mitsubishi A7M	Navy Experimental Carrier Fighter	[10]
Slim	Watanabe E9W	Navy Type 96 Small Reconnaissance Seaplane	[10]
Sonia	Mitsubishi Ki-51	Army Type 99 Assault Aircraft	[13]
Spruce	Tachikawa Ki-9	Army Type 95-1 Intermediate Trainer	[10]
Stella	Kokusai Ki-76	Army Type 3 Command Liaison Aircraft	[10]
Susie	Aichi D1A	Navy Type 94/96 Carrier Bomber	[10]
Tabby	Douglas DC-3/ Showa/Nakajima L2D	Navy Type 0 Transport	[10]
Tess	Douglas DC-2	Navy Transport	[13]
Thalia	Kawasaki Ki-56	Army Type 1 Freight Transport	[10]
Thelma	Lockheed Model 14	Army Type LO Transport	[13]
Theresa	Kokusai Ki-59	Army Type 1 Transport	[10]
Thora	Nakajima Ki-34	Army Type 97 Transport	[10]
Tina	Yokosuka L3Y	Navy Type 96 Transport	[10]
Tojo	Nakajima Ki-44	Army Type 2 Single-seat Fighter	[13]
Tony	Kawasaki Ki-61	Army Type 3 Fighter	[13]
Topsy	Mitsubishi Ki-57	Army Type 100 Transport	[13]
Topsy	Mitsubishi L4M	Navy Type 0 Transport	[10]
Trixie	Junkers Ju 52	Unknown	[16]
Val	Aichi D3A	Navy Type 99 Dive Bomber	[13]
Willow	Yokosuka K5Y	Navy Type 93 Intermediate Trainer	[10]
Zeke or Zero	Mitsubishi A6M	Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter	[13]

See also

• List of Japanese aircraft in use during the Second Sino-Japanese War
• List of aircraft of Japan during World War II
• 'Type' designation in Japan
• Japanese military aircraft designation systems
• NATO reporting name – a similar system implemented in the Cold War for Soviet and Chinese aircraft

References

Explanatory notes

1. Not a real aircraft. The aircraft was believed in service but never built, misidentified, or not used (Dunnigan 1998, p. 16).
2. The Ki-15 and C5M were the Army and Navy designations respectively for the same aircraft. (Dunnigan 1998, pp. 16–17).

Citations

1. Gamble 2010, p. 253.
2. Dunnigan 1998, p. 15.
3. Gamble 2010, p. 254.
4. Dear and Foot 1995, p. 245.
5. Gamble 2010, p. 255.
6. Bergerud 2000, p. 199.
7. Gamble 2010, pp. 254–255.
8. Francillon 1979, p. 202.
9. Wieliczko and Szeremeta 2004, p. 87.
10. Mikesh 1993.
11. Nakajima SKT-97 (Adam) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18.
12. Nagoya-Sento KI-001 (Ben) info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2014-04-25.
13. Handbook on Japanese Military Forces
14. Aichi Type 97 (Bob) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18.
15. Francillon 1979, p. 258.
16. Japanese Aircraft Manual. Office of Naval Intelligence. 1942. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
17. Japanese Aircraft Manual. Office of Naval Intelligence. July 1943. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
18. Francillon 1979, p. 180.
19. Tillman 2010, p. 276.
20. Hanson, David. "Nakajima AT-27 (Gus) Info". Dave's Warbirds. Archived from the original on 2016-12-22.
21. Mitsubishi TK-4 Type 0 (Harry) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18
22. Aichi AI-104 Type 98 (Ione) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18
23. Kawasaki Type 97 Heavy Bomber (Julia) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18
24. Bueschel, Richard M. Kawasaki Ki.61/Ki.100 Hien in Japanese Army Air Force Service, Aircam Aviation Series No.21. Canterbury, Kent, UK: Osprey Publications Ltd, 1971. ISBN 0-85045-026-8. pp. 7, 8
25. Mitsubishi Type 97 Light Bomber (Norma) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18
26. Sukukaze 20 fighter (Omar) Info, Dave's Warbirds. Accessed 2010-11-18
27. Francillon 1979, p. 261.

Bibliography

• Bergerud, Eric M. (2000). Fire in the Sky: The Air War in the South Pacific. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-3869-7.
• Dear, I. C. B.; Foot, M. R. D., eds. (1995). The Oxford Companion to World War II. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-866225-4.
• Dunnigan, James F.; Albert A. Nofi (1998). The Pacific War Encyclopedia. New York: Checkmark Books. ISBN 0-8160-4393-0.
• Francillon, René J. (1979). Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam & Co. ISBN 0-370-30251-6.
• Gamble, Bruce (2010). Fortress Rabaul: The Battle for the Southwest Pacific, January 1942 – April 1943. Minneapolis, MN: Zenith Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-2350-2.
• Mikesh, Robert C. (1993). Japanese Aircraft Code Names & Designations. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-88740-447-4.
• Tillman, Barrett (2010). Whirlwind: The Air War Against Japan, 1942–1945. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 276. ISBN 978-1-4165-8440-7. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
• War Department Technical Manual TM-E 30-480 (1944). Handbook on Japanese Military Forces. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. Retrieved 2010-11-18.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Wieliczko, Leszek A.; Zygmunt Szeremeta (2004). Nakajima Ki 27 Nate (in Polish and English). Lublin, Poland: Kagero. ISBN 83-89088-51-7.