[skydriver]

I am trying to inventory all my aircraft with as much info as possible.

We all know the P-51 was known as the "Mustang", and the F4U was the "Corsair", but I have not been able to find any known name for the FW190, ME109, and ME262. Can anyone offer some insight?

Also, did the Spitfire and Hurricane have any other designation such as "P-47", or was it just Spitfire.

[aeroeng]

I usually go to the on-line encyclopedia for that type of info.

Me-262 Schwalbe, Bf-109 Gustav, FW-190 Shrike, etc.

Alot depends on the model number, I think there are a couple names for the 190 based on the specific type.

[Epapazian]

Originally Posted by skydriver

I am trying to inventory all my aircraft with as much info as possible.

We all know the P-51 was known as the "Mustang", and the F4U was the "Corsair", but I have not been able to find any known name for the FW190, ME109, and ME262. Can anyone offer some insight?

Also, did the Spitfire and Hurricane have any other designation such as "P-47", or was it just Spitfire.

Just about every warbird used in WWII and in other eras was given a name by its designers, those who flew them and/or their opponents. The most common name for Germany's ME-262 jet fighter was the Schwalbe ( Swallow ) while the FW-190 was dubbed the Wurger ( Shrike ) and, also, the Butcher-bird. As for the BF-109 series, Luftwaffe pilots usually gave each mark a name. Hence the BF-109E was called the Emil, the BF-109G was called the Gustav, etc. This also applied to the late model FW-190s. The FW-190D was often called the Dora.

As for the Spitfire and Hurricane, they started out with nicknames and didn't need additional monikers.

[skydriver]

Thanks Aeroeng and Epapazian. I thought had done a good job looking on my own, but I did not realize the different versions of the plane had different names.

I am just glad the P51's were just "Mustang" and not P51A - Andy, P51B - Bill, P51C - Carl....well you get the idea

[Shawn 507]

Originally Posted by skydriver

Thanks Aeroeng and Epapazian. I thought had done a good job looking on my own, but I did not realize the different versions of the plane had different names.

I am just glad the P51's were just "Mustang" and not P51A - Andy, P51B - Bill, P51C - Carl....well you get the idea

It would have been:
ABLE
BAKER
CHARLIE
DOG

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by skydriver

Thanks Aeroeng and Epapazian. I thought had done a good job looking on my own, but I did not realize the different versions of the plane had different names.

I am just glad the P51's were just "Mustang" and not P51A - Andy, P51B - Bill, P51C - Carl....well you get the idea

Skydriver, early P-51s were called 'Invaders' by the RAF before it came to it's final moniker of
a wild pony: Mustang. The P-40s had many monikers bestowed by the RAF flyers as well: Kittyhawk, Tomahawk
and Warhawk, but the name "Flying Tiger" sounded more awesome "term of endearment" by the AVG flyers.

[bsmith13]

Originally Posted by aeroeng

I usually go to the on-line encyclopedia for that type of info.

Me-262 Schwalbe, Bf-109 Gustav, FW-190 Shrike, etc.

Alot depends on the model number, I think there are a couple names for the 190 based on the specific type.

Not all German planes had "names". The Schwalbe, Moskito and Uhu are names of aircraft from later in the war. The Bf-109 had several names, but each name depended on the model; thus, the Bf-109E was "Emil", Bf-109G was "Gustav" etc.

[Nimrod48]

I am so pleased that the name Spitfire prevailed over its sugested name of Shrew....a squadron of Shrews?? ......we could have lost the war !!

[Cruver Collecter]

Looks like two German aircraft might have been called Uhu. Found both the Fw 189 and the He 219 referred to as such. Fw 189 also looks to have been referred to as Fliegende Auge.

[skysurfer808]

Originally Posted by Epapazian

Just about every warbird used in WWII and in other eras was given a name by its designers, those who flew them and/or their opponents. The most common name for Germany's ME-262 jet fighter was the Schwalbe ( Swallow ) while the FW-190 was dubbed the Wurger ( Shrike ) and, also, the Butcher-bird. As for the BF-109 series, Luftwaffe pilots usually gave each mark a name. Hence the BF-109E was called the Emil, the BF-109G was called the Gustav, etc. This also applied to the late model FW-190s. The FW-190D was often called the Dora.

As for the Spitfire and Hurricane, they started out with nicknames and didn't need additional monikers.

Actually the Emil, Dora, Gustav names were letters of the German Phonetic Alphabet. This has carried over to the US, with some types known by their Phonetic Identifiers, ie, the F-4E being the Echo, though for the most part there are other names given. Thus the Super Hornet is the Rhino, or Superbug, while the Tomcat was known as the Turkey. The F-16 is best identifed as the Viper, while the the F-111 was unoficially known as the Aardvark until officially given that name just prior to its retirement. Getting back to WW-2, the Corsair was never called that, it was known as the Hog, despite Vought publicist's attempt to identify the type as the U-bird...some stupid reference to U-boat I'm sure. Other types kept their names, with Grumman products mostly keeping their manufacturer's names. The Royal Navy did attempt to change the names of its US supplied Lend Lease fighters, with the Wildcat being named Martlet, the Hellcat Gannet, and the Avenger Tarpon, but this was changed later. When it comes to RAF names, the Spit and Hurricane were often known by their Mark Numbers, in Roman numerals in wartime, converted to regular Arabic afterwards. This was because though the overall aircraft was known as the same type, variations, especially in the Spit were such that they were different aircraft. Anybody who doubts that ought to look at a comparison between the Spit Mk I and the XIV.

Oh and the Japanese referred to their types by the year of the Japanese Calendar in which they were released. Thus the Zero Sen, was from the year 2600 on the Japanese calendar was known as the Rei Siki Kanjo Sentoki from Type 0 Carrier Fighter, or simply Reisen. The Japanese also had a USN inspired designation system, thus the Zero was the A6M for the 6th fighter design from Mitsubishi, while the Aichi D5A was the 5th design from Aichi. The official allied code name was Zeke, but for most people any low wing Japanese aircraft was a Zero. The allies assigned code names for Japanese types, fighters having male names, bombers female, thus the D5A was a Val, the Nakajima B5N was a Kate, and the Army's Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Perigrine Falcon) was the Oscar.

Skysurfer808