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Aircraft
(Year of First
Flight)
Official Nicknames Real
Nicknames)
Aircraft
(Year of First
Flight)
Official Nicknames Real
Nicknames(s)

US Air Force/Army
Curtiss JN-4
(1914)
None Jenny
Canuck (Canadian-
built version
Convair TF-102
(1955)
Delta
Dagger
Tub (from bulged
cockpit)
Boeing P-26
(1932)
None Peashooter Lockheed U-2
(1955)
None Dragon Lady
Deuce
Black Bird
Angel
x
Douglas C-47
(1935)
Skytrain Gooney Bird
Placid Plodder
"Dowager Duchess
Old Methuselah
Grand Old Lady
(names also applied
to DC-3, C-053,
and C-117)
Republic F-105
(1955)
Thunder-
chief
Thud
Lead Sled
Thunderthud
Squash Bomber (if all
else fails, turn off the
engine and squash the
target)
Triple Threat (it had three ways it could kill the pilot)
Ultra Hog
Iron Butterfly
x
North American
AT-6
(1938)
Texan Awful Terrible Six
Mosquito (Korean
War)
Bell UH-1
(1956)
Iroquois Huey (some
versions were called
"Slick" or "Hog"
x
North American
B-25
(1939)
Mitchell Billy's Bomber Boeing KC-135
(1956)
Strato-
tanker
Stratobladder
Flying Gas Station
Tank
GLOB (Ground-
Loving Old Bastard)
x
Beech C-45
(1940)
Expeditor Bug Smasher Convair B-58
(1956)
x
Hustler Delta Queen
Martin B-26
(1940)
Marauder Widow-Maker
Flying Prostitute
(it had no visible
means of support)
Baltimore Whore
Convair F-106
(1956)
Delta Dart Six
Sixshooter (with gun
pod attached)
Vultee BT-13
(1940)
Valiant Vibrator
Bee Tee
Cessna U-3
(1957)
None Blue Canoe
North American
P-51
(1941)
Mustang 'Stang
Peter-Dash-Flash
Spam Can
Kaman HH-43
(1958)
Huskie Flying S--house
Republic P-47
(1941)
Thunder-
bolt
Jug
T-Bolt
McDonnell Douglas
F-4
(1958)
Phantom II Double Ugly
Rhino
Old Smokey
x
Ryan PT-22
(1941)
Recruit Maytag Messerschmitt
(Also a generic
reference to L-series
[Liaison] aircraft)
Northrop T-38
(1958)
Talon White Rocket
Cessna UC-78
(1942)
Bobcat Bomboo Bomber
Rhapsody in Glue
San Joaquin
Beaufighter
Useless 78
Double-Breasted Cub
Boeing CH-47
(1961)
Chinook S--thook
Hook
Douglas A-26
(1942)
Invader Li'l Racer
Li'l Hummer
Hughes OH-6
(1963)
Cayuse Loach (from original
LOH [Light Observation
Helicopter] designation
Egg
x
Sikorsky R-4
(1942)
Hoverfly Flying Eggbeater
Frustrated Palm Tree
Lockheed C-141
(1963)
Starlifter Starlizard (from its
camouflage paint
scheme)
T-Tailed Mountain Magnet
Consolidate
C-109
(1943)
Liberator Cee-One-Oh-Boom
(several of these cargo
B-24s exploded while
ferrying fuel over the
Hump to China)
Cessna T-41
(1964)
(military 172
Skyhawk)
Mescalero Chickenhawk
F-172
Curtiss XP-55
(1943)
Ascender Ass-Ender (its canards
and rear-mounted
engine made it appear
to be flying backward)
Douglas AC-47
(1964)
Skytrain Puff the Magic
Dragon
Spooky
Dragon
(and Dragonship)
x
Fairchild C-87
(1944)
Packet Crowd Killer General Dynamics
F-111
(1964)
None Aardvark
Flying Edsel
Widow-Maker
Switchblade
Swinger
x
Douglas A-1
(1945)
Skyraider Spad
Sandy (A-1H only)
Lockheed SR-71
(1964)
None Blackbird
Habu (an Okinawan
species of snake)
Lead Sled
x
Convair B-36
(1946)
Peacemaker Aluminum Overcast
Magnesium Overcast
Sikorski CH-54
(1964)
Tarhe Skycrane
Crane

x
Republic F-84
(1946)
Thunderjet Hog
Lead Sled
Lieutenant-Eater
Bell AH-1
(1965)
Huey
Cobra
Snake
Fairchild C-119
(1947)
Flying
Boxcar
Dollar Nineteen
Crowd Killer
LTV A-7
(1965)
Corsair II SLUF (Short Little
Ugly Feller--polite
form)
Man-Eater
Lockheed T-33
(1948)
Shooting
Star
T-Bird Northrop M2-F2/M2-F3
(1966/1970)
None Flying Bathtub
Cadillac (from its
1950s-style tail fins)
Northrop F-89
(1948)
Scorpion FOD Vacuum
(because of its low
intakes)
Stanley Steamer
(because of its
oversized main
landing gear)
Cessna O-2
(1967)
None Duck (from the way its
landing gear retracted)
Blow-Suck (from its
powerplant arrangement)
Pushme-Pullyu
Douglas C-124
(1949)
Globe-
master II
Aluminum Overcast
Old Shaky
Lockheed C-5
(1968)
x
Galaxy Fat Albert
North American
F-86D
(1949)
Sabre Sabre Dog Martin-Marietta
X-24A
(1970)

x
None Flying Potato
Lockheed C-121
(1950)
Constel-
lation
Connie
Flying Speed Brake
Fairchild A-10
(1972)
Thunder-
bolt II
Warthog
SLAT (Slow, Low,
Aerial Target)
Porker
Hog
x
Republic F-84F
(1950)
Thunder-
streak
Super Hog
Lead Sled
Ground-Loving
Whore
McDonnell Douglas
F-15
(1972)
Eagle Great Bird Rodan
Big Bird
Tennis Court (a match
could be played on it
fuselage and wings)
Aluminum Overcoat

x
Boeing B-52
(1952)
Strato-
fortress
BUFF (Big Ugly Fat
Feller--polite form)
Monkeyknocker
(Vietnam)
Coconutknocker
(Vietnam)
Boeing T-43
(1973)
None Gator (from Navigator)
Strike Pig
Vertol CH-21
(1952)
Workhorse Flying Banana Martin Marietta
X-24B
(1973)
x
None Flying Flatiron
Convair F-102
(1953)
Delta
Dagger
Deuce General Dynamics
F-16
(1974)
Fighting Falcon Electric Jet
Viper
Lawn Dart
Little Hummer
x
Martin B-57
(1953)
Canberra Cranberry Rockwell B-1
(1974)
Lancer Bone (from B-one)
Lawn Dart
The Jet
x
North American
F-100
(1953)
Super
Sabre
Hun
Silver Dollar
Sikorsky UH-60
(1974)

x
Black
Hawk
Catfish
Cessna T-37
(1954)
Tweet World's Largest Dog
Whistle
Converter (converts
fuel into noise)
Hummer
Tweety Bird
x
Grumman EF-111
(1977)
Raven Sparkvark
Electronic Fox
Lockheed C-130
(1954)
Hercules Herky Bird
Herk
Hog (ski-equipped
LC-130s are
Ski-Hogs
Lockheed F-117
(1981)
None The Black Jet
Nighthawk
Frisbee
F-19
(Note: "Wobbly
Goblin" is purely a
media creation)
Lockheed F-104
(1954)
Starfighter Missile with a Man
in it
Grumman X-29
(1984)
x
None Polecat
McDonnell F-101
(1954)
Voodoo One-Oh-Wonder      
           
Generic References
All rescue aircraft
(SB-17, SB-29,
SA-16, etc.)
Various Dumbo All cargo aircraft Various Trashhauler
Trashcarrier
           
US Navy/Marine Corps
Grumman FF-1
(1931)
None FiFi Douglas A3D (A-3)
(1952)
Skywarrior All Three Dead
(No ejection seats)
x
Stearman N2S
(PT-17)
(1934)
Kaydet Yellow Peril Grumman S2F (S-2)
(1952)
Tracker Stoof (from
pronunciation of S-2-F)
Consolidate PBY
(1935)
Catalina Pigboat
P-Boat
Black Cat
(those aircraft
involved in a
specific, continuing,
night mission only)
Lockheed WV-2
(EC-121)
(1953)
Warning Star Willie Victor
Naval Aircraft
Factory N3N
(1935)
None Yellow Peril Douglas A-4
(1954)
Skyhawk Scooter
Heinemann's Hot Rod
Tinker Toy
Bantam Bomber
Mighty Mite
Skyhog
x
Vought SB2U
(1936)
Vindicator Wind Indicator
Vibrator
Vought F-8
(1955)
Crusader MiG Master
Douglas SBD
(A-24)
(1936)
Dauntless Slow But Deadly Grumman WF-1 (E-1)
(1956)
Tracer Willie Fudd
Stoof with a Roof
(because of the
large radome)
x
North American
SNJ (AT-6)
(1936)
Texan J-Bird Douglas EA-3
(1958)
x
x
Skywarrior Electric Whale
Beech SNB
(AT-11)
(1940)
Kansan Slow Navy Bomber North American T-2
(1958)
Buckeye Attack Guppy
Vought F4U
(1940)
Corsair Ben-Wing Bird Douglas ERA-3
(1960)
x
Skywarrior Warbird
Grumman TBF/
General Motors
TBM
(1941)
Avenger Turkey Grumman E-2
(1960)
Hawkeye Hummer
McDonnell F2H
(1947)
Banshee Banjo
Drut
Grumman EA-6
(1963)

x
Intruder/
Prowler
Sterile Arrow
Beech T-34
(1948)
Mentor Radial Interceptor McDonnell
Douglas/British
Aerospace AV-8
(1966)
x
Harrier Jump Jet
Whistling S--tcan
Scarier
Douglas F3D
(F-10)
(1948)
Skyknight Whale Grumman F-14
(1970)
Tomcat Turkey
North American
AJ-1
(1948)
Savage Salvage Lockheed S-3
(1971)
Viking Hoover (from sound of
its turbofan engines)


x
Vought F7U
(1948)
Cutlass Gutless Cutless Sikorsky CH-53E
(1974)
Super Stallion Super S--tter (from its
tendency to leak
hydraulic fluid)
x
Douglas F4D (F-6)
(1951)
Skyray Ford (from
pronunciation of
F-4-D
     
 
Foreign
Bristol Fighter
(1916)
x
None Brisfit
Biff
Westland Lysander
(1936)
None Lizzie
Royal Aircraft
Factory R.E.8
(1916)
x
None Harry Tate Blohm & Voss BV-138
(1937)
None Fliegender Holzschuh
(Flying Wooden Shoe)
de Havilland DH-4
(1917)
x
None Flaming Coffin
(from alleged tendency
to burn)
x
Focke-Wulf FW-189
(1938)
Uhu
(Owl)
Fliegendes Auge
(Flying Eye)
Junkers Ju-52
(1930)
x
None Tante Ju
(Auntie Junkers)
Iron Annie
x
Fairey Albacore
(1939)
Greif
(Griffon)
Luftwaffenfeuerzeug
(Luftwaffe's Lighter)
Dornier Do-11
(1932)
x
x
x
None Fliegender Sarg
(Flying Coffin)
Mitsubishi G4M
(1939)
None
(Allied
code name
"Betty")
Hamaki
(Cigar)
Heinkel He-51
(1933)
None Caza de Cadena
(Chain Fighter, from
the Nationalists'
follow-the-leader
strafing tactics in the
Spanish Civil War)
x
de Havilland
Mosquito
(1940)
None Wooden Wonder
Mossie
Supermarine
Walrus
(1933)
x
None Shagbat Hawker Typhoon
(1940)
None Tiffie
Fairey Swordfish
(1934)
x
None Stringbag Fiesler Fi-103 (V-1)
(1942)
None Kirschkern
(Cherry Stone)
Avro Anson
(1935)
None Faithful Annie Messerschmitt
Me-262
(1942)
Schwalbe
(Swallow)
Sturmvogel
(Storm Bird)
x
Turbo
Dornier Do-17
(1935)
None Fliegender Bleistift
(Flying Pencil)
Messerschmitt
Me-262
(1942)
Gigant (Giant) Leukoplastbomber
(Adhesive Tape Bomber--it was mostly canvas)
Hawker Hurricane
IIB
(1935)
None

Hurribomber
Hurricat (these were
catapulted from
merchant ships)

x

Dornier Do-335
(1943)
Pfeil
(Arrow)
Ameisenbaer (Anteater--it had a long nose)
Messerschmitt
Bf-109
(1935)
None

Usually called by
series name (e.g.
Bf-109E was Emil),
but Bf-109G
(Gustav) aso called
Beule (Boil) for
additional equipment
crammed in and
faired over

X

Gloster Meteor
(1943)
None Meatbox
Fairey Battle
(1936)
None Fairly Rattle Gloster Meteor
(1943)
None Dora
Ameisenbaer
(Anteater)
Hadley Page
Hampden
(1936)
None Flying Frying Pan Avro Shackleton
(1949)
None 100,000 Rivets Flying
in Loose Formation
Vickers
Wellington
(1936)
None Wimpy      
 

   
 
 



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