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Newsgroups: rec.aviation.military
From: jfb200@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (joseph.f.baugher)
Subject: Allied Code Names for Japanese World War II Aircraft
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories -  Naperville, Illinois
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1992 02:34:32 GMT
Message-ID: <1992Dec10.023432.4863@cbnewsd.cb.att.com>
Keywords: Betty, Peggy, Zeke, and Frank
Lines: 335

Someone requested that a list of Allied code names for Japanese aircraft
used during the Second World War be posted.  Ask and ye shall receive!
Enjoy!

The code name system for Japanese aircraft originated in the Southwest
Pacific theatre in the second half of 1942.  Before Pearl Harbor, very
little was known about Japanese military aircraft of any type, and it was
widely assumed that most Japanese military aircraft were second-rate copies
of obsolescent Western designs.  It goes without saying that the first
six months of the Pacific War showed just how wrong that view was!

The Allies were thus faced with a desperate need for accurate, up-to-date
intelligence on the Japanese aircraft which were at that time riding
roughshod over the entire Pacific theatre of operations.  In June, 1942
Captain Frank T. McCoy of Nashville, Tennessee became head of the Material 
Section of the Directorate of Intelligence of the allied air forces in the 
entire Southwest Pacific area.  His team was assigned the task of identifying 
and classifying Japanese aircraft.

Since Captain McCoy was from Tennessee, he initially assigned hillbilly names
such as ZEKE, RUFE, NATE, and JAKE to Japanese aircraft--chosen so that they 
were short, simple, unusual, and easy to remember.  75 code names were assigned
the first month.  By September 1942, these names were in wide use throughout
the entire Southwest Pacific.  Shortly thereafter, they went into use
throughout the entire Pacific.

These odd-sounding code names soon attracted attention from high-ranking
military brass.  Captain McCoy assigned to what later turned out to be a
modified Zero the code name HAP, the nickname of General Henry H. ("Hap")
Arnold, USAAF Chief of Staff.   The General was NOT amused, and had Capt
McCoy summoned before General MacArthur's chief of operations to explain
what he was up to.  Captain McCoy seems to have gotten himself out of this
particular jam, but the name HAP was quietly changed to HAMP.

In the summer of 1944, a joint Army-Navy Air Technical Center in Washington
took over responsibility for assigning the names.

The code names were alloted according to the following system:

        Male first names:    Fighters and reconnaissance seaplanes
	Female first names:  Bombers, attack bombers, dive bombers
			     Reconnaissance aircraft 
			     Flying boats
			     Transports (names beginning with letter T).
	Tree names: 	     Trainers
	Bird names:	     Gliders 

However, there were some exceptions to the rule.  The Ki-44 Shoki single- 
seat fighter was assigned the name TOJO.

Here is a list of code names.  Supposedly it is complete, but I would 
appreciate being informed of any omissions.


		ALLIED CODE NAMES FOR JAPANESE AIRCRAFT

CODE NAME        JAPANESE DESIGNATION               DESCRIPTION		
__________     ____________________________     ________________________

ABDUL		Nakajima Ki-27		        Army single-seat fighter serving
						  in CBI theatre.  Duplicate of
						  NATE in Southwest Pacific.
						  After 1943, code name NATE
						  was used exclusively. 
ADAM		"Nakajima STK-97"		Nonexistent fighter seaplane
ALF		Kawanishi E7K			Navy single-engined 
						  reconnaissance biplane 
					          seaplane
ANN		Mitsubishi Ki-30		Army single-engined light bomber
BABS		Mitsubishi Ki-15/C5M		Army/Navy single-engined
						  reconnaissance aircraft
BAKA		Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka		Navy rocket-powered suicide 
			 (Cherry Blossom)         attacker.
BELLE		Kawanishi H3K1			Navy biplane flying boat
BEN		"Nagoya-Sento KI-001"           Did not exist.
BEN		Mitsubishi A6M Reisen		Name briefly assigned to Zero
			 (Zero Fighter)           in CBI theatre.
BESS		Heinkel He 111			Erroneously believed to being
						  built under license in Japan
BETTY		Mitsubishi G4M			Navy twin-engined land-based 
						   attack bomber
BOB		Aichi Type 97			Navy recon seaplane - did not
						 exist
BOB		Kawasaki Ki-28			Erroneously believed to be in
						   production as fighter
BUZZARD		Kokusai Ku-7 Manazuru		Army transport glider
			   (Crane)
CEDAR		Tachikawa Ki-17			Army single-engined two-seat
						  biplane primary trainer
CHERRY    	Yokosuka H5Y			Navy flying boat
CLARA		Tachikawa Ki-70			Army command reconnaissance 
						  aircraft
CLAUDE		Mitsubishi A5M			Navy carrier-based single-seat
						  fighter
CYPRESS		Kyushu K9W			Navy primary trainer
		Kokusai Ki-86			Army primary trainer				
DAVE		Nakajima E8N			Navy two-seat reconnaissance 
						  seaplane biplane.
DICK		Seversky A8V1			Seversky 2PA-B3 purchased
						  from USA and operated as
						  two-seat Navy land-based
						  fighters.
DINAH		Mitsubishi Ki-46		Army twin-engined reconnaissance
						  and interceptor aircraft.
DOC		Messerschmitt Bf 110		German twin-engined fighter
						  erroneously believed to be
						  in service in Japan.
DORIS		Mitsubishi B-97			Medium bomber- did not exist
DOT		Yokosuka D4Y 			Carrier-based dive bomber -
						   duplicate of JUDY
EDNA		Mansyu Ki-71			Army experimental single-engined
						  two-seat tactical 
						  reconnaissance aircraft.
						  Development of Mitsubishi
						  Ki-51.
EMILY		Kawanishi H8K			Navy four-engined long-range
						  reconnaissance flying boat
EVA(EVE)	Mitsubishi Ohtori		Erroneously believed to be a
						  bomber
FRANCES		Yokosuka P1Y Ginga		Navy land-based twin-engined 
		          (Milky Way)		   light bomber/night fighter
FRANK		"Mitsubishi TK-4"		Fictional twin-engined fighter.
					          Name later applied to
						  Nakajima Ki-84
FRANK		Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Gale)	Single-seat Army fighter.
FRED		Focke-Wulf FW 190A-5		Erroneously believed to be
						  in service in Japan
GANDER		Kokusai Ku-8			Army transport glider
						  Formerly named GOOSE
GEORGE		Kawanishi N1K Shiden		Navy single-seat land-based 
		      (Violet Lightning)          interceptor-fighter
GLEN		Yokosuka E14Y			Navy single-engined
						   reconnaissance seaplane
GOOSE		Kokusai Ku-8			Army transport glider
						  Named changed to GANDER
GRACE		Aichi B7A Ryusei		Navy single-engined carrier-
		   (Shooting Star)		  based attack bomber.
GUS		"Nakajima AT-27"		Fictional twin-engined fighter.
GWEN		Mitsubishi Ki-21-IIb		Army heavy bomber - name later
						  changed to SALLY III.
HAMP		Mitsubishi A6M3			Navy carrier-based fighter.
						  First named HAP, then HAMP,
						  then finally ZERO 32.
HANK		Aichi E10A			Navy reconnaissance seaplane
HELEN		Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu		Army twin-engined heavy bomber
			(Storm Dragon)
HICKORY		Tachikawa Ki-54			Army twin-engined advanced crew
						  trainer and light transport.
IDA		Tachikawa Ki-55 and Ki-36 	Army single engined two-seat
						  monoplane trainer and army
						  cooperation aircraft
IONE		"Aichi AI-104"			Nonexistent reconnaissance
						  seaplane.
IRENE		Junkers Ju 87A			German single-engine dive
						  bomber erroneously believed
						  to be in service with 
						  Japanese army.
IRVING		Nakajima J1N Gekko (Moonlight)  Navy twin-engined land-based
						  night fighter and 
						  reconnaissance aircraft.
JACK		Mitsubishi J2M Raiden		Navy single-seat land-based 
			(Thunderbolt)	          interceptor.
JAKE		Aichi E13A			Navy single-engined 
						  reconnaissance seaplane.
JANE		Mitsubishi Ki-21		Army heavy bomber - Name later
						  changed to SALLY
JANICE		Junkdrs Ju 88A-5		German light bomber erroneously
						  believed to be in service in
					          Japan.
JEAN		Yokosuka B4Y			Navy carrier-based single- 
						  engined attack bomber biplane.
JERRY		Heinkel A7He1			Heinkel He 112B-0 in service in
					          Japan as Navy land-based
						  fighter.
JILL		Nakajima B6N Tenzan		Navy single-engined carrier-
			(Heavenly Mountain)       based attack bomber.
JIM		Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa		Army single-seat fighter - name
						  later changed to OSCAR
JOE		"TK-19"				Fictional single-seat fighter
JOYCE		Misidentified HICKORY		Believed to be a light bomber
						  version of Tachikawa Ki-54
JUDY		Yokosuka D4Y Suisei		Navy carrier-based single-
			     (Comet)              engined dive bomber.
JULIA		Misidentified LILY		Believed to be a heavy bomber
JUNE		Misidentified JAKE		Believed to be a floatplane
						  version of VAL
KATE		Nakajima B5N			Navy single-engined 
					          carrier-based attack bomber
LAURA		Aichi E11A			Navy reconnaissance seaplane
LILY		Kawasaki Ki-48			Army twin-engined light bomber
LIZ		Nakajima G5N Shinzan		Navy four-engined attack bomber
			(Mountain Recess)         operated as freight transport.
LORNA		Kyushu Q1W Tokai		Navy twin-engined land-based 
			(Eastern Sea)		   patrol aircraft.
LOUISE		Mitsubishi Ki-2			Army twin-engined light bomber
LUKE		Mitsubishi J4M Senden		Navy interceptor
MABEL		Mitsubishi B5M			Carrier-based attack bomber.
						  Name later changed to
						  KATE 61
MARY		Kawasaki Ki-32 			Army single-engined, two-seat
						   light bomber
MAVIS		Kawanishi H6K			Navy four-engined maritime
						  reconnaissance flying boat
MIKE		Messerschmitt Bf 109E		German fighter erroneously 
					          believed to be in service in
						  Japan.
MILLIE		Vultee V-11GB			Erroneously believed to be in
						  production by Showa in Japan
MYRT		Nakajima C6N Saiun		Navy single-engined carrier-
		    (Painted Cloud)		  based reconnaissance aircraft
NATE		Nakamima Ki-27			Army single-seat fighter
						  Name initially used only in
						  Southwest Pacific theatre,
						  whereas the same plane was
						  called ABDUL in CBI theatre.
						  From 1943 onward used name
						  NATE exclusively.
NELL		Mitsubishi G3M			Navy land-based twin-engined
						  attack bomber
NICK		Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu		Army two-seat, twin-engined
		        (Dragon Killer)		  fighter
NORM		Kawanishi E15K Shiun		Navy single-engined high-speed
			(Violet Cloud)            reconnaissance seaplane
NORMA		Misidentified BABS		Believed to be a light bomber
OAK		Kyushu K10W			Navy intermediate trainer
						  License-built North American
						  NA-16
OMAR		"Suzukaze 20"			Fictional twin-engined fighter
OSCAR		Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa		Army single-seat fighter - known
			(Peregrine Falcon)	  for a time in CBI theatre as
						  JIM
PAT		Tachikawa Ki-74			Erroneously believed to be a
						  long-range fighter.  Name
						  changed to PATSY when true
						  role of bomber became known.
PATSY		Tachikawa Ki-74			Army experimental long-range, 
						   high-altitude reconnaissance
						   bomber.
PAUL		Aichi E16A Zuiun		Navy single-engined 
			(Auspicious Cloud)	   reconnaissance seaplane  
PEGGY		Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu		Army twin-engined heavy bomber
			(Flying Dragon)
PERRY		Kawasaki Ki-10			Army single-seat biplane fighter
						  Relegated to training roles by
						  beginning of Pacific War
PETE		Mitsubishi F1M			Navy single-engined observation 
						   biplane seaplane.
PINE		Mitsubishi K3M			Navy single-engined crew trainer
RANDY		Kawasaki Ki-102b		Army twin-engined assault plane
RAY		Mitsubishi A6M Reisen		Name briefly assigned to Zero
			 (Zero Fighter)           in CBI theatre.
REX		Kawanishi N1K Kyofu		Navy single-engined seaplane
			(Mighty Wind)		  fighter. 
RITA		Nakajima G8N Renzan		Navy land-based four-engined
		       (Mountain Range)            attack bomber
ROB		Kawasaki Ki-64			Experimental Army single-seat
						  fighter
RUFE		Nakajima A6M2-N			Seaplane fighter version of
						  Mitsubishi A6M2 Reisen. 
RUTH		Fiat BR-20			Italian-built heavy bomber in
						  Japanese service
SALLY		Mitsubishi Ki-21		Army twin-engined heavy bomber. 
						  Formerly named JANE.
SAM		Mitsubishi A7M Reppu		Navy single-seat carrier-based 
			(Hurricane)			fighter
SANDY		Mitsubishi A5M			Navy carrier-based fighter.
						  Name given to a non-existent
						  inverted-gull wing version
						  of CLAUDE. 
SLIM		Watanabe E9W			Navy Reconnaissance Seaplane
SONIA		Mitsubishi Ki-51		Army two-seat, single-engined
						   assault aircraft
SPRUCE		Tachikawa Ki-9			Army medium-grade two-seat
						  single-engined biplane trainer
STELLA		Kokusai Ki-76			Army single-engined command 
					          liaison aircraft.  Generally
						  similar to Fieseler Fi 156
						  Storch but not a copy. 
STEVE		Mitsubishi Ki-72		Army experimental twin-engined
						  fighter
SUSIE		Aichi D1A			Navy single-engined carrier-
						   based biplane dive bomber
TABBY		Showa/Nakajima L2D		Navy land-based twin-engined
						   transport.  License-built
					           version of Douglas DC-3.
TESS		Douglas DC-2			License-built DC-2s
					          erroneously believed to be
						  in widespread use by
						  Japanese Navy.		
THALIA		Kawasaki Ki-56 			Army twin-engined transport. 
						  Japanese-built adaptation of
						  Lockheed Model 14-WG3.
THELMA		Tachikawa/Kawasaki Type LO      Twin-engined Army transport.
						  License built version of 
						  Lockheed Model 14.
THERESA		Kokusai Ki-59			Army twin-engined light
						  personnel transport
THORA		Nakajima Ki-34/L1N		Army/Navy twin-engined transport
TINA		Mitsubishi Ki-33		Army transport - misidentified
					         Yokosuka L3Y transport version
						 of G3M attack bomber.
TILLIE		Yokosuka H7Y			Navy experimental flying boat
TOBY		Lockheed 14			Commercial Lockheed 14s used
						  by Japan during Pacific War.
TOJO		Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki		Army single-seat fighter
			(Devil-Queller)
TONY		Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (Swallow)	Army single-seat fighter
TOPSY		Mitsubishi Ki-57/L4M		Army/Navy twin-engine transport
TRIXIE		Junkers Ju 52/3m		German trimotor transport
						 erroneously believed to be in
						 service in Japan
TRUDY		Focke-Wulf Fw 200		German four-engined maritime
						  reconnaissance aircraft
						  erroneously believed to be
						  in service in Japan
VAL		Aichi D3A			Navy single-engined two-seat
						  carrier-based dive bomber
WILLOW		Yokosuka K5Y			Navy intermediate trainer
					           biplane.	
ZEKE		Mitsubishi A6M Reisen		Navy single-engined carrier-
		      (Zero Fighter)		   based fighter.

Source: 
	Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, Rene J. Francillon,
	Naval Institute Press, 1979


Joe Baugher			**************************************
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