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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 **************************************
AT&T Bell Laboratories * "You see, something's going to *
2000 North Naperville Road * happen. Something wonderful!" *
P. O. Box 3033 **************************************
Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033
(708) 713 4548
ihlpl!jfb Who, me? Speak for AT&T? Surely you jest!
jfb200@cbnewsd.att.com