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List of United States Air Force aircraft designations (1919–1962)

This list of United States Air Force aircraft designations (1919–1962) includes prototype, pre-production and operational type designations under the 1919 and 1924 United States Army Air Service aircraft designation systems, which were used by the United States Air Force and its predecessors until the introduction of the unified United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system in 1962.

For aircraft designations after 1962, see List of United States Tri-Service aircraft designations. For aircraft that did not receive formal designations—including those procured before 1919 when no designation system was in force, and later aircraft that did not receive designations for other reasons—see List of undesignated military aircraft of the United States.

Prior to 1919

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Main article: List of undesignated military aircraft of the United States

Prior to 1919, all aircraft flown by the Army Air Service were referred to by the designation given to them by their manufacturer. During this period, a variety of both domestic and foreign types were operated, with the latter being the primary front-line types during World War I.

Army Air Service designations (1919–1924)

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Main article: 1919 United States Army Air Service aircraft designation system
 
Curtiss PW-8

In September 1919, the Army Air Service decided that it needed an organized designation sequence, and adopted fifteen classifications, designated by Roman numerals. Several other unnumbered designations were added later. Each designation was assigned an abbreviation, and each design a number within that abbreviation. Variants were designated by alphabetically appending letters to the design number.

Type O: Foreign-Built Pursuit Aircraft

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Type I: Pursuit, water-cooled

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Type II: Pursuit, night

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Type III: Pursuit, air-cooled

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Type IV: Pursuit, ground attack, 1922

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Type V: Two-seat pursuit

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  • TP-1 – Engineering Division

Type VI: Ground attack, 1920–1922

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Type VII: Infantry liaison

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Type VIII: Night observation

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Type IX: Artillery observation

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Type X: Corps observation

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  • CO-1 – Engineering Division
  • CO-2 – Engineering Division
  • CO-3 – Engineering Division
  • CO-4 – Atlantic
  • CO-5 – Engineering Division
  • CO-6 – Engineering Division
  • CO-7 – Boeing
  • CO-8 – Atlantic

Type XI: Day bombardment

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Type XII: Night bombardment, short range

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Type XIII: Night bombardment, long range

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  • NBL-1 – Witteman-Lewis
  • NBL-2 – Martin (not built)

Type XIV: Trainer, air-cooled

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Type XV: Trainer, water-cooled

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Ambulance, 1919–1924

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  • A-1 – Cox-Klemin
  • A-2 – Fokker

Messenger

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Pursuit, special

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  • PS-1 – Dayton-Wright

Racer

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Verville-Sperry R-3

Seaplane

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  • S-1 – Loening

Transport

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Lighter-than-air craft

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  • AC-1 — designed for "long flights and cross-country work", this was a 169 foot long, 180,000 cubic foot buoyancy craft which had one of its earliest long flights in May 1923.[1]
  • RN-1 — designated "Zodiac", this was a semi-rigid dirigible, 262.5 feet long with a 360,000 cubic foot buoyancy volume.[2]

Army Air Corps/Army Air Forces/Air Force designations (1924–1962)

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Main article: 1924 United States Army Air Service aircraft designation system

Amphibian

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OA: Observation Amphibian (1925–1948)

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A: Amphibian (1948–1962)

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Attack

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A-3 Falcon

A: Attack (1924–1948)

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Bomber

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Huff-Daland LB-1

Until 1926, the Army Air Service had three sequences for bombers. Light bombers were indicated by the LB- prefix, medium bombers by the B- prefix, and heavy bombers by the HB- prefix. In 1926, the three-category system was scrapped and all bombers subsequently built were placed in the B- sequence.

LB: Light Bomber (1924–1926)

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B: Medium Bomber (1924–1926)

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HB: Heavy Bomber (1924–1926)

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B: Bomber (1926–1962)

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Martin B-10B

Beginning with #69, the "M-" (missile) and "B-" (bomber) series diverged. The missiles designated M-69 to M-92, some of which are incorrectly labeled as "formerly designated B-xx" in some sources, never used a "B-" series designation. Beginning with #70, another sequence diverged, the "RS-" (Reconnaissance/Strike) series, which was later changed to the "SR-" (Strategic Reconnaissance) series of the Tri-Service system.

Non-sequential
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Some bomber designations were assigned out of sequence.

  • B-20 Havoc – Douglas (redesignated from A-20 in 1948 after original B-20 was canceled)
  • B-26 Invader – Douglas (redesignated from A-26 in 1948 after original B-26 was retired)

BLR: Bomber, long range (1935–1936)

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A short-lived designation used from 1935–1936 to refer to three long-range bomber projects commissioned by the Army Air Corps. Most of the bombers were night bombers.

Cargo

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C: Cargo (1924–1962)

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Douglas C-1 refueling Fokker C-2

This sequence was restarted at C-1 with the introduction of the Tri-Service system. However, the original sequence was picked up at C-143 starting in 2005, leading to the US military maintaining two separate sequences for cargo aircraft.

Drone

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Aerial Target

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GL: Target Glider (1922–1935)
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A: Aerial Target (1940–1941)
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PQ: Aerial Target, man carrying (1943–1948)
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OQ: Aerial Target, model airplane (1942–1948)
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Radioplane OQ-2A

BQ: Controllable Bomb (1942–1945)

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CQ: Target Control (1942–1948)

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Q: Drone (1948–1962)

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Experimental

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S: Supersonic/Special Test (1946–1948)

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The USAF established a separate sequence for purpose-built research aircraft in 1946. Originally designated with the "S" mission letter, the sequence switched to "X" in 1948.

X: Special Research/Experimental (1948–1962)

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Main article: List of X-planes

Below is a list of "X-planes" designated before 1962. For a list of X-planes designated after 1962, see List of United States Tri-Service aircraft designations § X: Special research.

Fighter

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P: Pursuit (1924-1948)

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P-3 Hawk

Designated P- for "pursuit" until June 1948, nine months after the United States Air Force was founded. After this, all P- designations were changed to F- ("fighter"), but the original design numbers were retained.[5]

Non-sequential
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F: Fighter (1948–1962)

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All fighters from F-38 to F-92 originally carried the pursuit designations from P-38 to P-92, unless otherwise noted.

Unofficial designations YF-112 and up were later assigned to black projects.

Non-sequential
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FM: Fighter, Multiplace

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PB: Pursuit, Biplace

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Glider

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AG: Assault Glider (1942–1944)

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BG: Bomb Glider (1942–1944)

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CG: Cargo Glider (1941–1948)

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Waco CG-4A

FG: Fuel Glider (1930–1948)

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PG: Powered Glider (1943–1948)

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TG: Training Glider (1941–1948)

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Schweitzer TG-3A

G: Glider (1948–1955)

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In 1948, all the glider categories were unified into a single sequence.

S: Sailplane (1960–1962)

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Liaison

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L: Liaison (1942–1962)

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Observation

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O: Observation (1924–1942)

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Reconnaissance

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F: Photographic Reconnaissance (1930–1948)

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R: Reconnaissance (1948–1962)

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RS: Reconnaissance/Strike (1960–1962)

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Both of the following aircraft are numbered in the B- (bomber) sequence.

Rotorcraft

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G: Gyroplane (1935–1939)

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R: Rotary wing (1941–1948)

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In 1941, the category letter R- was allotted for "rotary wing" aircraft, and this designation was used until the founding of the United States Air Force in 1947, at which point the category letter was changed to H-, for "helicopter". However, the original numbering sequence was retained.

H: Helicopter (1948–1962)

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Trainer

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AT: Advanced Trainer (1925–1948)

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BC: Basic Combat (1936–1940)

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BT: Basic Trainer (1930–1948)

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PT: Primary Trainer (1925–1948)

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T: Trainer (1948–1962)

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In 1948, the Advanced, Basic, and Primary Trainer categories were unified into one sequence. Below are the designations that were assigned before the introduction of the Tri-Service system. For the designations in the same sequence that were assigned after 1962, see List of United States Tri-Service aircraft designations § Continued original sequence (1962–present).

VTOL

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V: VTOL (1954–1962)

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See also

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References

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Notes

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Citations

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  1. ^ "Airship AC-1 Lands At Field". The Airship Log. Vol. 1. Belleville, Illinois: Meyer & Farrell. 4 May 1923. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "RN-1 Zodiac Arrived at Scott Field". The Airship Log. Vol. 1, no. 1. Belleville, Illinois: Meyer & Farrell. 4 May 1923. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Lockheed B-71 (SR-71)". National Museum of the United States Air Force. October 29, 2009. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  4. ^ Andrade 1979, page 60
  5. ^ Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems: Volume 1 (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History. p. 1. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  6. ^ "HazeGray.org". rec.aviation.military FAQ, Part 4. Retrieved 2007-01-13.
  7. ^ Andrade 1979, p. 162
  8. ^ Office of History, Headquarters Third Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe: Installations and USAAF Combat Units in the United Kingdom 1942–1945, Revised and Expanded Edition Archived 2011-09-24 at the Wayback Machine. October 1980; reprinted February 1985

Bibliography

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  • Andrade, John M. (1979). U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials Since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 978-0-904597-22-6.
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