www.richard-seaman.com / Aircraft / Air Shows / Aircraft Listed By Nickname

Airshow Aircraft Listed By Unofficial Names

aircraft listed by airshow airshow computer wallpaper
aircraft listed by type airshow photography tips
aircraft listed by manufacturer
 A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H    I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W  X  Y   Z 
Able Dog reference to its original "AD" (Attack aircraft, Douglas) designation see A-1 Skyraider
ace maker reference to its success in battle see F6F Hellcat
azure lightning see Su-27 "Flanker"
balalaika resemblance to the musical instrument when viewed from above see MiG-21 "Fishbed"
bamboo bomber see UC-78 Bobcat
Barney see C-17 Globemaster III
Beagle Bomber Eagle see F-15E Strike Eagle
beak reference to its sharp nose see B-2 Spirit "stealth bomber"
The Beast see SB2C Helldiver
bent wing bird reference to its gull-wing design see F4U Corsair
Bison NATO reporting name see M-4 Molot
Bone lengthened form of "B-1" ("B-one") see B-1 Lancer
Boxkite see UC-78 Bobcat
Brasshat see UC-78 Bobcat
Britchik Russian for "little shaver" see P-39 Airacobra
BUFF Big Ugly Fat Fucker see B-52 Stratofortress
Caribou see P-39 Airacobra
Cessna suck-blow reference to the pusher and puller engine arrangement see O-2 Skymaster
Charger NATO reporting name see Tu-144
Colt NATO reporting name see An 2 "Colt"
Concordski reference to its similarity to Concorde see Tu-144
Connie short form of "Constellation" see C-121 Constellation
crane see Su-27 "Flanker"
crocodile see Mi-24 "Hind"
Crusty NATO reporting name see Tu-134
Daffy "stupid", as in Daffy Duck, a reference to its strange design see Boulton-Paul Defiant
Devil's chariot supposed mujahadeen name see Mi-24 "Hind"
die eierlegende Wollmilchsau German for "egg-laying wool milk pig" see Tornado
Doppel Blitz see He 111
Double Blitz see He 111
Double-Breasted Cub see UC-78 Bobcat
double ugly see F-4 Phantom II
Dragon Lady see U-2
the duck see O-2 Skymaster
Eisensau German for "iron pig" see F-4 Phantom II
electric jet reference to its "fly by wire" operation see F-16 Fighting Falcon
Fagot NATO reporting name see Mig-15 "Fagot"
Firebox see Fairey Firefly
Fishbed NATO reporting name see MiG-21 "Fishbed"
Flanker NATO reporting name see Su-27 "Flanker" and Su-30 "Flanker"
Fliegende Ziegelstein German for "flying brick" see F-4 Phantom II
flying banana reference to its shape see H-21 Shawnee
flying barrel reference to its shape see F3F
flying coffin reference to the number of Luftwaffe crashes see F-104 Starfighter
flying porcupine reference to the amount of defensive weaponry see Short Sunderland
flying tank see Mi-24 "Hind"
flying tennis court reference to the size of the wings see F-15 Eagle
Fred see C-5 Galaxy
Fred NATO reporting name see P-63 Kingcobra
Fresco NATO reporting name see MiG-17 "Fresco"
Frog see CH-46 Sea Knight
Frogfoot NATO reporting name see Su-25 "Frogfoot"
Fulcrum NATO reporting name see MiG-29 "Fulcrum" and MiG-30 "Fulcrum"
gooney bird see C-47 Skytrain
gorbatov Russian for "hunchback" see MiG-29 "Fulcrum"
gratch Russian for "rook" see Su-25 "Frogfoot"
Gustav long form of the "G" in the "Bf109G" designation see Bf109G
Halibag see Handley-Page Halifax
Halo NATO reporting name see Mi-26 "Halo"
Heinemann's hot rod reference to the designer, Ed Heinemann see A-4 Skyhawk
Hind NATO reporting name see Mi-24 "Hind"
Hip NATO reporting name see Mi-8 "Hip"
Hokum NATO reporting name see Ka-50 "Hokum"
hopeless diamond a play on "Hope diamond" because of its unairworthy-looking shape see F-117 Nighthawk
Huey derived from its original "Hu-1" designation see UH-1 Iroquois
hummer see E-2 Hawkeye
Hun short for "hundred", a reference to its designation see F-100 Super Sabre
Hunchback Russian nickname see MiG-29 "Fulcrum"
Ishak Russian for "little donkey" see Polikarpov I-16
Jug short for "juggernaut", perhaps see P-47 Thunderbolt
Krokodil Russian for "crocodile" see Mi-24 "Hind"
lawn dart reference to the number of crashes see F-16 Fighting Falcon
lead sled see F-4 Phantom II
Lightning II see F-22 Raptor
Little Bird see OH-6 Cayuse
Lizzie see Lysander
Loach see OH-6 Cayuse
Luftverteidigungsdiesel German for "air defense diesel" see F-4 Phantom II
Matador Spanish operational name see Harrier
Maya NATO reporting name see L-29 Delfin
Maytag Messerschmitt see PT-22 Recruit
Mermaid NATO reporting name see Beriev A-42 Albatross
Mitten NATO reporting name see Yak-130
mixmaster see O-2 Skymaster
Moose see C-17 Globemaster III
Mosca Spanish for "little fly" see Polikarpov I-16
Oscar American reporting name see Ki-43 Hayabusa
Oscar Deuce long form of the "O-2" designation see O-2 Skymaster
Puff the Magic Dragon see AC-47 'Spooky' gunship
Peashooter see P-26 Peashooter
Pedro Spanish civil war see He 111
pencil Polish air force nickname, because of the shape of the fuselage see MiG-21 "Fishbed"
pig Australian nickname for their F-111Cs see F-111 Aardvark and Short Sunderland
the pilot maker see AT-6 Texan
push-pull reference to the pusher and puller engine arrangement see O-2 Skymaster
Raschoska Russian for "comb", reference to the underwing pylons see Su-25 "Frogfoot"
Rata Spanish for "rat" see Polikarpov I-16
Rei-sen see Mitsubishi Zero
Rhapsody in Glue see UC-78 Bobcat
Rhino see F-4 Phantom II
rook see Su-25 "Frogfoot"
Sabre Slayer Indian air force reference to its 7-to-2 victories against Pakistani F-86s see Folland Gnat
Sandy see A-1 Skyraider
San Joaquin Beaufighter see UC-78 Bobcat
scooter see A-4 Skyhawk
Slow But Deadly long form of the "SBD" designation see Douglas SBD Dauntless
Son of a Bitch, 2nd Class long form of the "SB2C" designation see SB2C Helldiver
Spad see A-1 Skyraider
The Spade see He 111
Spooky see AC-47 gunship
stealth bomber see B-2 Spirit
stealth fighter see F-117 Nighthawk
Stoof see S-2 Tracker
Super Scooper see CL-215 water bomber
Tante Ju German for "Auntie Ju" see Ju 52
Tarpon early British designation see Grumman Avenger
Teppichklopfer German for "carpet beater" see UH-1 Iroquois
Thud see F-105 Thunderchief
Tin Fin see Tornado
Tonka see Tornado
Tupperwolf a play on tupperware because of its high composite content see HH-65 Dolphin
Useless-78 a play on the UC-78 designation see UC-78 Bobcat
Viper see F-16 Fighting Falcon
Voron Russian for "hawk" see B-2 Spirit "stealth bomber"
Warthog see A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Whale see C-46 Commando
whistling wheelbarrow reference to engine noise and twin boom structure see Argosy
whistling shithouse see Supermarine Stranraer
whistling tit see Argosy
whistling turtle see Fouga Magister
Wichita Wobbler see UC-78 Bobcat
Wimpy reference to J. Wellington Wimpy of Popeye see Vickers Wellington
Wobblin' Goblin reference to its supposed instability in flight see F-117 Nighthawk "stealth fighter"
the Wooden Wonder reference to its plywood construction see De Havilland mosquito
Yastrebok Russian for "hawk" see Polikarpov I-16
The Yellow Duck reference to its yellow color and amphibious role see CL-215 water bomber
Zeke American reporting name see Mitsubishi Zero
Zipper see F-104 Starfighter
Zorro see A-1 Skyraider
www.richard-seaman.com / Aircraft / Air Shows / Aircraft Listed By Nickname