Aircraft nicknames - what's your favourite?

• Dec 8, 2012

• #61

N

NEEBLAMMERS

Recruit

6

0

Sep 20, 2012

Newcastle upon Tyne

I'm sure I've read that the Hudson also had the moniker 'The Boomerang' not because of its planform , like the B2, but because 'it always came back'?
Also, here's the germination of a propaganda derived nickname:-

Bristol Beaufighter; The Ten Gun Terror

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsUdbzQCm_Y

 

Last edited: Dec 8, 2012

• Dec 8, 2012

• #62

Geedee

Senior Master Sergeant

3,534

628

Dec 5, 2008

Methinks the most bizarre knickname was the 'Shagbat'... the common knickname for the Supermarine Walrus. Not sure where it came from, but its certainly different !!

 

• Dec 8, 2012

• #63

nuuumannn

Major

10,229

9,598

Oct 12, 2011

Nelson

Shagbat... yep, weird one; from what I've read it comes from a mythical creature that flies in ever decreasing circles.

 

• Dec 11, 2012

• #64

M

mhuxt

Staff Sergeant

826

80

Jul 16, 2004

The Ventura was referred to by RAF crews as "The Flying Pig."

 

• Dec 13, 2012

• #65

model299

Airman 1st Class

182

26

Jul 31, 2007

Minnysoder

A couple that I don't believe I've seen mentioned yet:

B-36 = "Thundering Peacemaker" Because of the incredible noise they made, and the fact they never fired a shot in anger.

Boeing 707 = "Kerosene Queen" Due to the early model's appetite for fuel.

 

• Dec 14, 2012

• #66

S

stona

Major

9,380

3,184

Mar 28, 2009

nuuumannn said:

Panavia Tornado; The Fin

Click to expand...

And related to that is "Norfolk land shark" as the fin was visible at distance across the flatlands of Eastern England like something from jaws.

The most common RAF nick name for the Tornado was "Tonka" after the well known tough kids' toys.

Cheers

Steve

 

• Dec 16, 2012

• #67

Timppa

Senior Airman

552

252

Apr 3, 2007

Finland

"At first I didn't like when I heard the nickname "turkey". I thought it was disrespectful, until one day I was in the ready room watching a recovery. When you're in the ready room, everything just stops when an airplane is recovered. Everybody's watching the TV screen to make sure it goes okay. So I'm watching the airplane come in, and it has so many moving surfaces-these huge horizontal stabilators that are as big as an A-4's main wing and they move differentially, and the spoilers rise on the wing, and it's flapping and rocking. And i had to admit: It looked just like a turkey".

Click to expand...

Dave Parsons, VF-102, -32, -101

 

• Dec 16, 2012

• #68

T

tyrodtom

Senior Master Sergeant

3,615

1,298

Sep 6, 2010

pound va

Then there's aircraft with official names that were just too close to something else to be ignored.
Like the CH-47 Chinook, we changed that to **** hook, which was really a better description, because there was no guessing what you might see getting sling loaded from a Chinook. Everything from downed aircraft to a dead elephant.

 

• Dec 16, 2012

• #69

J

J dog

Airman 1st Class

113

3

Dec 15, 2012

Eastern PA

My favorite is the Jug for the P 47 Lightening bolt because that plane could take a hell of beating and still come home!

 

• Dec 18, 2012

• #70

SonofaVBF-13Pilot

Recruit

4

0

Dec 16, 2012

Don't forget the old "Speedy-D" was also called Slow But Deadly, used affectionately, which is why it is my favorite nickname.

 

• Dec 19, 2012

• #71

DerAdlerIstGelandet

Private Chemtrail Disperser

Staff

Mod

50,311

15,964

Nov 8, 2004

USA/Germany

tyrodtom said:

Then there's aircraft with official names that were just too close to something else to be ignored.
Like the CH-47 Chinook, we changed that to **** hook, which was really a better description, because there was no guessing what you might see getting sling loaded from a Chinook. Everything from downed aircraft to a dead elephant.

Click to expand...

We still call it a Shithook today.

 

• Dec 22, 2012

• #72

W

wuzak

Captain

8,312

2,835

Jun 5, 2011

Hobart Tasmania

Just learned from The Discovery Channel than the B-36 was nicknamed "the aluminium overcoat"!

I think they meant "overcast".

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL0CpD0YlsU

(near the end)

 

• Dec 26, 2012

• #73

H

hedge hopper

Airman

61

0

Dec 26, 2012

Hi all, just joined.
One of my favorite aircraft nicknames is; ''Hang The Expense''. This name being used on seven different B-17s mostly from the 100th BG and piloted by Frank Valesh. I was going to have a 1/72nd scale model made of this particular aircraft. Instead I chose one called; ''Our Gal Sal'' another B-17 from the 100th BG.