Nick names used for popular a/c

[ivanotter]

I have always been impressed with the imagination of people "naming" the different a/c.

I know a few, but does anyone have some favourite nick's?

My two best one's are:

The man-eater:

Wikipedia source.

The sailor-inhaler: Also from Wikipedia:

Any other one's?

Ivan

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Well probably the most famous nick name ever given to an aircraft is:

Huey

A lot of people think that is actually the real name of the UH-1, but it was actually called the HU-1A Iroquois (The Army names its aircraft after Indian Tribes). The Army changed its designation system from HU (Helicopter Utility) to UH (Utility Helicopter) and everyone started calling them Huey's. It became so popular that Bell even had the words Huey put on the pedals.

 

[ivanotter]

...I was one of them. I did know about the tribes but I thought that was after this one. I really thought the official name was Huey.

 

[evangilder]

Not aircraft, but Jeep came from GP, or general purpose. Although some dispute the origin, it is normal for acronyms to become phrases. Another example of that is the Phalanx CIWS system is referred to as "SeaWhiz" (CIWS) by those that operate and maintain them.

 

[T Bolt]

The "Jug" or "Juggernaut"
P-47 Thunderbolt

 

[Njaco]

Do 17 - the "Flying Pencil"

 

[T Bolt]

BUFF (Big Ugly Fat F**ker)
B-52 Stratofortress

 

[T Bolt]

"Warthog" or "Hog"
A-10 Thunderbolt II

 

[imalko]

Every Soviet/Russian military aircraft from Cold War to this day have nickname given by NATO - MiG-21 Fishbed, MiG-29 Fulcrum...
As for WW2, aircraft of Lavochkin La-5/La-7 series were nicknamed Lavochka by their pilots.

 

[ivanotter]

B-52 I can understand
Flying pencil I can understasnd

Where did the Jug come from?

And the Warthog?

I know the Il-2, named by the Germans as: Cement Flieger - which is somewhat like concrete plane.

 

[Thorlifter]

Jug came from the body of the P-47 looking like an old time milk jug.

Warthog is an affectionate name for an ugly a$$ plane.

These names were more American media inspired than actual names from the enemy but,

F4U - Whistling Death - sound made from air going through the oil coolers.
P-38 - Fork Tailed Devil

 

[mikewint]

p-38 in German: Der Gabelschwanz Teufel. Don't know the Japanese but it translated as Two planes - One pilot.

 

[Ruud]

F-111 Aardvark
F-16 Viper (or Lawn Dart if you're not a fan)
F-104 Missile with a man in it
F-4 Rhino
Jaguar and S-3 Hoover
A-7 SLUF (Slow Little Ugly Fellow)

 

[Airframes]

The P47 nickname of 'Jug' was an abbreviation of 'Juggernaut', a huge machine, and derived from it's very large size and mass, compared to aircraft of the day.
'Fat Albert' = C130 Hercules.
'Whistling Wheelbarrow' = A.W. Argosy.
'Bend Over' = H.S. Andover (due to it's ability to 'sit down' at the rear, for loading.)
'Paraffin Budgie' or 'Paraffin Pigeon' = any gas-turbine helicopter.

 

[pbfoot]

CF100 was the Clunk and F89 was the Lead Sled and always thought the 104 was the Lawn Dart

 

[T Bolt]

"Flying Banana"
H-21 Shawnee

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

CH-47 Chinook - Shithook

 

[GrauGeist]

CF100 was the Clunk and F89 was the Lead Sled and always thought the 104 was the Lawn Dart

I always heard the '104 as the "Zipper", I think they used to call the B-1b the "Lawndart"

The F-117 is the "Wobbly Goblin" and one of my favs is the C-2 as the "Whistling Sh!tcan"

By the way, don't they call the C-17 "Buddah"?

 

[Ruud]

i think anything that comes down in an unplanned fashion often enough = lawn dart

 

[Matt308]

I think they used to call the B-1b the "Lawndart"

Nope. F-16