Which aircraft manufacturer had the best naming scheme?

[gjs238]

For example: Grumman and their cats.

 

[buffnut453]

No-brainer...Hawker. Hurricane, Tempest, Typhoon.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Isn't Grumman really the only one with a "theme" like "cats" or something?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

No-brainer...Hawker. Hurricane, Tempest, Typhoon.

What does the name Tempest have to do with Hurricane or Typhoon?

 

[wuzak]

What does the name Tempest have to do with Hurricane or Typhoon?

All storms.

But I would ask was it Hawker to name the aircraft? Or was it the Air Ministry?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

All storms.

But I would ask was it Hawker to name the aircraft? Or was it the Air Ministry?

I was not aware that it was a storm.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I've enjoyed all British aircraft names!

 

[pbehn]

I was not aware that it was a storm.

Not in common use today but a famous Shakespeare play "The tempest"

More common to hear about a "tempestuous relationship" a stormy relationship in celebrity land.

 

[pbehn]

I've enjoyed all British aircraft names!

I would agree, then I remembered that the wildcat was called a Martlet.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I would agree, then I remembered that the wildcat was called a Martlet.

Albacore, Firefly, Vildebeest, Skua, Vixen, Nanok....

 

[Shortround6]

Lockheed???

Although the Fairey Flycatcher takes a lot to beat all by itself

 

[pbehn]

All storms.

But I would ask was it Hawker to name the aircraft? Or was it the Air Ministry?

Aircraft were named by the client bombers were named after cities, WW2 fighters were named by alliteration at the start Gloster gladiator, Hawker hurricane, the Spitfire could have been the shrew bit it's name would have started with an "S"

 

[pbehn]

Albacore, Firefly, Vildebeest, Skua, Vixen, Nanok....

True but to change wildcat to Martlet?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

"Vickers Victim"

 

[FLYBOYJ]

True but to change wildcat to Martlet?

"a bird like a swallow without feet, borne (typically with the wings closed) as a charge or a mark of cadency for a fourth son."

 

[Shortround6]

"Percival Prang"

 

[GrauGeist]

What does the name Tempest have to do with Hurricane or Typhoon?

The British like that particular Pontiac model so much, they stole the name!

In all seriousness, though, several aircraft manufacturers had named "themes", and while Grumman did use Felines for their fighters, they also used waterbird names for their amphibious aircraft:
Duck
Widgeon
Mallard
Albatross
Goose

Curtiss also tended to use bird names for their aircraft:
Lark
Shrike
Condor
Goshawk
Pidgeon
Eagle
Hawk
Seahawk
Sparrowhawk
Falcon
Fledgeling
Kingbird
Raven
Owl
Oriole
Swift
Robin
Seagull
Tanager
Teal
Thrush

Of course, the Germans had bird names for their types, too, like:
Wurger
Spatz
Swalbe
Kolibre
Uhu

 

[pbehn]

I worked in the oil industry,all oil fields start off with a naming system, they never conceived how many fields they would have or the possibility that other people in the world would not be able to pronounce them. One scottish project called Skene meant that the Germans and Scots I worked with didn't even recognise the name,they pronounced it so differently.

 

[gjs238]

Fairey Aviation had fish - Swordfish, Barracuda, Spearfish.
And sea birds - Gannet, Fulmar.

 

[pbehn]

The British like that particular Pontiac model so much, they stole the name!

In all seriousness, though, several aircraft manufacturers had named "themes", and while Grumman did use Felines for their fighters, they also used waterbird names for their amphibious aircraft:
Duck
Widgeon
Mallard
Albatross
Goose

Curtiss also tended to use bird names for their aircraft:
Lark
Shrike
Condor
Goshawk
Pidgeon
Eagle
Hawk
Seahawk
Sparrowhawk
Falcon
Fledgeling
Kingbird
Raven
Owl
Oriole
Swift
Robin
Seagull
Tanager
Teal
Thrush

Of course, the Germans had bird names for their types, too, like:
Wurger
Spatz
Swalbe
Kolibre
Uhu

Yup you end up with some pretty cr@ppy names