Allied Code Names for Japanese World War II Aircraft
The naming conventions for Japanese aircraft during W.W.II by the USAAF and
USN were not very strict, but in general male names were used for fighter
and reconnaissance seaplanes, female names were used for all sorts of bombers
and other seaplanes and reconnaissance aircraft, female names starting with
'T' were assigned to transport aircraft, tree names to trainers and bird names
to glider. At the beginning of the war, due to confusion and lack of information,
many code names were assigned to non- existent or not used aircraft, especially
German designs.
The code name system for Japanese aircraft originated in the Southwest Pacific theatre in the second half of 1942. Before Pearl Harbor, very little was known about Japanese military aircraft of any type, and it was widely assumed that most Japanese military aircraft were second-rate copies of obsolescent Western designs. It goes without saying that the first six months of the Pacific War showed just how wrong that view was!
The Allies were thus faced with a desperate need for accurate, up-to-date intelligence on the Japanese aircraft which were at that time riding roughshod over the entire Pacific theatre of operations. In June, 1942 Captain Frank T. McCoy of Nashville, Tennessee became head of the Material Section of the Directorate of Intelligence of the allied air forces in the entire Southwest Pacific area. His team was assigned the task of identifying and classifying Japanese aircraft.
Since Captain McCoy was from Tennessee, he initially assigned hillbilly names such as ZEKE, RUFE, NATE, and JAKE to Japanese aircraft --- chosen so that they were short, simple, unusual, and easy to remember. 75 code names were assigned the first month. By September 1942, these names were in wide use throughout the entire Southwest Pacific. Shortly thereafter, they went into use throughout the entire Pacific.
These odd-sounding code names soon attracted attention from high-ranking military brass. Captain McCoy assigned to what later turned out to be a modified Zero the code name HAP, the nickname of General Henry H. ("Hap") Arnold, USAAF Chief of Staff. The General was not amused, and had Capt McCoy summoned before General MacArthur's chief of operations to explain what he was up to. Captain McCoy seems to have gotten himself out of this particular jam, but the name HAP was quietly changed to HAMP.
In the summer of 1944, a joint Army-Navy Air Technical Center in Washington took over responsibility for assigning the names.
The code names were alloted according to the following system:
- Male first names:
- Fighters and reconnaissance seaplanes
- Female first names:
- bombers, attack bombers, dive bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, flying boats, transports (names beginning with letter T).
- Tree names:
- Trainers
- Bird names:
- Gliders
Allied code names for Japanese aircraft
- ABDUL
- Nakajima Ki-27
Army single-seat fighter serving in CBI theatre. Duplicate of NATE in Southwest Pacific. After 1943, code name NATE was used exclusively. - ADAM
- "Nakajima
STK-97"
Nonexistent fighter seaplane - ALF
- Kawanishi E7K
Navy single-engined reconnaissance biplane seaplane. - ANN
- Mitsubishi Ki-30
Army single-engined light bomber. - BABS
- Mitsubishi Ki-15/C5M
Army/Navy single-engined reconnaissance aircraft. - BAKA
- Yokosuka MXY7
Ohka
Navy rocket-powered suicide Ohka (Cherry Blossom) attacker. - BELLE
- Kawanishi H3K1
Navy biplane flying boat - BEN
- "Nagoya-Sento
KI-001"
Did not exist. - BEN
- Mitsubishi A6M
Reisen
Name briefly assigned to Zero in CBI theatre. - BESS
- Heinkel He 111
Erroneously believed to being built under license in Japan. - BETTY
- Mitsubishi G4M
Navy twin-engined land-based attack bomber. - BOB
- Aichi Type 97
Navy recon seaplane - did not exist. - BOB
- Kawasaki Ki-28
Erroneously believed to be in production as fighter. - BUZZARD
- Kokusai Ku-7
Manazuru (Crane)
Army transport glider. - CEDAR
- Tachikawa Ki-17
Army single-engined two-seat biplane primary trainer. - CHERRY
- Yokosuka H5Y
Navy flying boat. - CLARA
- Tachikawa Ki-70
Army command reconnaissance aircraft. - CLAUDE
- Mitsubishi A5M
Navy carrier-based single-seat fighter. - CYPRESS
- Kyushu K9W
Navy primary trainer. - DAVE
- Nakajima E8N
Navy two-seat reconnaissance seaplane biplane. - DICK
- Seversky A8V1
Seversky 2PA-B3 purchased from USA and operated as two-seat Navy land-based fighters. - DINAH
- Mitsubishi Ki-46
Army twin-engined reconnaissance and interceptor aircraft. - DOC
- Messerschmitt
Bf 110
German twin-engined fighter erroneously believed to be in service in Japan. - DORIS
- Mitsubishi B-97
Medium bomber --- did not exist. - DOT
- Yokosuka D4Y
Carrier-based dive bomber --- duplicate of JUDY. - EDNA
- Mansyu Ki-71
Army experimental single-engined two-seat tactical reconnaissance aircraft. Development of Mitsubishi Ki-51. - EMILY
- Kawanishi H8K
Navy four-engined long-range reconnaissance flying boat - EVA (EVE)
- Mitsubishi Ohtori
Erroneously believed to be a bomber. - FRANCES
- Yokosuka P1Y
Ginga (Milky Way)
Navy land-based twin-engined light bomber / night fighter. - FRANK
- "Mitsubishi
TK-4"
Fictional twin-engined fighter. Name later applied to Nakajima Ki-84. - FRANK
- Nakajima Ki-84
Hayate (Gale)
Single-seat Army fighter. - FRED
- Focke-Wulf FW
190A-5
Erroneously believed to be in service in Japan. - GANDER
- Kokusai Ku-8
Army transport glider. Formerly named GOOSE. - GEORGE
- Kawanishi N1K
Shiden (Violet Lightning)
Navy single-seat land-based interceptor-fighter. - GLEN
- Yokosuka E14Y
Navy single-engined reconnaissance seaplane - GOOSE
- Kokusai Ku-8
Army transport glider. Named changed to GANDER. - GRACE
- Aichi B7A Ryusei
(Shooting Star)
Navy single-engined carrier-based attack bomber. - GUS
- "Nakajima
AT-27"
Fictional twin-engined fighter. - GWEN
- Mitsubishi Ki-21-IIb
Army heavy bomber - name later changed to SALLY III. - HAMP
- Mitsubishi A6M3
Navy carrier-based fighter. First named HAP, then HAMP, then finally ZERO 32. - HANK
- Aichi E10A
Navy reconnaissance seaplane. - HELEN
- Nakajima Ki-49
Donryu (Storm Dragon)
Army twin-engined heavy bomber. - HICKORY
- Tachikawa Ki-54
Army twin-engined advanced crew trainer and light transport. - IDA
- Tachikawa Ki-55
and Ki-36
Army single engined two-seat monoplane trainer and army cooperation aircraft. - IONE
- "Aichi
AI-104"
Nonexistent reconnaissance seaplane. - IRENE
- Junkers Ju 87A
German single-engine dive bomber erroneously believed to be in service with Japanese army. - IRVING
- Nakajima J1N
Gekko (Moonlight)
Navy twin-engined land-based night fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. - JACK
- Mitsubishi J2M
Raiden (Thunderbolt)
Navy single-seat land-based interceptor. - JAKE
- Aichi E13A
Navy single-engined reconnaissance seaplane. - JANE
- Mitsubishi Ki-21
Army heavy bomber - Name later changed to SALLY. - JANICE
- Junkers Ju 88A-5
German light bomber erroneously believed to be in service in Japan. - JEAN
- Yokosuka B4Y Navy carrier-based single-engined attack bomber biplane.
- JERRY
- Heinkel A7He1
Heinkel He 112B-0 in service in Japan as Navy land-based fighter. - JILL
- Nakajima B6N
Tenzan (Heavenly Mountain)
Navy single-engined carrier-based attack bomber. - JIM
- Nakajima Ki-43
Hayabusa
Army single-seat fighter - name later changed to OSCAR. - JOE
- "TK-19"
Fictional single-seat fighter. - JOYCE
- Misidentified HICKORY. Believed to be a light bomber version of Tachikawa Ki-54.
- JUDY
- Yokosuka D4Y
Suisei (Comet)
Navy carrier-based single-engined dive bomber. - JULIA
- Misidentified LILY. Believed to be a heavy bomber.
- JUNE
- Misidentified JAKE. Believed to be a floatplane version of VAL.
- KATE
- Nakajima B5N
Navy single-engined carrier-based attack bomber - LAURA
- Aichi E11A
Navy reconnaissance seaplane. - LILY
- Kawasaki Ki-48
Army twin-engined light bomber. - LIZ
- Nakajima G5N
Shinzan (Mountain Recess)
Navy four-engined attack bomber operated as freight transport. - LORNA
- Kyushu Q1W Tokai
(Eastern Sea)
Navy twin-engined land-based patrol aircraft. - LOUISE
- Mitsubishi Ki-2
Army twin-engined light bomber. - LUKE
- Mitsubishi J4M
Senden
Navy interceptor. - MABEL
- Mitsubishi B5M
Carrier-based attack bomber. Name later changed to KATE 61. - MARY
- Kawasaki Ki-32
Army single-engined, two-seat light bomber. - MAVIS
- Kawanishi H6K
Navy four-engined maritime reconnaissance flying boat. - MIKE
- Messerschmitt
Bf 109E
German fighter erroneously believed to be in service in Japan. - MILLIE
- Vultee V-11GB
Erroneously believed to be in production by Showa in Japan. - MYRT
- Nakajima C6N
Saiun (Painted Cloud)
Navy single-engined carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft. - NATE
- Nakajima Ki-27
Army single-seat fighter. Name initially used only in Southwest Pacific theatre, whereas the same plane was called ABDUL in CBI theatre. From 1943 onward used name NATE exclusively. - NELL
- Mitsubishi G3M
Navy land-based twin-engined attack bomber. - NICK
- Kawasaki Ki-45
Toryu (Dragon Killer)
Army two-seat, twin-engined fighter. - NORM
- Kawanishi E15K
Shiun (Violet Cloud)
Navy single-engined high-speed reconnaissance seaplane. - NORMA
- Misidentified BABS. Believed to be a light bomber.
- OAK
- Kyushu K10W
Navy intermediate trainer. License-built North American NA-16. - OMAR
- "Suzukaze 20". Fictional twin-engined fighter.
- OSCAR
- Nakajima Ki-43
Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon)
Army single-seat fighter - known for a time in CBI theatre as JIM. - PAT
- Tachikawa Ki-74
Erroneously believed to be a long-range fighter. Name changed to PATSY when true role of bomber became known. - PATSY
- Tachikawa Ki-74
Army experimental long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance bomber. - PAUL
- Aichi E16A Zuiun
(Auspicious Cloud)
Navy single-engined reconnaissance seaplane. - PEGGY
- Mitsubishi Ki-67
Hiryu (Flying Dragon)
Army twin-engined heavy bomber - PERRY
- Kawasaki Ki-10
Army single-seat biplane fighter. Relegated to training roles by beginning of Pacific War. - PETE
- Mitsubishi F1M
Navy single-engined observation biplane seaplane. - PINE
- Mitsubishi K3M
Navy single-engined crew trainer. - RANDY
- Kawasaki Ki-102b
Army twin-engined assault plane. - RAY
- Mitsubishi A6M
Reisen (Zero Fighter)
Name briefly assigned to Zero in CBI theatre. - REX
- Kawanishi N1K
Kyofu (Mighty Wind)
Navy single-engined seaplane fighter. - RITA
- Nakajima G8N
Renzan (Mountain Range)
Navy land-based four-engined attack bomber. - ROB
- Kawasaki Ki-64
Experimental Army single-seat fighter. - RUFE
- Nakajima A6M2-N
Seaplane fighter version of Mitsubishi A6M2 Reisen. - RUTH
- Fiat BR-20
Italian-built heavy bomber in Japanese service. - SALLY
- Mitsubishi Ki-21
Army twin-engined heavy bomber. Formerly named JANE. - SAM
- Mitsubishi A7M
Reppu (Hurricane)
Navy single-seat carrier-based fighter. - SANDY
- Mitsubishi A5M
Navy carrier-based fighter. Name given to a non-existent inverted-gull wing version of CLAUDE. - SLIM
- Watanabe E9W
Navy Reconnaissance Seaplane. - SONIA
- Mitsubishi Ki-51
Army two-seat, single-engined assault aircraft. - SPRUCE
- Tachikawa Ki-9
Army medium-grade two-seat single-engined biplane trainer. - STELLA
- Kokusai Ki-76
Army single-engined command liaison aircraft. Generally similar to Fieseler Fi 156 Storch but not a copy. - STEVE
- Mitsubishi Ki-72
Army experimental twin-engined fighter. - SUSIE
- Aichi D1A
Navy single-engined carrier-based biplane dive bomber. - TABBY
- Showa/Nakajima
L2D
Navy land-based twin-engined transport. License-built version of Douglas DC-3. - TESS
- Douglas DC-2
License-built DC-2s, erroneously believed to be in widespread use by Japanese Navy. - THALIA
- Kawasaki Ki-56
Army twin-engined transport. Japanese-built adaptation of Lockheed Model 14-WG3. - THELMA
- Tachikawa/Kawasaki
Type LO
Twin-engined Army transport. License built version of Lockheed Model 14. - THERESA
- Kokusai Ki-59
Army twin-engined light personnel transport. - THORA
- Nakajima Ki-34/L1N
Army/Navy twin-engined transport. - TINA
- Mitsubishi Ki-33
Army transport - misidentified Yokosuka L3Y transport version of G3M attack bomber. - TILLIE
- Yokosuka H7Y
Navy experimental flying boat. - TOBY
- Lockheed 14
Commercial Lockheed 14s used by Japan during Pacific War. - TOJO
- Nakajima Ki-44
Shoki (Devil-Queller)
Army single-seat fighter. - TONY
- Kawasaki Ki-61
Hien (Swallow)
Army single-seat fighter. - TOPSY
- Mitsubishi Ki-57/L4M
Army/Navy twin-engine transport. - TRIXIE
- Junkers Ju 52/3m
German trimotor transport, erroneously believed to be in service in Japan. - TRUDY
- Focke-Wulf Fw
200
German four-engined maritime reconnaissance aircraft, erroneously believed to be in service in Japan. - VAL
- Aichi D3A
Navy single-engined two-seat carrier-based dive bomber. - WILLOW
- Yokosuka K5Y
Navy intermediate trainer biplane. - ZEKE
- Mitsubishi A6M
Reisen (Zero Fighter)
Navy single-engined carrier-based fighter.