Joint Strike Fighter

[Willdathrill]

have you guys seen some of the names for the new Joint Strike Fighter? these are off the top of my head that were seen in Air Force Times (no link)

black mamba

cyclone

spitfire II

lightning II (P-38 Lightning)

some other bird

i like cyclone the best. the spitfire is an awesome plane, but we didn't have it really. we had some volunteers fly it before the war, and i can see how this will be a coalition plane, but this is ridiculous.

[flyingmaniac]

I like Black Mamba, mainly because of Kill Bill the movie...

[Propilot]

ok that is freaky. I literally just closed out the DVD player on my computer after watching all the Kill Bill movies back to back. Then I see your post.


weird.

[BCTAv8r]

Why name it? Just leave it as the Joint Strike Fighter. Sounds cool like that.

[flyingmaniac]

Originally Posted by Propilot

ok that is freaky. I literally just closed out the DVD player on my computer after watching all the Kill Bill movies back to back. Then I see your post.


weird.

Those are some classic movies that you'll never see often at all.

[MikeOH58]

I say bring back the paranormial names....Phantom...Spook...Specter...Banshee...Thi s one should be called the apparition!...

Hell, I even like the gargoyle, barbarian or the beast!

[fish314]

I'm just curious what the "unofficial nickname" is going to be. For those of you not in the USAF, here are a couple:

F-15E "Strike Eagle"= the "mudhen"

F-117 "Nighthawk" = the "stinkbug" (from it's resemblance to a cockroach)

F-16 "Fighting Falcon" = the "Viper" (if you're talking to a 16 driver) or the "lawn dart" if you're talking to anyone else. (Just look at the accident statistics)

B-1B "Lancer" = the "bone" (that one comes from b1, b ONE, bone, get it?)

A-10 "Warthog" = the "hog". That damn thing is so ugly, the official nickname is as unflattering as the unofficial one.

T-37 "Tweet" = the "tweet", the 6000lbs dog-whistle. (from the horrible high pitch whine the engines make)

[frog_flyer]

Originally Posted by fish314

I'm just curious what the "unofficial nickname" is going to be. For those of you not in the USAF, here are a couple:

F-15E "Strike Eagle"= the "mudhen"

F-117 "Nighthawk" = the "stinkbug" (from it's resemblance to a cockroach)

F-16 "Fighting Falcon" = the "Viper" (if you're talking to a 16 driver) or the "lawn dart" if you're talking to anyone else. (Just look at the accident statistics)

B-1B "Lancer" = the "bone" (that one comes from b1, b ONE, bone, get it?)

A-10 "Warthog" = the "hog". That damn thing is so ugly, the official nickname is as unflattering as the unofficial one.

T-37 "Tweet" = the "tweet", the 6000lbs dog-whistle. (from the horrible high pitch whine the engines make)

lol i had a retired b1 pilot say you can always tell who the old skool guys are by who calls it the bone!

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by fish314

A-10 "Warthog" = the "hog". That damn thing is so ugly, the official nickname is as unflattering as the unofficial one.

Actually, the A-10 is officially known as the "Thunderbolt II" although I have never heard anyone ever call it that. Never, ever.

I know the F-111 was always unofficially the Aardvark because of its nose, and the AF finally decided in the 80s to make that the official nickname.

The F-22 was orignally supposed to be called the "Lightning II" as that was what was proposed during the flyoff with the YF-23 (which was called the "Black Widow II" in reference to Northrop's earlier P-61). Lockheed built both the F-22 and the earlier P-38 Lightning.

Interesting that the other JSF competitor, the X-32, had already received an unofficial nickname of "The Whale" from pilots.

I like to see original new nicknames for planes. But hopefully it's not something like the "Freedom" or something like that which appears to be in "in" right now with the politics. ("You wouldn't cancel a plane called 'the Freedom' now, would you Mister Congressman?")

Incidentally, I still believe the JSF should be properly designated the F-24 as it was supposed to be, which is the next number in the line of fighters. Instead of being originally designated the YF-24 and YF-25, the JSFs were designated with experimental designations being the X-32 and X-35. When they announced the winner was the X-35, they announced at the press conference that the production model woule be called the F-35.

Actually, as I think about it, I'd call that thing the Switchblade. All the panels and slots that open and close on that thing, like the weapons bays, the fan jet panels, the rotating nozzle, and the various other parts...

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by flyingmaniac

Those are some classic movies that you'll never see often at all.

Grammar Goon squad alert!

[flyingmaniac]

Originally Posted by SteveC

Grammar Goon squad alert!

I'm no expert, but if our president can say stuff and people understand, then I can too.

[Timmypig]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

I know the F-111 was always unofficially the Aardvark because of its nose, and the AF finally decided in the 80s to make that the official nickname.

And known as the 'Pig' on this side of the Pacific.

There was an amusing thread over at PPRuNe a couple of weeks ago on this topic http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=226765

Some of the more entertaining names included the 'Overbudget', the 'Folly', 'Late', the 'Dave' or the 'Nigel' or the 'Colin', the 'Mullet', the list goes on. It's a pretty funny thread, but somewhat UK-centric.

[Willdathrill]

i am of the persuasion to cancel the F-22 and go with the F-35 full bore in a similar move as the army did w/ the comanche. I saw a test X-35 at the Dulles museum and it is a sight to see as well.

the previous official names were birds of prey; eagle, falcon.

official names of army helicopters are all indian related at the very least: iriquois, blackhawk, apache, commanche

[BCTAv8r]

I love the way the YF-23 looks/looked:



Soooo sexy!

[fish314]

Haven't even gotten into the nicknames for some of the heavies yet:

B-52= the BUFF (Big, Ugly Fat, F***)
C-5 = the FRED (F'king Ridiculous Economic Disaster)
C-17= Barney (Fred's little buddy)

As for the X-32 being the "Whale" with that big gaping mouth inlet it had under the cockpit, I can see where it got that nickname from.

[frog_flyer]

call it a duck


the f35 duck

nickname : "quacker"

problem solved. next

[MikeOH58]

Id be interested to see how the X-32 actually performed in the fly off's...Thats one FUGLY airplane

[SeanD]

Call it "The Wookie" I dont know why, I just like the sound of it.

[Mike Lewis]

BTW, the Pentagon officially named the F-35 the "Lightning II" on July 7th.

[ETAV8R]

Originally Posted by frog_flyer

call it a duck
the f35 duck
nickname : "quacker"
problem solved. next

Love it. Frog, we have already had a "duck" in our inventory. The Grumman J2F, remember it from Black Sheep Squadron? Hell yeah!
WWII USMC Air Wings & AC flown
We don't have VMJ's anymore, Marine Air Utility Squadron. Cool info for the Marines aboard here.

So they have given this the designation "Lightning II".
Hmmm, I don't like it. I do like the JSF but it lacks the romance of the P-38. I wish I had a witty name for the JSF.
I will dwell on it tonight at work.
Carry on.

[CaptainChris87]

how about, for a name "The Widowmaker", very intimidating.....

[ETAV8R]

Used in the past already, several aircraft have been given this title.
B-26 Marauder
Harrier
F-105 Starfighter
These are just a few.
Interesting aircraft nicknames

[LoadMasterC141]

Yeah Widowmaker has always been used in the past to describe planes that killed many pilots due to poor handling capabilites.

[Timmypig]

Originally Posted by eta71

F-105 Starfighter

Sorry, couldn't let it go by ..... F-104 Starfighter; the F-105 was the Thunderchief. Speaking of which, is 'Thunderchief' the warriest name ever?

[PGT]

Originally Posted by Timmypig

Sorry, couldn't let it go by ..... F-104 Starfighter; the F-105 was the Thunderchief. Speaking of which, is 'Thunderchief' the warriest name ever?

F105-thunderchief aka thud...got it from the way it sounds when it crashes into the ground