SAILORSPEAK
A Glossary of Military Terminology, Jargon, and Slang
compiled and edited by
Jeff Crowell
Aircraft Nicknames Appendix
Aircraft Nicknames
|
|---|
alpha-
numeric
desig
|
official
service
name
|
nickname
|
| A-3D |
Skywarrior: |
Whale, All Three Dead (it had no ejection seats!) |
| A-4 |
Skyhawk: |
Scooter, Heinemann's Hotrod (for Ed Heinemann, its designer),
Mongoose |
| A-5 |
Vigilante: |
Vigie, Viggie (both pronounced with short 'i' and soft
'g') |
| A-6 |
Intruder: |
Drumstick, Pregnant Guppy |
| A-7 |
Corsair II: |
SLUF (Short Little Ugly Fucker) |
| A-10 |
Thunderbolt II: |
Warthog, Hog |
| AC-130H/U |
Specter: |
Spooky, Puff The Magic Dragon, Dragon. These 'noms de guerre'
are shared with the AC-130's Vietnam-era predecessor, the
AC-47. |
| AD-1 |
Skyraider: |
Spad, Able Dog (from the phonetic alphabet), Fat Face |
| AH-1G |
Cobra: |
Snake |
| AH-1W |
Cobra: |
Whiskey |
| B-1 |
Excalibur / Lancer: |
Bone (from 'B One') |
| B-2 |
Spirit: |
Black Knight, Boomerang |
| B-52 |
Stratofortress: |
BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fucker), Aluminum Overcast
Buccaneer: Banana Bomber |
| C-5 |
Galaxy: |
Aluminum Overcast, Cumulus Aluminus, Big Mac, Fat Albert,
Linda Lovelace (you can drive vehicles right down its throat as
the nose pivots up and back), Queer (it kneels and blows things
often) |
| C-17 |
Globemaster III: |
Mighty Mouse, Buddha, Moose, Barney |
| C-130 |
Hercules: |
Herky Bird, Fat Albert, Vibrator, Bugsmasher |
| C-141 |
Starlifter: |
Lockheed Lizard (when in camo paint), Star Lizard (same),
Quarter Pounder |
| E-1 |
Tracer: |
Willie Fudd, Stoof With A Roof |
| E-2 |
Hawkeye: |
Hummer |
| E-3 |
Sentry: |
AWACS (Airborne early Warning And Control System), Frisbee
|
| E-6A |
Hermes: |
Gecko (they can lose--have lost!--their tail and keep
flying) |
| EA-3 |
Skywarrior: |
Electric Whale |
| EA-6B |
Prowler: |
Queer (from the 'VAQ' squadron designation) |
| EC-130H |
Hercules: |
Electric Herc |
| EC-130E |
Command Solo: |
Clipper (EW pods made it look somewhat like a seaplane) |
| EF-111 |
Raven: |
Spark Vark |
| ES-3 |
Shadow: |
Electro-Lux (continuing the vacuum cleaner theme) |
| F-2H |
Banshee: |
Banjo |
| F-3D |
Skyknight: |
Drut (now try that backwards) |
| F-4D |
Skyray: |
Ford |
| F-4 |
Phantom II: |
Lead Sled, Double Ugly, Rhino (E/G models with nose pitot
tube), Flying Footlocker, Warped Wing, Bug Basher |
| F-5A,B |
Freedom Fighter: |
Skoshi Tiger, Dinky Toy |
| F-8 |
Crusader: |
MiG Master, Crud, 'Sader |
| F-14 |
Tomcat: |
Turkey, Tomkitty, Cat, Tomgrape, Bombcat (when capable of air
to ground), Peeping Tom (when fitted with TARPS reconnaissance
pod) |
| F-15 |
Eagle: |
Beagle (E variant, contraction of 'Bomb Eagle'), Mudhen (dark
gray 'E variant), Albino (light gray 'C variant), Rodan, Flying
Tennis Court, Starship, Ego Jet |
| F-16 |
Fighting Falcon: |
Lawn Dart, Icepick, Viper, Electric Jet |
| F/A-18 |
Hornet: |
Plastic Bug, Bug |
| F-100 |
Hun: |
Clunk (because of the sounds it would make while sitting in
the hangar with no one near it), Super Sled |
| F-101 |
Voodoo: |
One-Oh-Wonder |
| F-102 |
Delta Dagger: |
Deuce |
| F-104 |
Starfighter: |
Zipper, Missile With A Man, Sled, Widowmaker |
| F-105 |
Thunderchief: |
Thud, Nickel, Lead Sled |
| F-106 |
Delta Dart: |
Six |
| F-111 |
Aardvark: |
Vark, Switchblade Edsel, Ramp Vac, McNamara's Folly |
| F-117 |
Nighthawk: |
Cockroach (they run away when the lights come on), Roach,
Stinkbug, Black Jet, Goblin, Ghost, Batplane |
| H-53 |
Sea Stallion: |
Pisser (due to the hydraulic leaks), Jolly |
| HC-4 |
Sea King: |
Junglie |
| KC-10 |
Extender: |
Snoopy |
| KC-135 |
Stratotanker: |
Strato-Bladder, Steam Jet, Fanbird (R version, which was
equipped with turbofan engines) |
| LOH-58 |
Kiowa: |
Loach (from the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH)
designation) |
| MH-6 |
Cayuse: |
Little Bird |
| S-2F |
Tracker: |
Stoof |
| S-3 |
Viking: |
Hoover, War Hoover |
| SH-3 |
Sea king: |
Sea Pig |
| SR-71 |
Blackbird: |
Habu, Sled |
| T-2 |
Buckeye: |
Guppy |
| T/A-37 |
Dragonfly: |
Dog Whistle, Converter (converts fuel to noise), Tweety Bird,
Tweet, Killer Tweet, Howler, Screamer |
| T-38 |
Talon: |
White Rocket, Smurf (blue-camo AT-38s) |
| UH-1 |
Iroquois: |
Huey |
| US-2B |
: |
Used to be stoof |
| UH-60 |
Blackhawk: |
Crashhawk |
| WF-1 |
Tracer: |
Willy Fudd, Stoof with a roof |
|