Naming of WW2 Japanese aircraft

[CJGibson]

Pondered putting this in Designation systems, but thought the Bar less likely to annoy.

OK, you did so well with the three-blade props discussion, here's something else that has bugged me for a while.

The RAF had a sort of system / rules on naming types, but was there any official system to naming Japanese aircraft in WW2? I don't mean the Allied reporting names but the Japanese names such as Shiden and Hayabusa. Also, was there ever a Japanese type called Habu or Mamushi, which if I was naming Japanese aircraft, I'd have used pretty soon. Maybe I've been watching too much Deadly 60.

Chris

 

[robunos]

From Putnam's 'Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War', p. 54


"For a long time, the IJN discouraged the use of popular names...
However, i 1943 the Navy reversed their...aversion to popular names,
and assigned names to their aircraft instead of type numbers. These
names were chosen according to the following code :-"


Fighters:- Named after meteorological phenomena


Carrier and Seaplane Fighters:- Names ending in 'pu' or 'fu' (wind)


Interceptor Fighters:- Names ending in 'den' (lightning)


Night Fighters:- Names ending in 'ko' (light)


Attack Aircraft:- Named after mountains


Reconnaissance Aircraft:- Named after clouds


Bombers:- Named after stars (sei) or constellations (zan)


Patrol Aircraft:- Named after seas and oceans


Transports:- Named after skies


Trainers:- Named after trees. plants, and flowers


Miscellaneous Aircraft:- Named after landscape effects


Examples are Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden (Thunderbolt), Aichi M6A1 Seiran (Mountain Haze),
Nakajima G5N Shinzan (Mountain Recess), Kawanishi N1K Kyofu (Mighty Wind),
and Kawanishi N1K1-J Shiden (Violet Lightning).


Also, from the same source, p.50:- "Soon after the start of hostilities in the Pacific,
it became clear to the Japanese High Command that the use of Kitai and Type Numbers
in battle communiques had two shortcomings; they gave away toomuch information to
the enemy, and were too complex for the general population to underrstand.
Therefore, popular names were given to the principal IJA combat aircraft.
Unlike the IJN, which used a set system for naming their aircraft, (see above),
The army chose their names somewhat haphazardly..."
For example, Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (Swallow), Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon), Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Gale),
Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu (Dragon Killer), and Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (Storm Dragon).




cheers,
Robin.

 

[CJGibson]

Thanks, that explains a lot. Always wondered about the quite stylised names, but I suppose a "mountain recess" is a literal translation of the Japanese for corrie and a "mighty wind" could be a typhoon. Now you've explained the system the names make sense.

Thanks

Chris

 

[Stargazer]

How very strange... Been working on Japanese pre-1945 designation systems for the past few hours, and this post just comes at the perfect time!! Thanks a lot for clarifying this.