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Japanese Aircraft Code Names & Designations by Robert C Mikesh
Japanese Aircraft Code Names & Designations by Robert C Mikesh
Soft Cover
181 pages
Copyright 1993
CONTENTS
Foreword5
Preface8
Chapter I What's In a Name?10
Chapter II Code Named Japanese Aircraft Described25
Chapter III Non-Code Named Japanese Aircraft148
Chapter IV From the Basics164
Chapter V Japanese Designations For Military Aircraft 170 Official Designations (Long Titles) Project Designations (Short Titles)
Appendix A: Popular Names of Japanese Naval Aircraft180
Appendix B: Popular Names of Japanese Army Aircraft181
PREFACE
The use of Japanese aircraft code names in lieu of their Official and Project Designations has been a preferred method of describing these airplanes since this system was developed in July 1942. Over the years that have followed, a listing of these code names (or nicknames) and their corresponding Japanese identities has been published in relatively accurate and complete form. No one air intelligence listing contained all these names because over the wartime period, some names were dropped and new ones added. With this passing of time, however, this early source material becomes less available, and the few people that once knew these details are long removed from these matters. New material lost within files has also come to light, adding more insight to the overall story about these names.
It is for this and other reasons that a new consolidation of this material has been put together by this author. In addition, a subject seldom touched upon has to do with recording who some of the name sakes were from which these nicknames evolved. With the assistance of the two people that were the prime assigners of these names, twenty-six of these names have association with real people, many of which are described here for the first time. These personal associations were certainly not to be part of the code name assignments, but some connections were bound to happen.
In the early years following World War II, the code names continued to be used, but it was not until 1966 that a meaningful coverage of the subject was put together in the book Japanese Code Names, World War I Aero Publishers, Inc., authored by Richard M. Bueschel. It was Bueschel that first broke the ice by making known to the English language readers the first meaningful glimpses into the background of Japanese aviation material, an interest now shared by many. That first list also appears as an appendix in Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by Rene J. Francillon, as well as several reprints of Bueschel's material in aviation magazines.
It is with the compiling of this book, that additional intelligence documents have come to be known, expanding this listing with even new names such as Clint, John, Maisie and Joan. The discovery of errors in some name assignments reversed with others could have been printer errors. These have resulted in major changes in descriptions that primarily affect Abdul, Doris, Harry, and Norma.
In addition to this new coverage of Japanese aircraft code names, this book contains as a cross reference to these names, their associated Official and Project Designations. So often a researcher will remember an airplane being a "Type 99," or a "Model J1N something," or just as "Sam," and needs a more positive form of identification. This book has been designed so that it will serve this much needed cross reference source for this information. Great care has been taken in recording as precisely as possible the correct wordage in these nomenclatures used within these very complicated Japanese systems.
An effort like this cannot be that of one person. With regards to the code name system and its background, this coverage could not be complete without the untiring cooperation of the two men that actually developed the system and made the initial name assignments. The officer in charge was Frank T. McCoy, Jr. of Nashville, Tennessee, a Captain then, and retired in 1968 as Major General, USAF (Ret). During his Air Force career, he occupied positions as Chief, Technical Division, ACAS/Intelligence, later as Deputy Asst. Secretary of the Air Force and thereafter at Headquarters Tactical Air Command. McCoy was aided by the "idea man" Francis "Fran" Williams who now resides in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. He made the system work. Williams remained in air Intelligence work throughout the war as well as the Korean War, retiring as a Technical Air Intelligence Warrant Officer in 1973. He was the first, and for several years, the only warrant in the Air Force with that specialty. Over the past several years these two men willingly gave of their time and knowledge to put this work together in the most complete form possible. Both of these officers lost track of Joe Grattan of their initial team of three, sometime after the team was dispersed. As Williams said in one of his most recent letters following endless reviews of this material for completeness and accuracy, "perhaps we can now dot the last "i" and put this subject to bed once and for all!"
Already mentioned is Richard M. Bueschel, who is really the pioneer of the subject of Japanese aircraft of World War II. In addition to numerous air intelligence documents that were reviewed for this new coverage, it was Bueschel' s original publication upon which this new book was based.
My sincere thanks not only go to the above named gentlemen, but to others as well that reviewed selected details for which they were of great help. Shorzoe Abe is always my mentor in Japanese aviation subjects, and has reviewed this work from the Japanese perspective. Dr. James H. Kitchens, III reviewed certain Air Force Documents at the Office of Air Force History that helped confirm critical details. James F. Lansdale, James I. Long and Frank J. Olynyk provided invaluable assistance by reviews, comments and additional information that was greatly appreciated. My dear wife, Ramona, continues to tolerate these endless hours of work, and lends a very helpful hand at seeing that this material is in a presentable form. To all of these people, and others that have been a part of this tedious project, I extend my sincerest thanks.
Robert C. Mikesh Washington, D.C. 1992
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