Japan 大日本帝國海軍航空隊 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun Koukuu-tai Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Aircraft Code Names & Designations 1931 - 1945: The War Years

1931 - 1945: The War Years

In the 1930s, IJN aircraft designations were revised further and consisted of the following data:

• Manufacturer: Common name of aircraft manufacturer or designer.
• Experimental designation: Starting in 1931, experimental aircraft were given a Shisaku Seizo (trial manufacture) designation, consisting of the Showa-era calendar year and Shi; for example, Experimental 10-Shi Carrier Attack Bomber (Showa 10, 1935). If the aircraft was accepted for service, it was given an offical designation (see below).
• Project Designation: Starting in the 1930s, aircraft were given a short title (Ki Go, symbols; and Ryaku Go, codes; or "project designation"); this was similar to the US Navy aircraft designation scheme, and consisted of four or five designators:
  1. Aircraft role
  2. Numerical sequence in role
  3. Manufacturer or designer
  4. Numerical modification of basic design
  5. If a particular aircraft was further modified to perform a different role than the original, a dash followed by a role suffix was added.
  Example: A6M2-N
  1. A = Carrier-borne fighter
  2. 6 = Sixth carrier fighter procured
  3. M = Mitsubishi
  4. 2 = Second variant of basic A6M design
  5. -N = Floatplane fighter modification of A6M design
• Official Designation: Aircraft which entered service were given an official designation (Seishiki Meisho, official or accepted designation). This consisted of a Type number made up of (usually) the last two digits of the Japanese calendar year in which the aircraft was accepted. Aircraft accepted after the Japanese year 2,599 (1939) were designated using only the last (single) digit of the year (i.e., Type 0 for 2,600 [1940], Type 1 for 2,601 [1941]). This type designation was then followed by a description of the plane's role. If several different aircraft with the same role were accepted in the same year, the Type number was suffixed with an additional number, depending on order of acceptance (i.e., Type 97-1 Fighter, Type 97-2 Fighter, etc.). If one of these aircraft was further modifed, it was given an additional model number (i.e., Type 97-2-2 Fighter). However, starting in 1942-43, this was replaced with a two-digit Model number; for example, the Type 0 Carrier Fighter Model 32 (three-two; third airframe change from original aircraft and second engine change from original aircraft). Additional minor modifications were signified with one of the following suffixes: Ko, Otsu, Hei, Tei, Bo, Ki, Ko, Shin, Jin, Ki (from the 10 Stems of the Japanese zodiac, or as a, b, c, d, e, f, etc. Examples include A6M3 Type 0 Carrier Fighter Model 32a and A6M5c Type 0 Carrier Fighter Model 52 Hei. This was again further modified in 1943, the Type number being dropped and only the popular name (see below) and Model number being used.
• Popular Name: Some aircraft were assigned popular names, which made it easier to refer to them in public without indicating their designation(s), as this could give away how many and what type(s) of aircraft had been built. The popular name was never associated with any of the designations during the war; most factory workers, aircrew, etc., did not know the designations of their aircraft, other than perhaps the "Type" number. Names were chosen according to the following categories:
  • Special attack: Blossoms
  • Bombers: Mountains
  • Night fighters: Light
  • Fighters: Winds
• Allied Code Name: Code name assigned by the Allied forces (specifically, the Materiel Section of the Directorate of Intelligence, Allied Air Forces, Southwest Pacific Area) to make it easier for pilots to identify Japanese aircraft (as many times the Japanese designations were not known). Generally, fighters and floatplanes were assigned male names; bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, flying boats and other miscellaneous aircraft were assigned female names, with transport aircraft having names starting with "T;" trainers were given names of trees and gliders were named after birds.

Aircraft

Designation Role A 艦上戦闘機 Kanjyo Sento-ki - Carrier Fighter Aircraft B 艦上攻撃機 Kanjyo Kougeki-ki - Carrier Attack Aircraft C 艦上偵察機 Kanjyo Teisatsu-ki - Carrier Reconnaissance Aircraft D 艦 上爆撃機 Kanjyo Bakugeki-ki - Carrier Bomber E 水上偵察機 Suijyo Teisatsu-ki - Shipboard Reconnaissance Seaplane F 水上観測機 Suijyo Kansoku-ki - Shipboard Observation Seaplane G 陸上攻撃機 Rikujo Kougeki-ki - Land-based Bomber H 飛行艇 Hiko-tei - Flying Boat I not used J 陸上戦闘機 Rikujyo Sento-ki - Land-based Fighter K 練習機 Renshuu-ki - Trainer L 輸送機 Yuso-ki - Transport M 特殊機 Tokushu-ki - Special Aircraft MX 特殊機 実験 Tokushu-ki (Jikken) - Special Aircraft (Experimental) N 水上戦闘機 Suijyo Sento-ki - Fighter Floatplane O not used P 陸上爆撃機 Rikujyo Bakugeki-ki - Land-based Bomber Q 哨戒機 Shokaiki - Patrol Plane R 陸上偵察機 Rikujyo Teisatsu-ki - Land-based Reconnaissance Plane S 夜間戦闘機 Yakan Sento-ki - Night Fighter T not used U not used V not used W not used X Experimental or Imported for Research (used with another designation) Y not used Z not used -- Undesignated Aircraft Designation Role

IJN piston engines designations are somewhat similar to aircraft designations.

• Manufacturer: Common name of aircraft manufacturer or designer, same code as aircraft (M = Mitsubishi, N = Nakajima, etc.).
• Experimental Designation: Similar to the aircraft project designations, this consisted of:
  1. Manufacturer or designer
  2. Engine type; D for diesel, E for liquid-cooled inline or K for air-cooled radial.
  3. Design Number: Numerical sequence, appears to be unique for each manufacturer.
  4. Revision Code: Alphanumeric sequence for subsequent revisions, i.e., A,B,C.
  Example: NK9A
  1. N = Nakajima
  2. K = Air-cooled radial
  3. 9 = ninth air-cooled radial engine designed or built by Nakajima.
  4. A = First revision
• Service Designation: Production engnes were given a popular name, seeming to fall into categories of either planets/stars (Mars, Golden Star, etc.) or ideals (Honor, Prosperity, etc.), with a few exceptions; followed by a numerical series revision code (i.e., 00, 10, 20, etc.).
  Example: Kinsei 62: second revision of Kinsei 60 series engine.

Piston Engines

Designation Role D Diesel E Liquid-cooled Inline K Air-cooled Radial

Aircraft and Engine Manufacturer Codes

Designation Manufacturer or Designer A Aichi, North American B Boeing Bü Bücker C Caudron, Consolidated, Curtiss-Wright D Showa, Dewoitine, Douglas E -- F Fairchild Fw Focke-Wulf G Hitachi, Canadian Car & Foundry H Hirosho, Hawker He Heinkel I -- J Nihon Kogato Hikoki, Junkers K Kawanishi, Kinner L Lockheed M Mitsubishi, Airspeed N Nakajima O -- P Nihon Hikoki, Potez Q -- R -- S Sasebo T -- U -- V Seversky, Vought W Watanabe, Kyushu X -- Y Yokosho, Kusho, Kugisho ("Yokosuka") Z Mizuno Designation Manufacturer or Designer

Other Designations

ネ Ne 燃焼 Nensho (turbojet) -- 機銃 Kijuu (machine gun) ハ Ha エンジン Hatsudoki (engine) - Joint IJA/IJN

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