List of military aircraft of the United States

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This list of military aircraft of the United States includes prototype, pre-production and operational types. For aircraft currently in service, see the List of active United States military aircraft. Prototypes are normally prefixed with "X" and often unnamed (note that these are not the same as the experimental X-planes, which are not generally expected to go into production), while pre-production models are usually prefixed "Y".

The United States Air Force currently employs a designation and naming system to identify all aircraft type with distinct names. Until 1962, both the Army and Air Force maintained one system, while the United States Navy maintained a separate system. In 1962, these were unified into a single system heavily reflecting the Army/Air Force method. For more complete information on the workings of this system, refer to United States Department of Defense Aerospace Vehicle Designations.

A collection of NASA experimental aircraft, including the X-31, F-15 S/MTD, SR-71, F-106, F-16XL, X-38, Radio Controlled Mothership, and X-36.
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A collection of NASA experimental aircraft, including the X-31, F-15 S/MTD, SR-71, F-106, F-16XL, X-38, Radio Controlled Mothership, and X-36.

Contents

[edit] Airship

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Airship, commissioned vessel

This series of four airships (two one-offs and two production Akron-class vessels) were the only airships in American history to be commissioned as ships of the United States Navy.

[edit] Airship, Airborne Early Warning, 1952-?

[edit] Airship, Patrol , 1947-1962

[edit] Airship, Scout, 1954-?

[edit] Airship, Training, 1947-?

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

  • Z-1 - Goodyear
  • Z-2 Sentinel - Westinghouse Airships
  • Z-3 - American Blimp Corporation; Model A-170 for US Navy is designated MZ-3A

[edit] Ambulance

[edit] Army Air Service, 1919-1924

  • A-1 - Cox-Klemin
  • A-2 - Fokker

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Hospital, 1929-1942

[edit] Ambulance, 1943

[edit] Attack

[edit] Army Air Service, 1919-1924

[edit] Pursuit, Ground Attack, 1922

[edit] Ground Attack, 1920-1922

[edit] Army Air Corps/Army Air Forces/Air Force, 1924-1948

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Attack, 1946-1962

A-1 Skyraider, United States, 2003
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A-1 Skyraider, United States, 2003

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II
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USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II

[edit] Attack helicopters

Modififed Mission Identifier prefix

[edit] Fixed wing gunships

Modififed Mission Identifier prefix

P-3 Orion of the US navy
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P-3 Orion of the US navy

[edit] Bomber

[edit] Army Air Service, before 1919

[edit] Army Air Service, 1919-1924

[edit] Day Bombardment

[edit] Night Bombardment, Long Distance

  • XNBL-1 - Witteman-Lewis--The "Barling Bomber"
  • XNBL-2 - Martin

[edit] Night Bombardment, Short Distance

[edit] Army Air Corps, 1926-1931

[edit] Light Bomber

[edit] Medium Bomber

[edit] Heavy Bomber

[edit] Army Air Corps/Army Air Forces/Air Force, 1926-1962

In 1926, the newly formed Army Air Corps decided to unify all bombers under the B- series. Two already existed in this series, so the series was taken up at the designation B-3.

Beginning with #68, missile and bomber series continued separately. The following missiles, some of which are incorrectly labeled as "formerly designated B-xx" in some sources, therefore never used a B-series designation:

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Bomber

[edit] Bomber Fighter

[edit] Bomber Torpedo

[edit] Patrol Bomber

[edit] Patrol Torpedo Bomber

  • XPTBH - Hall-Aluminum Aircraft Corporation

[edit] Scout Bomber

[edit] Torpedo Bomber

[edit] Unified system, after 1962

USAF B-2 Spirit
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USAF B-2 Spirit

[edit] Cargo/Transport

[edit] Army Air Service, 1919-1925

[edit] Transport

  • T-1 - Martin
  • T-2 - Fokker
  • T-3 - Lowe-Willard-Fowler

[edit] Army Air Service/Army Air Corps/Army Air Force/Air Force 1925-1948

[edit] Cargo

*Never officially C-143 - Curtiss-Wright, designated X-19

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Helicopter, Transport

[edit] Transport, Single Engine

[edit] Transport

[edit] Utility Transport

[edit] Army, 1956-1962

[edit] Airplane, Cargo, 1956-1962

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

[edit] Cargo

[edit] Cargo Helicopter

Army Chinook sling-loads a Howitzer Gun
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Army Chinook sling-loads a Howitzer Gun

[edit] Drone

[edit] Army Air Forces, 1941-1948

[edit] Aerial Target, 1940-1941

[edit] Aerial Target (Man Carrying), 1942-1947

  • PQ-8 Cadet - Culver
  • PQ-9 - Culver
  • PQ-10 - Culver
  • PQ-11 - Fletcher
  • PQ-12 - Fleetwings
  • PQ-13 - ERCO
  • PQ-14 Cadet - Culver
  • PQ-15 - Culver

[edit] Aerial Target (Model Airplane), 1942-1947

  • OQ-2 - Radioplane
  • OQ-3 - Radioplane/Frankfort
  • OQ-4 - Brunswick-Balke-Collender
  • OQ-5
  • OQ-6 - Radioplane
  • OQ-7 - Radioplane
  • OQ-11 - Simmonds Aerocessories
  • OQ-12 - Radioplane
  • OQ-13 - Radioplane
  • OQ-14 - Radioplane/Frankfort
  • OQ-16
  • OQ-17 - Radioplane
  • OQ-18
  • OQ-19 - Radioplane

[edit] Bomb, Controllable, 1942-1945

[edit] Target Control (1942-1947)

[edit] Air Force, 1948-1962

[edit] Aerial Target, 1948-1962

  • Q-1 - Radioplane
  • Q-2 Firebee - Ryan
  • Q-3 - Radioplane
  • Q-4 - Radioplane/Bendix
  • Q-5 Kingfisher - Lockheed
  • Q-6
  • Q-7
  • Q-8
  • Q-9
  • Q-10 - Radioplane
  • Q-11 - skipped
  • Q-12 Challenger - Beech
  • Q-14 Cadet - Culver

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Drone, 1945-1962

  • KDA Firebee - Ryan
  • KDB Cardinal - Beech
  • KD2B - Beech
  • KDC - Curtiss-Wright
  • KD2C Snipe - Curtiss-Wright
  • KD3C Snipe - Curtiss
  • KDD Katydid - McDonnell
  • KDG Snipe - Globe
  • KD2G Firefly - Globe
  • KD3G Snipe - Globe
  • KD4G Quail - Globe
  • KD5G - Globe
  • KD6G Firefly - Globe
  • KDH Katydid - McDonnell
  • KDM Plover - Martin
  • KDN Gorgon IIB - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • KD2N Gorgon - Martin/Naval Aircraft Factory
  • KDR Quail - Radioplane
  • KD2R Quail/Shelduck - Radioplane
  • KD4R - Radioplane
  • KDT Teal - Temco
  • KDU Regulus - Chance Vought
  • KD2U Regulus II - Vought

[edit] Drone, Antisubmarine, 1959-1962

  • DSN DASH - Gyrodyne

[edit] Target Drone, 1942-1946

[edit] Unpiloted Drone, 1946-1955

  • UC-1 - Culver

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

[edit] Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, 1997-present

[edit] Electronic

[edit] Modified aircraft, before 1962

[edit] Modified aircraft, 1962-present

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Airborne Early Warning

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

USAF E-3 Sentry
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USAF E-3 Sentry

[edit] Fighter

[edit] Army Air Service, 1919-1924

[edit] Pursuit, Air-cooled

[edit] Pursuit, Ground Attack

[edit] Pursuit Night

[edit] Pursuit Special/Alert Pursuit

[edit] Pursuit Watercooled

[edit] Two-seat Pursuit

[edit] Army Air Corps, 1924-1941

[edit] Fighter, Multiplace

[edit] Pursuit, Biplace

[edit] Army Air Corps/Army Air Forces, 1924-1948

Designated P- for "pursuit" until 1948, when the United States Air Force was founded. After this, all P- designations were changed to F- ("fighter"), but the original numbers were retained. The designation PW- indicates "pursuit, water-cooled engine".

[edit] Air Force, from 1948

[edit] Navy, from 1922

[edit] Unified system, from 1962

[edit] Glider

[edit] Army Air Forces, 1941-1948

[edit] Assault Glider, 1942-1944

  • AG-1 - Christopher
  • AG-2 - Timm

[edit] Bomb Glider, 1942-1944

  • BG-1 - Fletcher
  • BG-2 - Fletcher
  • BG-3 - Cornelius

[edit] Cargo Glider, 1941-1948

[edit] Fuel Glider, 1930-1948

  • FG-1 - Cornelius

[edit] Powered Glider, 1943-1948

  • PG-1 - Northwestern
  • PG-2 - Ridgefield
  • PG-3 - Waco

[edit] Training Glider, 1941-1948

  • TG-1 - Frankfort
  • TG-2 - Schweizer
  • TG-3 - Schweizer
  • TG-4 - Laister-Kauffman
  • TG-5 Grasshopper - Aeronca
  • TG-6 Grasshopper - Taylorcraft
  • TG-7 Orlik - SZD
  • TG-8 Grasshopper - Piper
  • TG-9 - Briegleb
  • TG-10 - Wichita Engineering
  • TG-11 - Schempger
  • TG-12 - Bowlus
  • TG-13 - Briegleb
  • TG-14 - Stiglemeier
  • TG-15 - Franklin
  • TG-16 - A.B.C.
  • TG-17 - Franklin
  • TG-18 - Midwest
  • TG-19 - Schweyer
  • TG-20 - Laister-Kauffman
  • TG-21 - Notre Dame
  • TG-22 - Melrose
  • TG-23 - Harper-Corcoran
  • TG-24 - Bowlus-Dupont
  • TG-25 - Plover
  • TG-26 - Universal
  • TG-27 - Grunau
  • TG-28 - Haller
  • TG-29 - Volmer Jensen
  • TG-30 Bluebird - Smith
  • TG-31 - Aero Industries
  • TG-32 - Pratt-Read
  • TG-33 - Aeronca

[edit] Air Force, 1948-1962

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Gliding Bomb, 1941-1945

  • LBD Gargoyle - McDonnell
  • LBE Glomb - Pratt-Read/Gould
  • LBP Glomb - Piper
  • LBT Glomb - Taylorcraft

[edit] Trainer Glider, 1941-1945

  • LNE - Pratt-Read/Gould
  • LNP Grasshopper - Piper
  • LNR Grasshopper - Aeronca
  • LNS - Schweizer
  • LNT Grasshopper - Taylorcraft

[edit] Transport Glider, 1941-1945

[edit] Unified System, 1962-present

[edit] Helicopter

[edit] Army Air Forces/Air Force, 1941-1948

[edit] Rotary Wing

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Rotorcraft

[edit] Rotorcycles

[edit] Army, 1956-1962

[edit] Helicopter, Cargo, 1956-1962

[edit] Flying Platform, 1955-1956

  • HO-1 Pawnee - Hiller - redesignated VZ-1 in 1956
  • HO-2 - De Lackner - redesignated HZ-1 in 1956

[edit] Helicopter, Observation, 1956-1962

[edit] Helicopter, Utility, 1956-1962

[edit] Helicopter, Experimental, 1956-1962

[edit] Air Force (1948-1962) and Unified System, 1962-present

[edit] Laser

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

[edit] Messenger

[edit] Army Air Service, 1919-1924

[edit] Observation/Liaison

[edit] Army Air Service, 1919-1924

[edit] Artillery Observation

  • AO-1 - Fokker-Atlantic

[edit] Corps Observation

  • CO-1 - Engineering Division
  • CO-2 - Engineering Division
  • CO-3 - Engineering Division
  • CO-4 - Fokker
  • CO-5 - Fokker
  • CO-6 - Engineering Division
  • CO-7 - Boeing
  • CO-8 - Fokker

[edit] Infantry Liaison

  • IL-1 - Orenco

[edit] Night Observation

[edit] Army Air Corps, 1924-1941

[edit] Gyroplane

  • G-1 - Kellett
  • G-2 - Pitcairn

[edit] Observation

[edit] Observation Amphibian

[edit] Army Air Forces, 1942-1962

[edit] Liaison

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Helicopter, Observation

[edit] Observation

[edit] Observation Scout

see also "scout" and "scout observation" sections

[edit] Unified System, 1962-present

[edit] Observation

[edit] Patrol

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Helicopter, Antisubmarine

  • HSL - Bell
  • HSS Seabat/Sea King - Sikorsky

[edit] Patrol

[edit] Patrol Bomber

[edit] Patrol Torpedo Bomber

  • XPTBH - Hall-Aluminum Aircraft Corporation

[edit] Unified system, after 1962

[edit] Pursuit

See Fighter above.

[edit] Racer

[edit] Army Air Service, 1919-1924

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Reconnaissance

[edit] Army Air Corps/Army Air Force, 1926-1948

[edit] Photographic Reconnaissance

[edit] Air Force, 1948-1962

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

[edit] Modified Planes

[edit] Reconnaissance-Strike

[edit] Air Force, 1948-1962

[edit] Scout

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Scout, 1922-1946

[edit] Scout Observation, 1934-1946

see also "observation" and "observation scout" categories

[edit] Torpedo Scout, 1943

[edit] Search

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

[edit] Seaplane

[edit] Army Air Service, 1919-1924

[edit] Anti-Submarine

[edit] Navy, 1946-1962

see also "scout" category

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

[edit] Anti-Submarine Helicopters

[edit] Tanker

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Modified aircraft

Note: Navy aircraft can be fitted with buddy packs to refuel other aircraft.

[edit] Trainer

[edit] Army Air Service, before 1919

[edit] Army Air Service, 1919-1924

[edit] Trainer, Air-cooled

  • TA-1 - Elias
  • TA-2 - Huff-Daland
  • TA-3 - Wright
  • TA-4 - Engineering Division
  • TA-5 - Wright
  • TA-6 - Huff-Daland

[edit] Trainer, Water-cooled

  • TW-1 - Engineering Division
  • TW-2 - Cox-Klemin
  • TW-3 - Wright
  • TW-4 - Fokker
  • TW-5 - Keystone

[edit] Army Air Service/Army Air Corps/Army Air Forces, 1924-1948

[edit] Advanced Trainer

[edit] Basic Combat

Superseded by Advanced Trainer (AT-).

[edit] Basic Trainer

[edit] Primary Trainer

[edit] Air Force, 1948-1962

The AT-6 Texan, AT-7 Navigator, and AT-11 Kansan, were given T- designations. The sequence began at 28, one number higher than the PT- sequence had reached.

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Helicopter, Trainer, 1944-1948

[edit] Helicopter, Training, 1948-1962

  • HTE - Hiller
  • HTK - Kaman
  • HTL - Bell

[edit] Trainer, 1922-1926(?)

  • NB - Boeing
  • N2B - Boeing
  • NC - not used to avoid confusion with NC flying boats
  • N2C - Curtiss
  • NE - Piper
  • HN - Huff Daland
  • NH - Howard
  • NJ - North American
  • NK - Keystone
  • NL - Langley
  •  N·m - not used
  • N2M - Martin
  • NN - not used
  • N2N - NAF
  • N3N - NAF
  • N4N - reserved, not used
  • N5N - NAF
  • NP - Spartan
  • NQ - Fairchild
  • NR Recruit - Ryan
  • NS - Stearman
  • N2S Kaydet - Stearman
  • NT - New Standard
  • N2T Tutor - Timm
  • NY - Consolidated
  • N2Y - Consolidated
  • N3Y - Consolidated
  • N4Y - Consolidated

[edit] Scout Trainer, 1939-1948

[edit] Trainer, 1948-1962

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

[edit] Utility

[edit] Army, 1956-1962

[edit] Air Force, 1948-1962

[edit] Navy, 1922-1962

[edit] Transport, Utility

[edit] Helicopter, Utility

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

[edit] Utility

[edit] Utility Helicopters

[edit] Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL)

[edit] Army, 1956-1962

[edit] Vertical Takeoff and Landing Research, 1956-1962

[edit] Unified system, 1962-present

[edit] Experimental

[edit] Army Air Forces, 1946-1947

[edit] Supersonic/Special Test

[edit] Army Air Force/Air Force/Unified System, 1941-present

Main article: X-plane (aircraft)


[edit] References and external links

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Notable airline accidents and incidents • Famous aviation-related deaths

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