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Naval aviation of the United States, as it is predicted to be by 2020.

This list of military aircraft of the United States (naval) includes prototype, pre-production and operational types designations under the 1922 United States Navy aircraft designation system, which was used by the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the United States Coast Guard.

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".

For aircraft designations prior to the adoption of this system, see List of military aircraft of the United States (1909-1919).

For aircraft designations under the U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force USAF system or the post-1962 Tri-Service system and aircraft currently in service, see List of military aircraft of the United States.

Airborne early warning, 1952-1962[]

  • WF Tracer - Grumman (redesignated E-1 in 1962)
  • W2F Hawkeye - Grumman (redesignated E-2 in 1962)
  • XWU - Vought
  • WV Warning Star - Lockheed (redesignated EC-121 in 1962)

Airship[]

Commissioned vessels, 1922-1935[]

Uss shenandoah airship

USS Shenandoah (ZR-1).

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. ZR-2 is missing from the list as that airship (the British R-38) crashed and was destroyed before delivery.[1]

Airborne Early Warning, 1952-1962[]

  • ZWG - Goodyear
  • ZWN Reliance - Goodyear

Patrol, 1947-1962[]

  • ZPG - Goodyear
  • ZPK - Goodyear
  • ZP2K - Goodyear
  • ZP3K - Goodyear
  • ZP4K - Goodyear
  • ZP5K - Goodyear
  • ZPM - Goodyear
  • ZPN - Goodyear
  • ZP2N - Goodyear

Scout, 1954-1962[]

  • ZSG - Goodyear
  • ZS2G - Goodyear

Training, 1947-1962[]

  • ZTG - Goodyear
  • ZTL - Goodyear

Ambulance, 1943-1962[]

  • AE Grasshopper - Piper

Anti-submarine, 1946-1962[]

In 1946, the "S for Scout" designation was replaced by "S for anti-Submarine", however, the numbers in the 'S' series were not restarted.

    • SF - used in the Scout sequence
  • S2F Tracker - Grumman
    • SU - used in the Scout sequence
  • XS2U - Vought

Attack, 1946-1962[]

Skyraider USMC

AD Skyraider, United States, 2003.

Bomber[]

Bomber, 1931-1943[]

Bomber fighter, 1934-1937[]

Bomber drone, 1944[]

  • BDR - Interstate

Bomber torpedo, 1942-1945[]

  • BTC - Curtiss
  • BT2C - Curtiss
  • BTD Destroyer - Douglas
  • BT2D Destroyer II - Douglas
  • BTK - Kaiser-Fleetwings
  • BTM Mauler - Martin

Foreign-Built Bomber Aircraft, 1910-1962[]

Drone[]

Antisubmarine, 1959-1962[]

  • DSN DASH - Gyrodyne (redesignated H-50 in 1962)

Assault, 1944[]

  • BDR - Interstate

Target, 1942-1946[]

  • TDC Cadet - Culver
  • TD2C Cadet - Culver
  • TD3C - Culver
  • TD4C - Culver
  • TDD - Radioplane
  • McDonnell TD2D Katydid - McDonnell
  • TD3D - Frankfort
  • TD4D - Radioplane
  • TD3D - Frankfort
  • TD4D - Radioplane
  • TDL Airacobra - Bell
  • TDN - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • TD2N Gorgon - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • TD3N Gorgon - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • TDR - Interstate
  • TD2R - Interstate
  • TD3R - Interstate

Unpiloted, 1946-1955[]

  • UC - Culver TD4C

Unified sequence, 1945-1962[]

  • KDA Firebee - Ryan
  • KDB Cardinal - Beechcraft (redesignated MQM-61 in 1962)
  • KD2B - Beechcraft
  • Curtiss-Wright KDC - Curtiss-Wright
  • KD2C Snipe - Curtiss-Wright
  • KD3C Snipe - Curtiss-Wright
  • KDD Katydid - McDonnell (formerly TD2D - redesignated KDH in 1946)
  • 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 - Radioplane (redesignated MQM-36A Shelduck in 1962)
  • KD4R - Radioplane
  • KDT Teal - Temco
  • KDU Regulus - Chance Vought
  • KD2U Regulus II - Vought

Fighter[]

Fighter, 1910-1922[]

Fighter, 1922-1962[]

Hellcats F6F-3, May 1943

Grumman F6F-3 Hellcats on 1943-01-21.

US Navy F-3 fighter - side

F3H-2N Demon on the deck of the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum.

Corsair at Oshkosh

An F4U Corsair appearing at the 2005 AirVenture Air Show at Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Foreign-Built Fighters, 1910-1962[]

Glider[]

Bomb Glider[]

Trainer Glider, 1941-1945[]

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

Transport Glider, 1941-1945[]

  • LRA - Allied
  • LR2A - Allied
  • LRG - AGA Aviation
  • LRH - Snead
  • LRN - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • LR2N - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • LRQ - Bristol
  • LRW - Waco Aircraft Company
  • LR2W - Waco
  • LR2W - Waco
  • PS-2 - Franklin

Foreign-Built Glider, 1910-1962[]

  • RRG Prüfling

Helicopters[]

Antisubmarine, 1951-1962[]

Crane, 1952-1955[]

  • HCH - McDonnell

Observation, 1944-1962[]

Trainer, 1944-1948[]

Trainer, 1948-1962[]

Transport, 1944-1962[]

Utility, 1944-1949[]

Utility, 1950-1962[]

Hospital, 1929-1942[]

  • HE - Piper
  • HL - Loening

Marine Expeditionary, 1922-1923[]

Observation[]

Observation, 1922-1962[]

  • EO - Elias
  • HO - Huff Daland
  • MO - Martin
  • M2O - Martin
  • NO
  • OB - Boeing
  • O2B - Boeing
  • OC Falcon - Curtiss (previously designated F8C)
  • O2C Helldiver - Curtiss
  • O3C Seagull - Curtiss
  • OD - Douglas
  • O2D - Douglas
  • OE - Cessna (redesignated O-1 in 1962)
  • OF - Grumman
  • OJ - Berliner-Joyce
  • OK - Keystone
  • OL - Loening/Keystone
  • O2L - Loening
  • OO - Viking
  • OP - Pitcairn-Cierva
  • O2U Corsair - Vought
  • O3U Corsair - Vought
  • O4U Corsair - Vought
  • O5U - Vought
  • OY - Stinson
  • OZ - Pennsylvania Aircraft
  • UO - Vought

Observation scout, 1935-1945[]

Foreign-Built Observation Aircraft, 1920-1962[]

Patrol[]

Patrol, 1910-1923[]

Patrol, 1923-1962[]

P2V-2 NAS Jacksonville 1952

P2V-2 Neptune over NAS Jacksonville, 1953

  • PB Flying Fortress - Boeing
  • P2B Superfortress - Boeing
  • PD - Douglas
  • P2D - Douglas
  • P3D - Douglas
  • PH - Hall
  • P2H - Hall
  • PJ - General Aviation
  • PK - Keystone
  • PM - Martin
  • P2M - Martin
  • P3M - Martin
  • P4M Mercator - Martin
  • P5M Marlin - Martin (redesignated P-5 in 1962)
  • P6M SeaMaster - Martin
  • P7M SubMaster - Martin
  • PN - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • P2N - Naval Aircraft Factory
    • P3N - skipped
  • P4N - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • PO Warning Star - Lockheed
  • PS - Sikorsky
  • P2S - Sikorsky
  • PV-1 Ventura - Lockheed
  • PV-2 Harpoon - Lockheed
  • P2V Neptune - Lockheed (redesignated P-2 in 1962)
  • P3V Orion - Lockheed (redesignated P-3 in 1962)
  • PY - Consolidated
  • P2Y - Consolidated
  • P3Y - Consolidated (redesignated PBY before delivery)
  • XP4Y Corregidor - Consolidated
  • P5Y - Consolidated
  • P6Y - Convair

Patrol bomber, 1935-1962[]

Catalinas in the aleutians

A flight of PBY-5 Catalinas over the Aleutian Islands.

  • XPBB Sea Ranger - Boeing
  • PB2B Catalina - Boeing (PBY built by Boeing)
  • PB2B-2 Canso - Boeing (PBY built by Boeing)
  • PBJ Mitchell - North American
  • PBM Mariner - Martin
  • PB2M Mars - Martin
  • PBN Nomad - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • PBO Hudson - Lockheed
  • PBS - Sikorsky
  • PB2S Catalina - Boeing-Canada
  • PBV Catalina - Canadian Vickers
  • PBY Catalina - Consolidated (formerly designated P3Y)
  • PB2Y Coronado - Consolidated
  • PB3Y - Consolidated
  • PB4Y-1 Liberator - Consolidated
  • PB4Y-2 Privateer - Consolidated (redesignated P-4 in 1962)

Patrol torpedo bomber, 1937-1962[]

  • PTBH - Hall

Foreign-Built Patrol Aircraft, 1910-1962[]

Pursuit, 1923[]

  • WP - Wright

Racer, 1922-1928[]

  • BR-1 - Bee Line
  • BR-2 - Bee Line
  • CR - Curtiss
  • R2C - Curtiss
  • R3C - Curtiss

Research Aircraft, 1910-1962[]

Rotorcycle, 1954-1959[]

  • ROE Rotorcycle - Hiller
  • RON Rotorcycle - Gyrodyne

Scout[]

Scout, 1922-1946[]

  • SC - Curtiss
  • S2C - Curtiss
  • S3C - Curtiss
  • S4C - Curtiss
  • SC Seahawk - Curtiss
  • SDW - Dayton-Wright
  • SE - Bellanca
  • SF - Grumman
  • SG - Great Lakes
  • SL - Loening
  • S2L - Loening
  • SS - Sikorsky
  • SU Corsair - Vought
  • XS - Cox-Klemin

Scout bomber, 1934-1946[]

Douglas SBD 5 tricolor with bomb

Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless.

Scout observation, 1934-1946[]

  • SOC Seagull - Curtiss
  • SO2C - Curtiss
  • SO3C Seamew - Curtiss
  • SOE Seagull - Bellanca
    • SOK - Fairchild (designation allocated but no aircraft built)
  • SON Seagull - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • SOR Seagull - Ryan
    • SOU - skipped to avoid confusion with OSU
  • SO2U - Vought

Scout trainer, 1939-1948[]

  • SNB Navigator - Beechcraft (redesignated C-45 in 1962)
  • SNC Falcon - Curtiss
  • SNJ Texan - North American
  • SN2J - North American
  • SNV Valiant - Vultee

Foreign-Built Scout Aircraft, 1920-1962[]

Tanker, 1958-1962[]

  • GV Hercules - Lockheed

Torpedo[]

Torpedo, 1910-1922[]

Torpedo, 1922-1935[]

  • TB - Boeing
  • CT - Curtiss
  • DT - Douglas
  • T2D - Douglas
  • T3D - Douglas
  • TE - Detroit
  • FT - Fokker
  • TG - Great Lakes
  • MT - Martin
  • T2M - Martin
  • T3M - Martin
  • T4M - Martin
  • T5M - Martin
  • T6M - Martin
  • TN - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • T2N - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • ST - Stout

Torpedo bomber, 1935-1946[]

TBF mid1942

Grumman TBF Avenger in mid-1942.

Torpedo scout, 1943-1946[]

  • TSF - Grumman

Foreign-Built Torpedo Aircraft, 1920-1962[]

Trainer[]

Trainer, 1910-1922[]

Trainer, 1922-1948[]

  • NB - Boeing
  • N2B - Boeing
    • NC - skipped to avoid confusion with NC flying boats
  • N2C Fledgling - Curtiss
  • NE Grasshopper - Piper
  • HN - Huff Daland
  • NH - Howard
  • NJ - North American
  • NK - Keystone
  • NL - Langley
    • NM - skipped
  • N2M - Martin
    • NN - skipped
  • N2N - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • N3N - Naval Aircraft Factory
    • N4N - reserved but not assigned
  • N5N - Naval Aircraft Factory
  • 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

Trainer, 1948-1962[]

SNJ-5

An SNJ-5 Texan flying in an airshow in 2004.

  • TE - Edo
  • TF Trader - Grumman (redesignated C-1 in 1962)
  • TJ Texan - North American (SNJ-8 - cancelled)
  • T2J Buckeye - North American (redesignated T-2 in 1962)
  • T3J Sabreliner - North American (redesignated T-39 in 1962)
  • TO Shooting Star - Lockheed (redesignated T-33 in 1962)
  • Temco TT Pinto - TT Temco
  • TV Shooting Star - Lockheed
  • T2V SeaStar - Lockheed (redesignated T-1 in 1962)

Foreign-Built Trainer Aircraft, 1910-1962[]

  • Morane-Saulnier AR-1 - Morane-Saulnier

Transport[]

Transport, 1931-1962[]

  • RA - Fokker
  • RB Conestoga - Budd
  • RC Kingbird - Curtiss
  • R2C - Curtiss (reserved but never assigned)
  • R3C - Curtiss (reserved but never assigned)
  • R4C Condor - Curtiss-Wright
  • R5C Commando - Curtiss-Wright
  • RD Dolphin - Douglas
  • R2D - Douglas
  • R3D - Douglas
  • R4D - Douglas (redesignated C-47 in 1962)
  • R5D - Douglas (redesignated C-54 in 1962)
  • R6D - Douglas (redesignated C-118 in 1962)
  • RE - Bellanca
  • RK Envoy - Kinner
  • R2K - Fairchild
  • RM - Martin
  • RN Reliant - Stinson
  • RO - Lockheed
  • R2O - Lockheed
  • R3O - Lockheed
  • R4O - Lockheed
  • R5O - Lockheed
  • R6O - Lockheed (later redesignated R6V)
  • R7O - Lockheed (later redesignated R7V)
  • RQ Reliant - Fairchild
  • R2Q - Fairchild
  • R3Q Reliant - Fairchild
  • R4Q Flying Boxcar - Fairchild
  • RR - Ford
  • RS - Sikorsky
  • RT - Northrop
  • R6V - Lockheed (previously designated R6O)
  • R7V-1 - Lockheed (previously designated R7O)
    • R7V-2 - Lockheed (turboprop powered version)
  • R8V - Lockheed (redesignated C-130 in 1962)
  • RY - Consolidated
  • R2Y - Consolidated
  • R3Y Tradewind - Convair
  • R4Y Samaritan - Convair (redesignated C-131 in 1962)
  • TA - Fokker
  • B-314 - Boeing

Transport, single engine, 1939-1941[]

  • GB Traveler - Beechcraft
  • GH Nightingale - Howard
  • GK - Fairchild
  • GQ Reliant - Stinson

Utility[]

Utility, 1910-1931[]

Utility, 1931-1955[]

  • JA Norseman - Noorduyn
  • JB Traveller - Beechcraft
  • JC Kingbird - Curtiss-Wright
  • JD Invader - Douglas
  • JE - Bellanca
  • JF Duck - Grumman
  • J2F Duck - Grumman
  • J3F Goose - Grumman
  • J4F Widgeon - Grumman
  • JH - Stearman-Hammond
  • JK - Fairchild
  • J2K - Fairchild
  • JL - Columbia
  • JM Marauder - Martin
  • JO - Lockheed
  • JQ - Fairchild
  • J2Q - Fairchild
  • JW - Waco
  • J2W - Waco

Utility transport, 1935-1955[]

  • JRB Expeditor - Beechcraft
  • JRC Bobcat - Cessna
  • JRF Goose - Grumman
  • JR2F Albatross - Grumman
  • JRK - Nash-Kelvinator (designation reserved but never assigned)
  • JRM Mars - Martin
  • JRS - Sikorsky
  • JR2S Excalibur - Sikorsky

Utility, 1955-1962[]

  • UC Otter - de Havilland Canada (redesignated U-1 in 1962)
  • U2C Beaver - de Havilland Canada (designation not used)
  • UF Albatross - Grumman (redesignated U-16 in 1962)
  • UO Aztec - Piper Aircraft (redesignated U-11 in 1962)
  • UV Hercules - Lockheed (redesignated in C-130 series)

Foreign-Built Utility Aircraft, 1920-1962[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. "Lessons of the ZR-2". September 214 1921. pp. 80, 82. http://books.google.com/?id=sVroBrOJL64C&pg=PA80. Retrieved 30 July 2009. 

External links[]




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The original article can be found at List of military aircraft of the United States (naval) and the edit history here.
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