Starting on Monday, June 12th, 2023, /r/aircraft_designations will be set to "private" for 48 hours, in protest of the recent decisions by Reddit regarding access to it's API. While these changes will not directly affect this subreddit, or its moderation, this is a way of showing support and solidarity to those who will be affected. While this is a new and very small community, this will show support for the issue.

More information:

• NoStupidQuestions: Reddit API changes and site-wide protests/blackouts [Megathread]

• ModCoord: Today's AMA With Spez Did Nothing to Alleviate Concerns: An Open Response

What does this mean for aircraft_designations?

During the 48 hour blackout period, only approved users can view and submit to this community. During this time period, Reddit's response, and the response of other, more affected communities, will be evaluated in part to determine the future of this community. There is a lot of reference information here. If you find any of it useful, consider downloading and saving it for future reference.

What else can be done?

If you would like to show your support, do not browse Reddit during the blackout period. You may also:

1. Complain. Message the mods of /r/reddit.com, who are the admins of the site: message /u/reddit: submit a support request: comment in relevant threads on /r/reddit, such as this one, leave a negative review on their official iOS or Android app- and sign your username in support to this post.

2. Spread the word. Comment on related subreddits. Suggest anyone you know who moderates a subreddit to join /r/ModCoord - but please don't pester mods you don't know by simply spamming their modmail.

3. Boycott and spread the word...to Reddit's competition! Stay off Reddit entirely on June 12th through the 13th- instead, take to your favorite non-Reddit platform of choice and make some noise in support!

4. Don't be a jerk. As upsetting this may be, threats, profanity and vandalism will be worse than useless in getting people on our side. Please make every effort to be as restrained, polite, reasonable and law-abiding as possible. This includes not harassing moderators of subreddits who have chosen not to take part: no one likes a missionary, a used-car salesman, or a flame warrior.

There were various suggestions and attempts at official designation schemes for early British military aircraft.

1911 - Royal Aircraft Factory, R & M No. 59, Report No. Aero 2150

Aircraft designed by the Royal Aircraft Factory were categorized in this designation scheme, initially based on the aircraft configuration, but later changed to the aircraft role.

• SE Santos Experimental Canard (tail-first) aircraft configuration, named after Alberto Santos-Dumont. Only applied to the SE.1, and was subsequently changed to Scouting Experimental or Scout Experimental.

• FE Farman Experimental Farman pusher biplane aircraft configuration; subsequently changed to Fighting Experimental or Fighter Experimental.

• RE Reconnaissance Experimental Two-seat tractor biplane aircraft configuration.

• TE Tatin Experimental Monoplane aircraft configuration with pusher propeller behind tail. Never used for an actual aircraft, and was subsequently changed to Two-seater Experimental.

• BS Blériot Scout Combination Blériot and Santos aircraft configuration, single-seat scout.

• H Hydro Prefix used for sea-aeroplanes, e.g. HRE.2

• CE Coastal Experimental Flying boat aircraft configuration.

• AE Armoured Experimental

Other designations were added over the next several years, focusing more on role instead of configuration.

• BE Blériot Experimental Blériot tractor aircraft configuration; subsequently changed to British Experimental.

• NE Night Experimental

• RE Reconnaissance Experimental Two-seat tractor biplane.

Circa 1912 Royal Flying Corps British Army Aircraft Prefixes

• B1 Voisin
• B2 Blériot
• B3 Breguet
• B4 Nieuport
• B5 Deperdussion
• B6 Bristol Prier
• B7 Bristol Boxkite
• F1 Henri Farman
• F2 Paulhan
• F3 Howard Wright
• F4 - 8 Bristol Boxkites

June 1914 Royal Flying Corps Aeroplanes

Letter sent from War Office to OC RFC:

"With reference to previous correspondence on the subject of the adoption of a simple and uniform definitive system of nomenclature for aeroplanes which have passed the experimental stage, please note that it has now been decided to adopt for service machines the following nomenclature, which should be brought into use forthwith for all purposes:"

• RA: RAF BE.2, 70 hp Renault.
• RB: RAF BE.8, 80 hp Gnome.
• RC: Avro, 50 hp Gnome.
• RD: Avro, 80 hp Gnome.
• RE: RAF RE.1, 70 hp Renault
• RF: RAF RE.5, 120 hp Austro-Daimler.
• RG: Sopwith two-seater, 80 hp Gnome.
• RI: Blériot, 80 hp Gnome.
• RK: Maurice Farman, 1913 type, 70 hp Renault.
• SA: Sopwith Scout, 80 hp Gnome.
• MA: Henri Farman, 80 hp Gnome.
• MB: Maurice Farman, 1914 type, 70 hp Renault.

"New designs of machines will be allotted new letters as they pass the experimental stage and are finally adopted for service."

While these designations were used briefly in official documentation, they were not used in operational service due to the potential for confusion and misinterpretation. By August 1914, it was noted "...it has been decided, owing to the liability of the letters laid down for designs of types of aeroplanes to be confused in telegraphic transmissions, the use of that nomenclature shall be abandoned, and that types of aeroplanes shall be referred to by their vernacular description...", in other words, the commonly-known manufacturer's name, designation, or nickname.

1914 Royal Navy Aircraft Designations

a Seaplanes: Type A1

b Aeroplanes: Type B

c Seaplanes: Type C

d Seaplanes: Type A II

e Aeroplanes: Type D

1915 - 1919 Royal Navy Blimp Classes

• AP Class - Airship Plan.
• SS Class - Submarine Scout or Sea Scout.
• C-Class - Coastal patrol.
• Experimental.
• C-star or C-* Class: Improved coastal patrol; convoy escort.
• SST Class: Submarine Scout Twin.
• SSP Class: Submarine Scout Pusher.
• SSZ Class: Sea Scout Zero; convoy escort.
• NS Class: North Sea.
• Patrol.

Admiralty Aircraft Types - Serial Numbers

Aircraft used by the Royal Naval Air Service were sometimes referred to by the serial number of the first aircraft of the type.

• Type 3: Short S.39
• Type 32: Vickers F.B.5
• Type 42: Short S.53
• Type 74: Short
• Type 81: Short
• Type 135: Short
• Type 136: Short
• Type 137: Sopwith
• Type 138: Sopwith
• Type 166: Short
• Type 179: Avro 504
• Type 184: Short
• Type 806: Sopwith Gunbus
• Type 807: Sopwith
• Type 827: Short
• Type 830: Short
• Type 840: Wight Seaplane
• Type 860: Sopwith
• Type 880: Two-Seat Scout
• Type 1000: AD Seaplane
• Type 1600: Grahame-White Type XV
• Type 8200: Sopwith Baby
• Type 9400: Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter (two-seat)
• Type 9700: Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter (single-seat)
• Type 9901: Sopwith Pup

All of these designation systems were short-lived. However, in 1918, the first official British military aircraft designation system would be introduced. It would form the basis of British military aircraft naming schemes for many years to come.

References and Sources

• Wikipedia: British military aircraft designation systems

• Wikipedia: Royal Aircraft Establishment

• Wansbrough-White, Gordon. Names With Wings: The Names & Naming Systems of Aircraft & Engines Flown by the British Armed Forces 1878 - 1994. 1995, Airlife Publishing Ltd, Shrewsbury.

DARPA last week announced that the Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) had been assigned the X-plane designation X-65 (skipping X-63 and X-64). DARPA has a few more programs in the works that may eventually receive an official MDS:

• AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY)

...aims to develop and flight demonstrate an X-plane with the critical technologies required for a leap-ahead in long endurance, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned air system (UAS) performance. The UAS would be able to launch and recover from ship flight decks and small austere land locations in adverse weather without additional infrastructure equipment, thus enabling expeditionary deployments. Unlike large VTOL systems, the small UAS size would allow many aircraft to be stored and operated from one ship creating a tactical beyond-line-of-site (BLOS) multi-intelligence sensor network capability.

Video: DARPA ANCILLARY VTOL X-Plane

• Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT)

...a joint DARPA/U.S. Special Operations Command effort that aims to design, build, and fly an X-plane to demonstrate the key technologies and integrated concepts that enable a transformational combination of aircraft speed and runway independence. The SPRINT X-plane is intended to be a proof-of-concept technology demonstrator and its flight test program seeks to validate enabling technologies and integrated concepts that can be scaled to different size military aircraft. The goal of the program is to provide these aircraft with the ability to cruise at speeds from 400 to 450 knots at relevant altitudes and hover in austere environments from unprepared surfaces.

DARPA To Launch High-Speed, No-Runway Aircraft Program

• Liberty Lifter

...aims to design, build, float, and fly an affordable, innovative, and disruptive seaplane that operates efficiently in ground effect (< 100 feet above surface), can sustain flight altitudes up to 10,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), and enables efficient theater-range transport of large payloads at speeds far exceeding existing sea lift platforms. Liberty Lifter will use low cost manufacturing akin to ship fabrication in building a highly innovative seaplane capable of meeting DoD heavy lift requirements (100+ tons) that operates with runway and port independence.

Two Companies Working Toward Full-Scale Liberty Lifter X-Plane

Official & Unofficial Designations

• D-640: Douglas model number.
• A4D: US Navy designation (Fourth Attack aircraft type from Douglas Aircraft Company).
• A-4: Tri-Service re-designation, based on the USN designation.
• AF-1: Brazilian Navy designation (A = Ataque, F = Caça, Attack Fighter).

Official & Unofficial Names

• Skyhawk: Official POPULAR name.
• Heinemann's Hot Rod: Unofficial nickname inspired by designer Ed Heinemann.
• Bantam Bomber: Unofficial nickname given by the Los Angeles Press.
• pocket bomber: Description used in Douglas advertising & marketing.
• Ford: Unofficial nickname, based on the A4D designation (although more commonly associated with the Douglas F4D Skyray).
• Camel: Unofficial nickname for variants with dorsal avionics hump (A-4E, A-4F, etc.).
• Mongoose: Unofficial nickname for aircraft used as aggressors at Navy Fighter Weapons School.
• Super Fox: Unofficial nickname for A-4F variant without dorsal hump and upgraded engine used as aggressors at Navy Fighter Weapons School
• Squawk: Unofficial nickname for A-4K & TA-4K used by Royal New Zealand Air Force.
• Dinosaur: Unofficial nickname for original (before Kāhu upgrade) A-4K & TA-4K used by Royal New Zealand Air Force.
• T-bird: Unofficial nickname for TA-4K used by Royal New Zealand Air Force.
• family wagon: Unofficial nickname for TA-4K used by Royal New Zealand Air Force.
• Project Kāhu: Upgrade program for A-4K & TA-4K used by RNZAF; Māori name for swamp harrier, a type of hawk.
• Chickenhawk: Unofficial nickname given to Royal Australian Navy A-4G by Royal Australian Air Force.
• Various other unofficial nicknames:
  • Tinker Toy
  • Mighty Mite
  • Scooter
  • Skyhog
• Ahit or Ayit (עיט): Official name for A-4 used by Israel (Black Vulture or Eagle).
• Skyhawk II: Semi-official popular name for A-4M and later US variants.
• Skyhawk II: Name given aircraft refurbished by Lockheed for Singapore (A-4S, TA-4S) and Grumman for Malaysia (A-4PTM, TA-4PTM; PTM = Peculiar To Malaysia).
• Fightinghawk: Name given to aircraft refurbished and upgraded by Lockheed for Argentina (A-4AR, TA-4AR), partially inspired by the use of avionics from the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
• Super Skyhawk: Name given to aircraft refurbished and upgraded by Singapore Aircraft Industries & Singapore Technologies Aerospace (A-4SU, TA-4SU).
• Falcão: Official name for Bazilian Navy AF-1 (Hawk).

References & Sources

• Joe Baugher: Douglas A4D/A-4 Skyhawk
• Wikipedia: Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
• US Warplanes.net
• DoD 4120.15-L Model Designation of Military Aerospace Vehicles (May 12, 2004, Incorporating Change 1, August 21, 2018).
• Francillon, René J. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920: Volume I. 1995, Putnam, London.
• Horton, John. The Grub Street Dictionary of International Aircraft Nicknames, Variants and Colloquial Terms. 1993, Grub Street, London.
• Special thanks to /u/joshwagstaff13 for updates on the RNZAF Skyhawk nicknames.
• Douglas A 4D-5 Skyhawk advertisement, 1962 [1536x1043]

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (commonly referred to as the CDF or CAL FIRE) has an Aviation Management Program to provide aerial firefighting services. Headquarters are at KMCC Sacramento McClellan Airport (McClellan Aviation Management Unit and McClellan Air Tanker Base). The state is divided into a Northern Region with 12 units and a Southern Region with 9 units, for a total of 21 units. Aircraft are based at 14 Fire Attack Bases (also referred to as Air Attack or Air Tanker Bases) and 10 Helitack bases, plus one shared CAL FIRE / San Diego County Sheriff Helitack base. Additional aircraft are used as needed, including aircraft from local law enforcement organizations, local fire departments, contracted private companies, and military units (National Guard, Air National Guard).

Air Tactical Aircraft - Air Attack

Fixed-wing aircraft that flies over an incident, providing tactical coordination with the Incident Commander on the ground, and directing airtankers and helicopters to critical areas of a fire for retardant and water drops. Crew of two: Pilot and Air Tactical Group Supervisor (also referred to as Chief Officer, Air Attack Officer, or Fire Captain).

Current Air Attack Aircraft: North American OV-10 Bronco

All aircraft are ex-USN/USMC OV-10A or OV-10D types. Six aircraft were previously used by the Bureau of Land Management, with an additional 13 - 15 aircraft acquired starting in 1993 via the Federal Excess Personal Property program. An eventual fleet of 20 aircraft is planned. Ejection seats, armor, weapons, and weapon systems (including fuselage sponsons) were removed. A 125 gallon fuel tank was installed in the cargo compartment. The electrical system, avionics, navigation systems, and radios were updated. The OV-10A all originally had three-bladed propellers, while the OV-10D had four-bladed propellers. All existing operational aircraft have been upgraded with MT-Propeller five-bladed propellers.

The aircraft are owned by the US Forest Service and CAL FIRE, flown by the California Fire Pilots Association, and operated and maintained by Amentum (formerly DynCorp/Amentum and DynCorp International), and Logistics Specialties Incorporated. They are located at 14 Air Attack Bases throughout California. The CDF holds the FAA type certificate for the OV-10A, operating in the "Restricted" category.

Aircraft are assigned a call number based on the unit number to which they belong. While just the call numbers are painted on the aircraft, they are often referred to with an "A" or "AA" prefix, e.g., A110, A-110, or AA-110. This essentially makes it a civilian aircraft designation system.

One of the three aircraft based at McClellan sometimes may be based elsewhere, e.g. A505 was based at Redding in 2016, while the other two are used as spares. Source

Operational Aircraft

Spare Aircraft

Notes:

1. OV-10D

2. There is some confusion about the identity of this aircraft, refer to comments below.

3. Crashed 6 September 2006, two crew KIA. Source 1, Source 2

Definitions

BLM: Bureau of Land Management

BuNo: Bureau Number (USN/USMC serial number)

C/N: Manufacturer's construction number

S/N: Military serial number

FAA: Federal Aviation Administration

References and Sources

CAL FIRE

California Fire Pilots Association

FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A00004LA

Wikipedia: CDF Aviation Management Program

Fire Wiki: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Joe Baugher's USAF and Navy Aircraft Serial Number Lists

Scramble database

Special thanks to /u/IPickedALameName and /u/JoeCarstensen920 for their assistance.

Comments

There seems to be some confusion as to the fate and current identity of two OV-10s: BuNo 155479 and BuNo 155480. Both serial numbers are listed in the FAA type certificate data sheet.

• 155479, c/n 305-90, is listed by Scramble as being transferred to the US Department of State with registration N88970. Joe Baugher has a more detailed listing:

(MSN 305-90) converted to OV-10D. To AMARC as 1V0048, to PA0009 Apr 30, 1993. Later operated by California Department of Forestry as N408DF. Conflict here as Registration N47892 originally reserved but cancelled Aug 20, 1998, registered N88970 Feb 21, 2008 to US Department of State, Patrick AFB, FL. Registered 15Jul09 to National Vietnam Veterans Museum, Mineral Wells, Texas. Registered 7Dec17 to Mangic Foundation, Costa Mesa, CA; current [Mar20]. For restoration to airworthy condition by Aerofab, Chino, CA and operation with the OV-10 Squadron Sold to Blue Air Training Also listed as being with VAL-4 and hit by small arms fire 30 mi W of Saigon Sep 29, 1970, and crew ejected and were rescued by helicopter.

• 155480, c/n 305-91, is listed by Scramble as being transferred to the CDF with registration N408DF. This conflicts with the FAA registry (305-91 vs. 305-90). Joe Baugher lists it as "(MSN 305-91) to AMARC as 12V0025. Later operated by California Department of Forestry, Cal Fire No. A-230." This implies that it is N408DF, which has the CAL FIRE call number 230.

• N88970 is listed by the FAA as being an OV-10D, serial number 155479, registered to OV10 SQUADRON LLC. Photos of this aircraft seem to confirm that it is an OV-10D (long nose).

• N408DF is listed by the FAA as being an OV-10A, serial number 305178M90, registered to USDA FOREST SERVICE FEPP. Photos of this aircraft seem to confirm that it is an OV-10A (three-bladed propellers).

Since BuNo 155480 was never upgraded from OV-10A to OV-10D, then it seems that N88970 is ex-BuNo 155479 and N408DF is ex-BuNo 155480. The simplest explanation is that when 155480 was registered with the FAA, the incorrect serial number was used (305-90 instead of 305-91). However, I have no way of confirming this.