European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 12, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Stars and stripes daily Magazine some Plain words about plane names by Marc Huet is Washington Bureau chief nhe men who make and buy and i those who Fly military helicopters Fitch tors and transports have been work is at Cross purposes for years in a me game that turns something like the mtg killing f8u crusader into an air Tane called the also has filled the air Over Vietnam oath All kinds of pads in spite of the act that the Spad has t officially been ised As a combat aircraft for 50 this has come about because pilots Over the years have used nicknames Formant of the air planes and helicopters they Fly that Are often completely Dif Ferent from the names Given officially by the army Navy air Force an Marine corps and the companies that made the army goes in for Indian names but to the average airmobile Soldier he flies in a Hook or a Huey instead of the official ch47 Chinook or uh1h guns and equipment Are moved around the Battle area by a Crane and not the ch54a the same reason the oh6a Cay use is sometimes called the Loach barmy aviators an acronym of the description Light observation air Force Alert room conversation follows the same pattern the f89 was familiarly known As the twin Hoover the f102 Delta Dagger is the Deuce the f104starfighter is called the Zipper and the f105 thunderchief goes by the name old and reliable a1h sky Raider has been known for years in the Navy and the air Force As the Spad after the famous and reliable French fighter of world War i. All pads have been retired from the Navy but they Are Stillin use by the air Force in Vietnam. At one time Navy men knew the sky raiders by Many other designations too depending upon their missions and the extra gear they carried the night Spad Multi Spad Guppy Spad spooks pad left handed Spad and the queer Spad. Although no nickname has been Given to the air Force s c5a Galaxy Only time will Tell. This super cargo transport May follow the path of the c124 Globe master and become the Douglas Hilton or just Plain old Shakey. The c119 Fly ing Boxcar is called the Dollar-19 an the c130 Hercules is the Herky Bird. The aging c47 was first used by Theair Force in world War ii when it was referred to As the sky train. But More often it was known As the c47 or simply the gooney Bird and now in its third War it has added a new name for its gunship role in Vietnam puff thematic dragon or dragon ship. Some nicknames Are cute like thea3s tweety Bird a name that belies us sting. The Navy s f6f, however i simply called the f6 but never the hell Ulic names have never been offi sly Jated but in july s authoritativeu.&. Naval Institute proceedings Navy gel 0 a Rke Deputy chief of operations with the Goth Fleet i we Mediterranean has come up with amusing list of Navy land and car Annii ased Al a. His list probably applies As Well to Marine pilots because of their service relationship. Run Nail of the old Days. O rourkes8,. Time when of enter pilots to Avenger torpedo bomber the irney.ibecau8e of its fat profile slow i a and Clumsy Maneule ability we Corsair with its Long nose inverted in , a cockpit that sat Veronf of i Elther a ho6enose or hog which make iame the Bent wi"8 widow maker in Happy hour song fests. Dehn & the f8u� which Ade its v957 the Nav a aviator said an Hough u is now gaining Fame new a s a Mig killer in Vietnam i Tusl be reported that the ready room monday August 12, 1968 of Navy men called All sky raiders like this Short form for crusader comes through As the Antisubmarine tracker o Rourke says has a very conservative and proper performance no great Speed andean original designator As s2f. Accordingly it is the a transport version he adds was originally called the of trader but to Carrier sailors it was known As the be loved cod for Carrier inboard delivery of mail from Home another version of the Stoof having a huge radar dish atop its fuselage be came either a Fud Willie Fud or a Stoof with a Navy blimps at one time were known As the uninitiated the nicknames can Lead to conversations they do not understand. O Rourke recalls hearing recently of just such an Exchange. A Cru Driver told the tin Cloud to relay a re quest through superfund to the Carrie for a left handed Spad to help the scoot ers search out a target. Airmen have tagged the f104 Star fighter As the the stars and stripes Page 11
