Imperial Japanese Aircraft Name Primer -Betty, Zeke, Rufe, Zero, Mavis, Emily,

Japanese Aircraft Name Primer:

If you have ever wondered why the Allies gave the Japanese planes male and female names here is the basic logic behind it:

Transmitting actual Japanese plane types could be very confusing among multi-national combat forces, especially in the heat of battle,

so a simple naming convention was created:

Single-engine Japanese planes were called male names like "Zeke",

Rufe", etc. But names didn't always follow this logic, as "Zero" was named after the Japanese calendar year it was created.

Multi-engine Japanese planes were given female names like "Mavis",

"Emily" and "Betty". An Imperial Navy Kawanishi H8K2 was "Emily"

However both Japan and the Allies had a wide variety of planes that could be mistaken for one another so visual sightings were still difficult.

Did you know:

Japan invaded and

occupied American

territory?

(Alaska)

Japan bombed and shelled the U.S. mainland?

(Oregon and California)

Japan bombed

Hawaii a second time?

(March, 1942)

Did you know: Japan invaded and occupied American territory? (Alaska) Japan bombed and shelled the U.S. mainland? (Oregon and California) Japan bombed Hawaii a second time? (March, 1942) (Read On…) Japanese Aircraft Name Primer: If you have ever wondered why the Allies gave the Japanese planes male and female names here is the basic logic behind it: Transmitting actual Japanese plane types could be very confusing among multi-national combat forces, especially in the heat of battle, so a simple naming convention was created: Single-engine Japanese planes were called male names like "Zeke", Rufe", etc. But names didn't always follow this logic, as "Zero" was named after the Japanese calendar year it was created. Multi-engine Japanese planes were given female names like "Mavis", "Emily" and "Betty". An Imperial Navy Kawanishi H8K2 was "Emily" However both Japan and the Allies had a wide variety of planes that could be mistaken for one another so visual sightings were still difficult.