And how do they name planes?

It seems to be a collaborative effort between the manufacturer and the
air force. Then, after the uniformly awful names are applied, the
pilots and crews name it something else entirely.

This was always true to a certain extent. Famously, the P-47
Thunderbolt was the Jug. But it has accelerated as the official names
have become worse and worse.

Should we have a contest on worst plane name and best replacement?

Surely the worse plane name was the B-36 Peacemaker, intended to drop
two or more hydrogen bombs upon the Russians.

And the best replacement of course is the Warthog for the A-10
Thunderbolt II.

Another question: how long has it been since the pilots of a USAF
warplane called it by the name assigned to it by the bureaucracy?

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com