How did F117 get it's designation?

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Hi Group,


I've always wondered how he F117 got it's deignation number.

After all, we have the following:

F14, F15, F16, F18, the new F22.

How did it become 117.

I know that the USAF version was originally called the F110 Spectre.

But that was almost 50 years ago.

Same deal with the B2.

Who knows why?





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=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0ReeferGuy
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ReeferGuy wrote:


I've always wondered how he F117 got it's deignation number.
After all, we have the following:
F14, F15, F16, F18, the new F22.
How did it become 117.


For a history on U.S. military aircraft designation, see e.g.

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question...ry/q0012.shtml

As to why the F-117 doesn't fit into the scheme, see e.g.

http://www.designation-systems.net/u...html#_MDS_F117


Same deal with the B2.


Hey, a tough one ;-) ... The B-2 was the simply next bomber after B-1.

Andreas

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Long before the B1 and B2 there was the B52, B58, and B70.

That is why I asked.

Same deal as the fighters.

Thank you.





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=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0ReeferGuy
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=A0Live.=A0.=A0.=A0And=A0Let=A0Live





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ReeferGuy wrote:

Long before the B1 and B2 there was the B52, B58, and B70.
That is why I asked.
Same deal as the fighters.

Up to 1962, the Air Force, Army and Navy each used their own aircraft
designation systems. In 1962, they had to adopt a common system (because
SecDef McNamara said so). This was essentially the same as the former USAF
system, but most of the numbering sequences were restarted at -1.

In most series, the initial numbers were used for redesignating existing
Navy and Army aircraft under the new system. In the F-series, all numbers
except one between F-1 and F-11 were former Navy planes. The first new
fighter designation after 1962 was F-12 (for the YF-12A prototypes). The
F-series numbers -13 (missing) and up have been listed elsewhere in this
thread. It's the same for bombers - the old series had reached B-70, but
was then restarted. However, there were no Navy bombers to redesignate, and
therefore B-1 remained open for allocation to the first new bomber design
after 1962.

And, BTW, please don't omit the dash ... it just doesn't look good ;-).

Hope this helps!

Andreas

Long before the B1 and B2 there was the B52, B58, and B70.

That is why I asked.

Not long after fighters got north of 100, the USAF started over again.
Bombers followed not long after.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

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

In article , Cub Driver
wrote:

Long before the B1 and B2 there was the B52, B58, and B70.

That is why I asked.

Not long after fighters got north of 100, the USAF started over again.
Bombers followed not long after.


In what is mostly a comedy what-if, I picture some hotshot P-38 driver
hearing an F[1]-22 is nearby, and laughing at the idea of dogfighting an
antique until "WTF was THAT?"

[1] Yes, I know, I know, it should have been P-22, and F-22 would have
been a recon bird at the time. Still...

"ReeferGuy" wrote in message
...


I've always wondered how he F117 got it's deignation number.


Everybody does.



After all, we have the following:

F14, F15, F16, F18, the new F22.


Actually, we have F-14, F-15, F-16, F-18, and the new F-22.



How did it become 117.


There are several theories bouncing around the internet.



I know that the USAF version was originally called the F110 Spectre.


The USAF version of the F4H Phantom II was originally called F-110 Spectre.
The aircraft was ordered as the F-110A but was redesignated F-4C before
delivery. A tri-service designation system was adopted in 1962, essentially
the three services adopted the USAF sysytem and most series began
renumbering at -1.



Same deal with the B2.


The first new bomber after the new system was adopted was the Rockwell B-1
Lancer, the second was the Northrop B-2 Spirit. The next will be the B-3.

In article . net,
Steven P. McNicoll wrote:

F14, F15, F16, F18, the new F22.


Actually, we have F-14, F-15, F-16, F-18, and the new F-22.

Actually, all of the F- numbers are accounted for since the
great renumbering in 1962, except for F-13 and F-19. F-13
was skipped since Grumman didn't want the lucky number 13
for the Tomcat. We all know about the F-14, -15, and -16.
The F-17 the other airplane in the flyoff that lost to the
F-16. The Navy picked it up, and it evolved into the F-18.
The F-20 was the low-cost export airplane based on the F-5.
It failed to gain support, and died when the F-16 was
authorized to be given to 3rd world airforces. The F-21
was an Isrealie KFIR fighter that the US Navy used as an
aggressor prior to getting the F-16N. The F-22 is the
Raptor. The F-23 is the plane that lost to the F-22 in the
flyoff in the 90's.

The F-35 is another violation of the numbering scheme. It
should have been the XF-24 and XF-25 in the flyoff, but it
somehow got slotted into the X- experimental aircraft
numbering sequence as the X-32 and X-35. The X-35 won the
flyoff, and was given the program name of F-35.

-john-

--
================================================== ==================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ==================

"John A. Weeks III" wrote in message
...

The F-35 is another violation of the numbering scheme. It
should have been the XF-24 and XF-25 in the flyoff, but it
somehow got slotted into the X- experimental aircraft
numbering sequence as the X-32 and X-35. The X-35 won the
flyoff, and was given the program name of F-35.


The X-32 and X-35 were properly numbered as they were technology
demonstrators, not prototypes. The winner was to have become the F-24 but a
senior defense department official screwed up.

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:


The X-32 and X-35 were properly numbered as they were technology
demonstrators, not prototypes.


They were technology demonstrators, which were expected to be
developed directly into fighter prototypes. Therefore, the X-32/35
could have been properly designated as XF-24/25. Assuming that #25
would have been the winner, the JSF _prototypes_ would have become the
YF-25.

[prefix X = Experimental, Y = Prototype; it used to be different (X =
prototype, Y = service test), but this was changed decades ago]

Andreas