History World War II Allied names for Japanese aircraft

a6m3-32 hamp fighters

mccoy s system caught on , spread other , allied units throughout pacific theater. end of 1942, american forces in pacific , east asia had begun using mccoy s system, , british commonwealth nations adopted system shortly thereafter. list included 122 names , used until end of world war ii. day, many western historical accounts of pacific war still use mccoy s system identify japanese aircraft.

in effort make names sound comical, mccoy gave many of aircraft hillbilly names, such zeke , rufe, had encountered while growing in tennessee. others given names of people creators of system knew personally; mitsubishi g4m bomber, large gun blisters named betty in homage busty female friend of williams. aichi d3a val got name australian army sergeant.

not of mccoy s chosen names caught on. many allied personnel continued calling mitsubishi navy type 0 carrier fighter 0 instead of mccoy s name of zeke. also, mccoy s name upgraded version of zero, hap, in tribute army general henry h. arnold, had changed hamp when learned arnold disapproved.