Rubbish Names!

[ShotOne]

Rivet Joint! ...eh? From the nation which built the Devastator, Hellcat and Thunder Warrior. Why are we buying aircraft with such rubbish names?

[5 Forward 6 Back]

Do you think Devastator, Hellcat or Thunder Warrior would be good names for a medium-level sigint aircraft based on a 50-year old airliner....? :E

[NutLoose]

How about the

Eneh Mk1. Named after Nimrods Spouse

Any add ons could go in the Eneh pod.. That should get things moving :p

[Herod]

from a "Carry On" film. "My name is Hengist Pod, and this is my wife Senna"

[thing]

good names for a medium-level sigint aircraft based on a 50-year old airliner....?

How about 'Rivet Joint: I Hope So'

[Sun Who]

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_RC-135 if you want to see some of the funky names the US has come up with variants of the KC135 over the years.

Sun.

[VX275]

Their Airships presumably also don't like the name Rivet Joint, so in RAF service it will be known as Airseeker. (an equally rubbish name IMHO).

[WhiteOvies]

I'm not fond of the designation Lightning 2 particularly - hence on this site at least Dave is popular. For an aircraft that hovers, sticking to a bird of prey is good but all the hovering ones (Kestrel, Harrier and Osprey) have already been used.

Matching decent names to aircraft does seem to be tricky, whilst I like the nod to FAA history the name Avenger for the King Airs at Culdrose is somewhat at odds with the role.

For RC-135 perhaps some sort of vulture would have been appropriate...

[gr4techie]

Devastator, Hellcat and Thunder Warrior.

Chipmunk.

Mentioning that name must have stuck fear into the cold hearts of the Ruskies.

[Pontius Navigator]

Chipmunk.

Mentioning that name must have stuck fear into the cold hearts of the Ruskies.

Well a Cessna F172P did so every reason for them to worry about the Chipmunk.

[SomeGuyOnTheDeck]

In the good old days, they would have come up with something much more appropriate. Consider for example the Beardmore Inflexible:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Beardmore_Inflexible_Norwich.png/640px-Beardmore_Inflexible_Norwich.png

Wikipedia: Beardmore Inflexible - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beardmore_Inflexible)

[Easy Street]

For an aircraft that hovers, sticking to a bird of prey is good but all the hovering ones (Kestrel, Harrier and Osprey) have already been used.

That got me thinking, so I turned to Google, and it turns out that buzzards occasionally hover. I don't think there's been a military 'Buzzard', and it would have been quite an appropriate choice because only some varieties can hover, and even then they mostly use a bit of headwind to help:). Trouble is the Americans call buzzards 'hawks' so it would get quite confusing; in the States a 'buzzard' is a vulture....

[mr fish]

but but..RJ himself thought SPITFIRE was a rubbish name......just saying!!

[Rigga]

My bet's on the next BAES offering for a pretentious Air Force with no money....











The 211-Rubber-Band powered Fuzzy-Felt & Velcro Frightener!

[Sir George Cayley]

Pop Rivet?

SGC

[Tankertrashnav]

I was always puzzled by the Canadians' choice of the name Cormorant for their Merlin variant, given that the bird spends a lot of its time diving underwater - not a practice to be recommended in a helicopter :eek:

[CoffmanStarter]

IMHO ... the name Reaper stinks :ugh:

[bingofuel]

Were chipmunks not used during the cold war, based in Berlin, where they conducted covert surveillance over the other side of the wall?

[ericferret]

Martinsyde Buzzard, would have replaced the Camel/SE5A and others in 1919 had the war continued.

Camel now that name must have had the Germans laughing fit to bust, maybe that was when it sneaked in and shot them down thereby giving them the hump..

Then you had it's stable mate the Salamander a slippy creature for ground attack.

Cuckoo laying it's eggs in other peoples nests.
Sopwith seems to have had it's share of naff names.

The worst are when the designers haven't a clue and just add a two. i.e Thunderbolt 2.

[CoffmanStarter]

Bingo ... the Chipmunk was also used in Cyprus on the Front Line. In fact WG846 of the BBMF served both in Crprus and Gatow :ok:

[NutLoose]

Well you could pay a homage to its role as an ELINT and COMINT Aircraft and as its going to be based in the Western Europe

WESCINT Mk 1

[airborne_artist]

I have it on good authority that many a Soviet general became a gibbering wreck at the mere mention of the Wiggins Aerodyne in the SF role :E

[TEEEJ]

ShotOne,

See following for Rivet and other designations.

Rivet USAF Headquarters; ELINT/ECM programs

U.S. Military Code Names (http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/codenames.html)

U.S. Military Code Names (http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/codenames.html#_Sources)

Code Name Listing - R (http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/names/r.html)

From

Designation-Systems.Net (http://www.designation-systems.net/)

[ShotOne]

If its any consolation the RN seem to have lost the knack of coming up with good names as well. We've had Warspite, Battleaxe, now its HMS Duncan.....Duncan? Why name a ship after an unlamented ancient monarch who was murdered in his bed?

[airborne_artist]

HMS Beaver, now that was a good name :E

[NutLoose]

Mind you they got the Carrier Prince of Wales name correct, especially after the debate over how they should finally put the configuration to bed, a bit like his married life..


Expecting a knock at the door :O

[Sloppy Link]

Lynx Mk10.....sorry, Wildcat.

[gr4techie]

Were chipmunks not used during the cold war, based in Berlin, where they conducted covert surveillance over the other side of the wall?

So that'll be more capable than the F-35, then?

[Surplus]

Not content with the name Rivet Joint?

how about Buck-tail Spliff?

[Arm out the window]

What about 'Blessed are the Big Noses'?

[Il Duce]

For flight planning purposes, the four character abbreviation of Air Seeker will comprise the first and third letters of Air and the first and third letters of Seeker.

[Wensleydale]

I had a go at a chap from Waddington about the name "Air Seeker". His response was that "Air Seeker" is the name for the whole system including aircraft, ground platforms etc, while the aircraft will retain the name "Rivet Joint" much in the same way as "ASTOR" and "Sentinel". I do not know enough about Air Seeker to know if this is the case, but....... that is what I was told.

[Waddo Plumber]

Air Seeker sounds like someone who has dived too deep

[TheWizard]

Their Airships presumably also don't like the name Rivet Joint, so in RAF service it will be known as Airseeker. (an equally rubbish name IMHO).

Wrong, I'm afraid.

It will still be called Rivet Joint. The project is called Project Airseeker.

Ring 51 Sqn if you don't believe me!! :ok:

Edit: Always read the previous posts!!

[Surplus]

As 'Dave' seems very popular, what about naming the RJ in a similar way?

I suggest 'Walt' :E

[dubbleyew eight]

looks like it is destined for fame

"we're calling it the Spitfire"
"what a rubbish name"-Mitchell.

tell them the Rivet Joint will be known universally as "the bong"
if they stop smoking it they will come up with a decent name.

[Just This Once...]

The project is called Project Airseeker.

This is true and draws its project name from an MoD grouping that includes Project LANDSEEKER and Project SEASEEKER.

[BEagle]

As 'Dave' seems very popular...

I thought that stupid, spotter-ish 'Dave' nonsense had run its course.

[RedhillPhil]

HMS Beaver, now that was a good name :E

Imagine serving on Gay Cavalier and having that on your cap band.........

[Phoney Tony]

How about following on in a current theme:

SENTRY
SENTINEL
SENILE

[TEEEJ]

As from 1st April 2010 Helix will be known as Airseeker

http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1011/hc04/0489/0489_ii.pdf

Drop the 'Air' and it would fit in with other types based at RAF Waddington.

Sentry
Shadow
Sentinel
Seeker

[ricardian]

Back in the 60s (or was it the 70s?) the RN had a piece of kit with the official nickname "Shy Talk". I wonder how they got that past the censors?

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Imagine serving on Gay Cavalier and having that on your cap band.........

Especially rocking up to the bar with an oppo from GAY BRUISER :ok:

[Roland Pulfrew]

Rubbish Names!

Voyager!! :yuk:

[VX275]

It will still be called Rivet Joint. The project is called Project Airseeker
Oh dear, and there was I thinking they'd changed the name to stop me calling it Loose Rivet.:rolleyes:

[Thomas coupling]

Costing £1000,000,000 each. Capable of tracking 300 targets at one time and engaging 30 of them with surface to air missiles. And they call one of the new Type 45 Destroyers: DUNCAN:D

[Lightning Mate]

I'm not fond of the designation Lightning 2

Nor me - that p****s me and a few others off!

This is a Lightning 2:

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/Lightning2_zpse9b64c9d.jpg

[melmothtw]

I'm not fond of the designation Lightning 2 particularly - hence on this site at least Dave is popular. For an aircraft that hovers, sticking to a bird of prey is good but all the hovering ones (Kestrel, Harrier and Osprey) have already been used.


So has Lightning, hence the '2' they stuck on at the end.


Quote:
I'm not fond of the designation Lightning 2
Nor me - that p****s me and a few others off!

This is a Lightning 2:


It's the Lightning 2 for both the UK and US, as it's the second aircraft that has carried the name for each of them respectively. The RAF didn't operate the P-38, and the USAF didn't operate the English Electric variant. Is that not obvious?

[dagenham]

We did operate the p38.... But typically procurment made a horlicks by asking the yanks to remove the turbo chargers and fitting left and right handed props to avoid torque issues that were really non existent.

So rather than a lightining it became a low voltage energy efficent bulb...and we gave them back where they became trainers

[melmothtw]

Yep, like I said, the RAF didn't operate the P-38.

[WhiteOvies]

melmothw,

Absolutely obvious, as is the fact that the first UK F-35 was ZM135, compared to the first Lightning F1 XM135.

I still don't particularly like it, but haven't heard it called anything much else yet. BEagle, your point is noted!

[melmothtw]

I was told some time back by LM officials that Mustang 2 and Spitfire 2 were both considered (although the latter wouldn't really have worked from a US perspective), but both these names were eventually deemed sacrosanct and placed off-limits.

[WhiteOvies]

You'd probably have to pay Ford to use Mustang these days....

I am not a fan of re-using any name and sticking a 2 after it, but original names seem to be running out, hence the plethora of rubbish names on this thread!

[gr4techie]

Quote:
It will still be called Rivet Joint. The project is called Project Airseeker
Oh dear, and there was I thinking they'd changed the name to stop me calling it Loose Rivet.

They should make a Naval version... The Golden Rivet.

[Wetstart Dryrun]

There is only one English Electric 'Bryant & May' Lightning

regards

wets

[Agaricus bisporus]

Air Seeker sounds like someone who has dived too deep
Is this by any chance connected with Beaver?

[WhiteOvies]

Techie - I'm sure AOC 2 Grp would be most upset at the suggestion of sending his newest old toy to sea! Seeker would fit with the other S models at Waddo as noted above.

No-one adds the 2 to Typhoon so I expect the 2 to drop off Lightning when it gets to Marham.

[melmothtw]

No-one adds the 2 to Typhoon so I expect the 2 to drop off Lightning when it
gets to Marham.

I wouldn't count on it. The only reason there is no Typhoon 2 is because one (possibly two) of the partner nations has a very 'chequered' history with the Typhoon 1, and it was deemed expedient to drop the '2' out of tact.

Having said that, will be interesting to see how the Japanese take to the Lightning 2 moniker....(although I guess they can say they're following the English Electric name-lineage).

[orgASMic]

The Germans, Italians, Spanish and French all operated the Me Bf 108 Taifun in the 1940s, so Typhoon 2 would have fitted nicely, though the role is slightly different. The RAF had a slack handful as well, apparently.

[melmothtw]

The Germans, Italians, Spanish and French all operated the Me Bf 108 Taifun
in the 1940s, so Typhoon 2 would have fitted nicely, though the role is slightly
different. The RAF had a slack handful as well, apparently.


I didn't know that orgASMic, so yes I suppose that Typhoon 2 would have fitted in that context. My understanding is that the Germans had no say over the Typhoon name, and were happily calling their aircraft the EF2000 until they were hit with a UK-led fait accompli. Initially, they were none too happy and were having none of it, but pragmatism (EF2000 was going to sound dated very quickly) and an acceptance that it is a pretty decent name won through.

[Herod]

You military guys have it easy. The poor old civvie is stuck (for the time being) with Boeing DREAMLINER :yuk:

[Onceapilot]

Some poor names on major projects today. Mind you, some get renamed in common use like, Fat-Albert and, what was the AW Argosy sometimes called.....?

OAP

[dagenham]

Well the raf did operate the p38 only for a short time...google is your friend

The japanese have also had a number of lightning.... The world tranlates to shinden.... Their first jetfighter, a poor mans me262 was called shinden and kikka

[gr4techie]

Does someone get paid a Wg Cdr salary to sit in an office and think up these names? If so how do you get that crazy job?

My favourite for comedy value are the old rainbow codes, which look like a two random words plucked out a tombola.

- Violet Vision
- Green Porridge
- Orange Poodle
- Green Janet

List of Rainbow Codes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Codes)

I've always thought Yellow Sun was a well suited name to a nuclear weapon.. "Have some yellow sun, cold hearted Ruskies!" :-) If we get our nuclear deterrent back I would like to suggest the name Sandy coloured Glass.

[Martin the Martian]

"The Germans, Italians, Spanish and French all operated the Me Bf 108 Taifun in the 1940s, so Typhoon 2 would have fitted nicely, though the role is slightly different. The RAF had a slack handful as well, apparently."

The RAF impressed three Bf 108s into service on the outbreak of war, naming them Aldon apparently after the local BFW-Messerschmitt rep, J. H. Aldington. One of them was the German embassy's aircraft, which had suffered nails being put through its tyres at Croydon only hours after Chamberlain's radio broadcast on 3 September. While it was being ferried to its RAF user it force-landed in a field, whereupon the crew were apprehended by the local bobby as spies. We also managed to pick up one or two second hand Taifuns over the next few years.

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Regarding the F35 of various suffix letters. are they pre-supposing that there will only be a single Mark? Lightning II (or Lightning 2) MK2 looks a bit daft. Anyway, if it's primary function will be mud moving, shouldn't we name the British machines after some American town? The Lockheed Martin Quahog has a certain ring to it.

[Union Jack]

If its any consolation the RN seem to have lost the knack of coming up with good names as well. We've had Warspite, Battleaxe, now its HMS Duncan.....Duncan? Why name a ship after an unlamented ancient monarch who was murdered in his bed?
Appreciating that OneShot could be trolling, it's probably because the Ships' Names and Badges Committee named DUNCAN after Admiral Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan, the victor of the battle of Camperdown in October 1797, which is generally regarded as being one of the most significant naval actions in history.

That said, I always rather liked some of the names that were used for the immediate post war DARING Class, but have not been perpetuated with the Type 45s. These included names such as DUCHESS and DECOY, and indeed DIANA (the Huntress), given that the last name was probably discarded for PC reasons, whilst the orders for DEMON, DERVISH, DESIRE, DESPERATE, DISDAIN - and DRUID! - amongst others, were cancelled.

Jack

[gr4techie]

GBZ

Its called Lightning 2 because thats the amount we can only afford to buy. Two of them.

[Davef68]

At the risk of upsetting the Naval chaps, 'Avenger' for a Observer trainer seems a tad overstated! Mind you, we now have three names for the different King Air derivatives in the UK service.

'Air Seeker' and 'Atlas' could both lend themselves to rather unfortunate phonetic sobriquiets.

And Voyager has rather grown on me....

[Union Jack]

And Voyager has rather grown on me....

A somewhat curious coincidence further to my post above, VOYAGER was the name of one of the three DARING Class destroyers built for the Royal Australian Navy.

Sadly, VOYAGER sank with the loss of 82 lives, following a collision with HMAS MELBOURNE during the night of 10 February 1964 off Jervis Bay NSW when she was passing ahead of the carrier, for which she was acting as plane guard.

Jack

[ShotOne]

Most impressed by your magnificent digressions, union jack. No wasnt trolling, just never bleedin eard of 'im...but thanks to your post, belatedly become an expert on the fine Adm Duncan I feel his exploits at the blockade of Texel topped the battle you mentioned. Having been deserted by most of his fleet due to mutiny he signalled his few ships to anchor such that even if all were sunk, the channel to the Dutch base would remain sealed...Still think its a rubbish name though!

[1.3VStall]

Lightning Mate,

Just catching up on this thread (overseas commitments). Love the FMk2 piccie, but why the dead dolphin squadron?:{