Buzz numbers were letter-number combinations displayed by United States Air Force military aircraft in the years immediately after World War II, through the early 1960s.
The first two letters of a buzz number indicated the type and designation of an aircraft while the last three were generally the last three digits of the aircraft serial number. If there was more than one aircraft of the same type with the same last three digits, the additional aircraft were given a sequence letter after the number, for example FS-143-A.
Air Force fighters used buzz numbers starting with the letter F (or P, when fighters were designated as "pursuit" aircraft before June 1948), while bombers started with the letter B. For example, a P-51 Mustang would have a buzz number such as FF-230 while an F-86 Sabre might be FU-910. A B-66 Destroyer would have a buzz number such as BB-222. One of the last Air Force fighters to carry a buzz number was the F-4 Phantom II (FJ), then called the F-110 Spectre by the Air Force.
List of buzz codes
This table lists U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army aircraft by buzz-number prefix. Note that some aircraft types changed prefixes during their career, while other prefixes were re-used after an earlier type was retired. Code name Manufacturer Aircraft Notes AA Douglas A-24/F-24 Banshee Andrade 1979, p. 249 AB Curtiss A-25 Shrike AC Douglas A-26 Invader recoded BC in 1948 AD Vultee A-31 Vengeance AE Convair XA-41 BA Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress BA Martin B-57 Canberra BB Douglas XB-19 BB Douglas B-66 Destroyer BC Consolidated B-24 Liberator BC Douglas B-26 Invader originally AC BD North American B-25 Mitchell BE North American B-45 Tornado recoded BH in 1948 BF Boeing B-29 Superfortress BG Consolidated B-32 Dominator BG Northrop XB-35 BH Lockheed B-37 Ventura BH North American B-45 Tornado originally BE BJ Boeing XB-39 Superfortress BK Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster BK Boeing B-50 Superfortress BL Boeing XB-44 Superfortress BM Convair B-36 Peacemaker CA Beechcraft CQ-3 Expeditor CA Douglas C-124 Globemaster II CB Beechcraft UC-43 Traveler CC Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor CD Curtiss C-46 Commando CE Douglas C-47 Skytrain CF Douglas C-48 CG Douglas C-49 CH Douglas C-53 Skytrooper CJ Douglas C-54 Skymaster CK Lockheed C-60 Lodestar CL Noorduyn UC-64 Norseman CM Lockheed C-69 Constellation CN Douglas C-74 Globemaster CP Cessna UC-78 Bobcat CP Convair C-131 Samaritan CQ Fairchild C-82 Packet CQ Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar CR Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express CS Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter/KC-97 Stratofreighter CT Convair XC-99 CU Douglas C-117 Skytrooper CV Douglas C-118 Liftmaster CW Lockheed C-121 Constellation CY Chase YC-122 Avitruc CZ Chase C-123 Provider Adcock 1992, p.7. CZ Fairchild C-123 Provider FA Beechcraft F-2 Expeditor cancelled 1948 FB Lockheed F-5 Lightning cancelled 1948 FC North American F-6 Mustang cancelled 1948, to FF FD Consolidated F-7 Liberator cancelled 1948 FE Boeing F-9 Flying Fortress cancelled 1948, to BA FF North American F-10 Mitchell cancelled 1948, to BD FG Boeing F-13 Superfortress cancelled 1948, to BF FH Northrop F-15 Reporter cancelled 1948, to FK F Northrop N-156F Johnsen 2006, p.10. FA Lockheed F-38 Lightning previously PA FA Lockheed F-94 Starfire FA Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter Johnsen 2006, p.6. FB Bell F-39 Airacobra previously PB FB McDonnell F-101 Voodoo FC Curtiss F-40 Warhawk previously PC FC Convair F-102 Delta Dagger FD Republic XF-103 FE Republic F-47 Thunderbolt previously PE FE Convair F-106 Delta Dart FF North American F-51 Mustang previously PF FG Lockheed F-104 Starfighter FH Republic F-105 Thunderchief FJ Bell F-59 Airacomet previously PJ FJ McDonnell F-110 Spectre FK Northrop F-61 Black Widow previously PK FL Bell F-63 Kingcobra previously PL FN Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star previously PL, recoded FT FP Convair XF-81 previously PP FQ North American F-82 Twin Mustang previously PQ FR Bell XF-83 previously PR FS Republic F-84 Thunderjet previously PS FT Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star previously PN, FN QFT Lockheed QF-80 Shooting Star FU North American F-86 Sabre previously PU FV Northrop Northrop F-89 Scorpion FW North American F-100 Super Sabre FX Lockheed YF-12 Blackbird Sgarlato 1979, p.82. Unofficial? FY North American YF-93 FY North American YF-95 recoded FU GA Waco PG-2 GB Waco PG-3 GC Waco CG-4 GD Laister-Kauffman XCG-10 Trojan Horse GE Waco CG-13 GF Chase YCG-14 GG Waco CG-15 GH Chase XCG-18 GJ Chase XCG-20 JT Cessna YAT-37D LA Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper LA Piper L-4 Grasshopper originally LC LB Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper LB Stinson L-5 Sentinel originally LD LC Piper L-4 Grasshopper recoded LA LC Aeronca L-16 originally LH LB Stinson L-5 Sentinel recoded LB LD Ryan L-17B/U-18B Navion See LJ for North American L-17A/C, U-18A/C LE Interstate L-6 Cadet LE Boeing L-15 Scout LE Piper L-18 Super Cub LF Piper L-14 LF Cessna L-19 Bird Dog LG Convair L-13 Grasshopper LG de Havilland Canada L-20 Beaver LH Aeronca L-16 recoded LC LH Piper L-21 Super Cub LJ North American L-17A/C, U-18A/C Navion See LD for Ryan L-17B, U-18B LJ Beechcraft L-23 Seminole LK Aero Commander L-26 OA Grumman OA-9 Goose OB Consolidated OA-10 Catalina OC North American O-47 OD Kellett YO-60 OE Boeing PB2B-1 Catalina PA Lockheed P-38 Lightning recoded FA in 1948 PB Bell P-39 Airacobra recoded FB in 1948 PC Curtiss P-40 Warhawk recoded FC in 1948 PD Curtiss XP-42 PE Republic P-47 Thunderbolt recoded FE in 1948 PF North American P-51 Mustang recoded FF in 1948 PG Curtiss XP-55 Ascender PH Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning PJ Bell P-59 Airacomet recoded FJ in 1948 PK Northrop P-61 Black Widow recoded FK in 1948 PL Bell P-63 Kingcobra recoded FL in 1948 PM Fisher P-75 Eagle PN Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star recoded FT in 1948 PP Convair XP-81 recoded FP in 1948 PQ North American P-82 Twin Mustang recoded FQ in 1948 PR Bell XP-83 recoded FR in 1948 PS Republic P-84 Thunderjet recoded FS in 1948 PU North American P-86 Sabre recoded FU in 1948 QF Piasecki H-21 Workhorse QK Culver Q-14 Cadet RF North American RF-51 Mustang TA North American AT-6 Texan LTA North American LT-6G Texan TB Beechcraft AT-7 Navigator TC Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan TC Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 Hooftman 1965, p.59. TC Convair TF-102 Delta Dagger Kinzey 1990, p.17. TD Fairchild AT-21 Gunner TD Beechcraft T-34 Mentor BTE Vultee BT-13 Valiant TE Cessna T-37 Tweet PTF Boeing PT-13 Kaydet TF North American TF-51 Mustang TF Northrop T-38 Talon Johnsen 2006, p.58. TG Boeing PT-17 Kaydet TG Lockheed TF-104 Starfighter TG North American T-39 Sabreliner TH Fairchild PT-19 TJ Culver PQ-8 Cadet TK Culver PQ-14 Cadet TL North American T-28 Trojan TP Convair T-29 Flying Classroom TQ Fairchild T-31 TR Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star UG de Havilland Canada U-6 Beaver Swanborough and Bowers 1989, p.43. UH Piper U-7 Super Cub UK Aero Commander U-4/U-9 YF North American YF-93 YT Cessna YAT-37D
See also Tail code United States military aircraft serials
References Citations
Bibliography
Further reading
External links Aerofiles Buzz Numbers & Tail Codes