Japan
Imperial Japanese Army
Rikugun
Aircraft Code Names & Designations
1927 - 1945
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IJA aircraft designations consisted of the following data:
- Manufacturer: Common name of aircraft manufacturer from which the aircraft design originated.
- Project Designation: Starting in 1932, experimental and developmental aircraft were given a short title
(Ki Go, symbols; and Ryaku Go, codes; or "project designation"); this consisted of
"Ki" (Kitai, airframe) and a number drawn from a chronological list. Some aircraft still in use
when this system was instigated had a "Ki" number assigned retroactively. Kitai numbers were initially
assigned in sequence, but, starting in 1944, were deliberately assigned out of sequence for disinformation purposes.
This is the most likely explanation for gaps in the higher number range. Gliders were assigned a "Ku"
(Guraida, glider) designation, and rotary-winged aircraft a "Ka" (Kaitenyokuko, rotating
wing) designation. Major design modifications were signified with either a Roman numeral (I, II, III, etc.) or the
'KAI' suffix, from Kaizo (modification). Additional minor modifications were signified with one of the
following suffixes: Ko, Otsu, Hei, Tei, Bo, Mi; roughly equivalent to the English a, b, c, d, e, f. Examples include
Ki-27-Ko (Ki-27a), Ki-67-IIa and Ki-45KAIb.
- Official Designation: Aircraft which entered service were given an official designation (Seishiki Meisho, official or accepted designation). This consisted
of a Type number made up of (usually) the last two digits of the Japanese calendar year
in which the aircraft was accepted. After the Japanese year 2,599 (1939), aircraft accepted during the year 2,600
(1940) were designated Type 100, but thereafter only the last (single) digit of the year was used (i.e., Type 1 for
2,601 [1941]). This type designation was then followed by a description of the plane's role. If several different
aircraft with the same role were accepted in the same year, the Type number was suffixed with an additional number,
depending on order of acceptance (i.e., Type 97-1 Fighter, Type 97-2 Fighter, etc.).
- Popular Name: Some aircraft were assigned popular names, which made it easier to refer to them in public
without indicating their designation(s) (as this could give away how many and what type(s) of aircraft had been built
- the popular name was never associated with any of the designations during the war; most factory workers, aircrew,
etc. did not know the designations of their aircraft, other than perhaps the "Type" number).
- Allied Code Name: Code name assigned by the Allied forces (specifically, the Materiel Section of the
Directorate of Intelligence, Allied Air Forces, Southwest Pacific Area) to make it easier for pilots to identify
Japanese aircraft (as many times the Japanese designations were not known). Generally, fighters and floatplanes were
assigned male names; bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, flying boats and other miscellaneous aircraft were assigned
female names, with transport aircraft having names starting with "T;" trainers were given names of trees
and gliders were named after birds.
© 1997-2005, Robert Beechy
http://fire.prohosting.com/hud607/uncommon/reference/japan/ija.html
Originally posted 1998
Modified: 01/01/2005
