This
list of military aircraft of the United States includes prototype, pre-production, and operational types. Prototypes are normally prefixed with "X" and rarely have names, while pre-production models are usually prefixed "Y".
Attack
Old system, Army Air Corps/Army Air Force/Air Force:
Navy:
Unified system, after 1962:
Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW)
Bomber
Old system, Army Air Corps/Army Air Force/Air Force:
Navy:
Unified system, after 1962:
Cargo/Transport
Old system, Army Air Corps/Force; Air Force
Navy:
Unified system, after 1962:
Cargo Helicopter
Electronic
Fighter
Navy, from 1922 (alpha by Navy-assigned mfgr letter)
- Brewster F2A
- Brewster F3A - Brewster version of Corsair
- FB[?] - Boeing
- F2B-1[?] - Boeing
- F3B Seahawek[?] - Boeing
- F4B[?] - Boeing
- F5B naval designation of Boeing XP-15[?]
- F6B[?] - Boeing
- F7B[?] - Boeing
- F8B[?] - Boeing
- FC, F2C, F3C paper designation of racers
- F4C[?] - Curtiss
- F5C skipped
- F6C Hawk[?] - Curtiss
- F7C Seahawk[?] - Curtiss
- F8C Falcon[?] - Curtiss
- F8C-2 Helldiver[?] - Curtiss, different from F8C-1 and F8C-3
- F9C Sparrowhawk[?] - Curtiss
- F10C Helldiver[?] - Curtiss, modified F8C-2
- F11C Goshawk[?] - Curtiss Hawk II or Goshawk, redesig BFC
- Curtiss F12C[?] - Curtiss, became SBC
- F13C[?] - Curtiss
- F14C[?] - Curtiss contra-rotating propellors
- F15C[?] - Curtiss jet + turboprop
- FD[?] - Douglas
- F2D Banshee[?] - Douglas, later redesignated F2H
- F3D Skyknight[?] - Douglas
- F4D Skyray[?] - Douglas
- F5D Skylancer[?] - Douglas, semi-operational
- F6D Missileer[?] - Douglas
- FF Fifi[?] - biplane, first Navy fighter by Grumman
- F2F[?] - Grumman
- F3F[?] - Grumman
- F4F Wildcat[?] - Grumman
- XF5F Skyrocket[?] - Grumman twin-engine carrier-based fighter prototype
- F6F Hellcat[?] - Grumman
- F7F Tigercat[?] - Grumman
- F8F Bearcat[?] - Grumman
- F9F Cougar[?] - (Panther variant) Grumman
- F9F Panther[?] - Grumman
- XF10F Jaguar[?] - Grumman variable-wing prototype
- F11F Tiger[?] - Grumman, first supersonic aircraft in Navy
- F12F - Grumman, proposed all-weather interceptor
- Eberhart FG, F2G
- Goodyear FG - Goodyear version of Corsair with fixed wings
- Goodyear F2G - proposed low-altitude Corsair
- Hall FH
- FH Phantom[?] - McDonnell
- F2H Banshee - McDonnell, later F-2
- F3H Demon - McDonnell, later F-3
- F4H Phantom II[?] - McDonnell, later F-4
- FJ[?] - Berliner-Joyce
- F2J[?] - Berliner-Joyce, P-16 in AAC
- FJ-1 Fury[?] - North American
- FL - Loening
- FL Airabonita[?] - Bell, USN version of P-39
- F2L Kingcobra[?] - Bell, USN version of P-63
- General Motors FM[?] - GM version of Wildcat
- FM Wildcat[?] - General Motors built version of F4F
- F2M Wildcat[?] - General Motors built version of F4F, different engine to FM
- F3M[?] - General Motors built version of F8F
- Seversky FN
- FO Lightning - Lockheed, USN version of P-38
- FR1 Fireball[?] - Ryan
- F2R Dark Shark[?] - Ryan
- FT[?] - Northrop, USN A-17 derived design
- F2T Black Widow[?] - Northrop, USN trainer version of P-61
- FU, F2U, F3U
- F4U Corsair - Chance Vought
- XF5U[?] - Chance Vought's "flying pancake", built but never flown
- F6U Pirate[?] - Chance Vought
- F7U Cutlass[?] - Chance Vought
- F8U Crusader[?] - Chance Vought
- Lockheed FV
- F2W[?] - Wright
- F3W Apache[?] - Wright
- FY Pogo[?] - Convair
- F2Y Sea Dart[?] - Convair
Air Force, from 1948
Unified system, from 1962
Tanker
Observation
Orbiter Vehicle
Patrol
Pursuit
Pursuit Aircraft of the US Army Air Service/Corps/Force, 1918-1948.
After formation of US Air Force (USAF), all "P" designations were changed to "F" while retaining number.
Initially, "PW" was used to indicate "Pursuit, Water-cooled engine".
List in numerical order of designations:
- PW-8[?] - Curtiss
- PW-9[?] - Boeing, FB in navy
- P-1 Hawk[?] - Curtiss, derived from PW-8; US Navy designation was F6C
- P-2 Hawk[?] - Curtiss
- P-3 Hawk[?] - Curtiss
- P-4[?] - Boeing
- P-5 Superhawk[?] - Curtiss
- P-6 Hawk[?] - Curtiss, derived from P-1
- XP-7[?] - Boeing
- XP-8[?] - Boeing
- XP-9[?] - Boeing
- XP-10[?] - Curtiss
- P-11 Hawk[?] - Curtiss
- P-12[?] - Boeing, F4B in Navy
- XP-13[?]
- XP-14[?] - Curtiss
- XP-15[?] - Boeing
- P-16[?] - Berliner-Joyce, F2J to Navy
- XP-17[?] - Curtiss
- XP-18[?] - Curtiss
- XP-19[?] - Curtiss
- YP-20[?] - Curtiss, derived from P-6
- XP-21[?] - Curtiss
- XP-22[?] - derived from P-6
- XP-23[?] - Curtiss
- YP-24[?] - Lockheed
- Y1P-25[?] - Consolidated
- P-26[?] - Boeing "Peashooter" monoplane
- XP-27[?] - Consolidated
- XP-28[?] - Consolidated
- F7B[?] - Boeing, modified F7B
- P-30[?] - Consolidated, aka PB-2A
- XP-31[?] - Curtiss
- XP-32[?] - Boeing
- XP-33[?] - Consolidated
- XP-34[?] - Wedell-Williams
- P-35[?] - Seversky
- P-36[?] - Curtiss Model 75A, radial engine
- YP-37[?] - Curtiss Model 75I, in-line engine
- P-38 Lightning - Lockheed, twin-engine twin-boom
- P-39 Airacobra[?] - Bell, engine mounted behind pilot
- P-40 - Curtiss, Tomahawk (P-40A to P-40C), Kittyhawk (P-40D to P-40M), Warhawk (P-40N to P-40Q)
- XP-41[?] - Seversky, derived from Seversky P-35
- XP-42[?] - Curtiss P-36 with experimental engine cowlings
- P-43 Lancer[?] - Republic, derived from XP-41
- P-44 Rocket[?] - cancelled
- P-45 designation changed to P-39C
- XP-46[?] - Curtiss
- P-47 Thunderbolt - Republic
- XP-48[?] - Douglas
- XP-49[?] - Lockheed, derived from P-38
- XP-50[?] - Grumman, derived from US Navy XF5F
- P-51 Mustang - North American, originally for export to Britain
- XP-52[?] - Bell, twin-boom pusher configuration, never built
- XP-53[?] - Curtiss P-40 with laminar-flow wing, cancelled during construction
- XP-54[?] - Vultee, twin-boom pusher configuration
- XP-55 Ascender[?] - Curtiss, flying-wing configuration with pusher engine
- XP-56[?] - Northrop, tail-less with pusher engine, magnesium construction
- XP-57[?] - Tucker, cancelled before construction
- XP-58[?] - Lockheed, another twin-engine, twin-boom
- P-59 Airacomet[?] - Bell, 1st American aircraft powered by jet engine
- YP-60[?] - Curtiss
- P-61 Black Widow[?] - Northrop
- XP-62[?] - Curtiss
- P-63 Kingcobra[?] - Bell, engine again mounted behind pilot
- P-64[?] - North American, intended for export, but used by USAAF as fighter trainer
- XP-65[?] - Grumman, derived from XP-50
- P-66 Vanguard[?] - Vultee, intended for export, but used by USAAF as fighter trainer
- XP-67[?] - McDonnell
- XP-68[?] - Vultee
- XP-69[?] - Republic
- P-70 Havoc[?] - Douglas, "Havoc" night-fighter derived from A-20
- XP-71[?] - Curtiss
- XP-72[?] - Republic
- XP-73[?] - mysterious Hughes project
- P-74 skipped
- P-75 Eagle[?] - Fisher division of General Motors
- XP-76[?] - Bell
- XP-77[?] - Bell, lightweight fighter of wooden construction
- XP-78 - North American, changed to XP-51B during construction
- XP-79[?], Northrop
- P-80/F-80 Shooting Star - Lockheed, turbo-jet engine
- XP-81[?] - Convair, turbo-prop + turbo-jet engines
- P-82/F-82 Twin Mustang[?] - North American
- XP-83[?] - Bell, two jet engines
Drone
Reconnaissance
Trainer
Utility
Vertical Take off and Landing
Experimental
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