Number of Fins. Figure 22 shows the fin combinations that you will most likely see on
combat aircraft.
Learning Event 5: NAMES AND NUMERICAL DESIGNATIONS OF
AIRCRAFT
All countries, whether or not they manufacture aircraft, have their own system for
naming and numbering aircraft. The United States and the Soviet Union's systems are
shown here as examples.
United States
No standard system is used for naming US aircraft. Some aircraft, like the F-111, are not
named. Some helicopters have been named for Indian tribes: Apache, Iroquois, and
Kiowa are examples. Some fixed-wing aircraft have the same name as famous aircraft of
yesteryear, such as the Corsair and Thunderbolt. US aircraft use a letter-number
designation which indicates the aircraft role and a series number as shown in Figure 23.
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