F-35 Unofficial nickname

Greetings from the Fighting Falcon Nest!

Now that we have all come to accept the official nickname of the F-35, are there any good names out there for an unofficial nickname? i.e. Viper, Warthog, Mudhen.

Going back to the debate before the official release two years ago, I think Phoenix would be a great name. I am also fond Mongoose; although a bird is probably more appropriate. And, since mongoose (pl.) are capable of killing venomous snakes (vipers), then maybe that isn't the best idea.

In addition, would there be (3) different names for the (3) different versions?

Related forum posts:

• US Air Force names F-35 Lightning II
• Final unofficial poll on the F-35 name
• F-35 Joint Strike Fighter nickname poll
• F-35 name assumptions

CTOL-Hawk (AF likes birds, Eagle, Falcon, Raptor), STOVL-Kite (hovering falcon, much like the Harrier), CV-Wasp (to work with the Hornet). lol.

No, I don't know. Phantom III? The F-4 Phantom II was the last multirole aircraft to serve with AF, Navy, Marines, RAF, RN. And those airframes where a LOT more common than the F-35.

SLUF: Short Little Ugly Fu*ker. The F-35 is more alike an A-7 than a Phantom, and was just as ugly yet functional.

Possibly "Cream-puff" when it comes up against the F-22.

I can hear the audio now:

F-35 driver: ???
F-22 driver: ???
F-35 driver: ????
F-22 driver: ????
F-35 driver: ?????
AWACS: ??? Let's knock it off and set up another one, guns only if you got 'em. Turn your "nubs" on please.

regards, OL

Since its real name is Lightning how about Thunder, or "The F-35 Thunderbird" I like it.

And considering how loud it is Thunderbird is better suited than lightning anyway.

I guess if we call the F-35 "SLUF" then we gotta call the B-2 "BUFF". Point is, we need to come up with an original nickname for the new jet. The SLUF will always be the A-7 and the BUFF will always be the B-52.

We're not the Navy; we can come up with an original name for the new jet if we try hard enough. Sooner or later someone intimate with the new jet will come up with a good nickname. Until then, I think I'll call it "Fishbed Jr." due to its foward-hinged canopy.

Really, Lightning is hard to top and fits with the heritage of BAE and Lockheed Martin. Further, such a name easily translates into many different languages.........Which, considering the international partnership is ideal.

That said, I personally liked "Hurricane" Which, would be a good match for Typhoon when you think about.... As both are basically a name for a same type of power storm. Just different names for different parts of the world.

LMAO,

Obamanite and Outlaw162 both get the post of the day award.

True comparison, Ob, of the functional F-35 with the A-7, imo and Outlaw162... I have to tell you, one of my all time fav slang designators is 'Cream-puff', so I'd accept that one with flying colors. (maybe Puffy, for short?)

SLUF: Short Little Ugly Fu*ker. The F-35 is more alike an A-7 than a Phantom, and was just as ugly yet functional.

That would have been the F-32

How about Banshee … wailing and death is what she (F-35) was designed for.

Plus it’s in line with the current Yamaha Quad lineup (example Raptor)

Banshees in history, mythology and folklore

If someone hears the banshee, someone they know will die. Traditionally, when a citizen of an Irish village died, a woman would sing a lament (in Irish: caoineadh, [ˈkiːnʲə] or [ˈkiːnʲuː], "caoin" meaning "to weep, to wail") at their funeral. These women singers are sometimes referred to as "keeners" and the best keeners would be in much demand. Legend has it that, for five great Gaelic families: the O'Gradys, the O'Neills, the O'Briens, the O'Connors, and the Kavanaghs, the lament would be sung by a fairy woman; having foresight, she would sing the lament when a family member died, even if the person had died far away and news of their death had not yet come, so that the wailing of the banshee was the first warning the household had of the death.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banshee

All the good names of flying things are taken. But here is my official entry.

F-35A: Fighting Canary
F-35B: Butterfly
F-35C: Mud Dauber

Ok, maybe I'll think some more about it...

All the good names of flying things are taken. But here is my official entry.

F-35A: Fightin Canary
F-35B: Butterfly
F-35C: Mud Dauber

Ok, maybe I'll think some more about it...

VarkVet, Banshee is not a bad nickname, but I think there was once a Banshee briefly in USN service that was a dismal failure...

LMAggie, you may be a great engineer but you suck as a wordsmith Fighting Canary??? Butterfly??? I don't want to get too politically incorrect here but, are you anticipating a repeal of don't-ask, don't-tell and a sudden influx of queers into the pilot ranks??? Might as well paint them in rainbow collors while we're at it!

LMAggie may be on to something here.

How about “Belligerent Dove”?, along the lines of SAC’s old “Peace is our Profession” motto.

Potentially you have “Gossamer Sprite” for the USN and “Angry Titmouse” for the USMC available also.

Foreign customers would of course be responsible for not losing anything in the translation.

regards, OL

In the spirit of SLUF, BUFF (been around both), how about:

"TUFF" for "That Ugly F-F"...

Of course there will be one part in that jet when it comes time to change out will cause a tech to come up with an "unoffical" nick name.

LMAggie may be on to something here.

How about “Belligerent Dove”?, along the lines of SAC’s old “Peace is our Profession” motto.

Potentially you have “Gossamer Sprite” for the USN and “Angry Titmouse” for the USMC available also.

Foreign customers would of course be responsible for not losing anything in the translation.

regards, OL

Well, this must be the post of the day because it had me literally laughing out-loud (or LOL as the kiddies like to say). The images of a "Belligerent Dove", "Gossamer Sprite" and "Angry Titmouse" are just uprarious!