Buzz number


A buzz number was a large letter and number combination applied to United States Air Force military aircraft in the years immediately after World War II, through the early 1960s. They were applied for general aerial identification of aircraft, but particularly for the identification of aircraft guilty of "buzzing" over populated areas.
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. Air Force fighters used buzz numbers starting with the letter F, 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, 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 nameManufacturerAircraftNotes
AADouglasA-24/F-24 Banshee
ABCurtissA-25 Shrike
ACDouglasA-26 Invaderrecoded BC in 1948
ADVulteeA-31 Vengeance
AEConvairXA-41
BABoeingB-17 Flying Fortress
BAMartinB-57 Canberra
BBDouglasXB-19
BBDouglasB-66 Destroyer
BCConsolidatedB-24 Liberator
BCDouglasB-26 Invaderoriginally AC
BDNorth AmericanB-25 Mitchell
BENorth AmericanB-45 Tornadorecoded BH in 1948
BFBoeingB-29 Superfortress
BGConsolidatedB-32 Dominator
BGNorthropXB-35
BHLockheedB-37 Ventura
BHNorth AmericanB-45 Tornadooriginally BE
BJBoeingXB-39 Superfortress
BKDouglasXB-42 Mixmaster
BKBoeingB-50 Superfortress
BLBoeingXB-44 Superfortress
BMConvairB-36 Peacemaker
CABeechcraftCQ-3 Expeditor
CADouglasC-124 Globemaster II
CBBeechcraftUC-43 Traveler
CCBeechcraftC-45 Expeditor
CDCurtissC-46 Commando
CEDouglasC-47 Skytrain
CFDouglasC-48
CGDouglasC-49
CHDouglasC-53 Skytrooper
CJDouglasC-54 Skymaster
CKLockheedC-60 Lodestar
CLNoorduynUC-64 Norseman
CMLockheedC-69 Constellation
CNDouglasC-74 Globemaster
CPCessnaUC-78 Bobcat
CPConvairC-131 Samaritan
CQFairchildC-82 Packet
CQFairchildC-119 Flying Boxcar
CRConsolidatedC-87 Liberator Express
CSBoeingC-97 Stratofreighter/KC-97 Stratofreighter
CTConvairXC-99
CUDouglasC-117 Skytrooper
CVDouglasC-118 Liftmaster
CWLockheedC-121 Constellation
CYChaseYC-122 Avitruc
CZChaseC-123 Provider
CZFairchildC-123 Provider
FABeechcraftF-2 Expeditorcancelled 1948
FBLockheedF-5 Lightningcancelled 1948
FCNorth AmericanF-6 Mustangcancelled 1948, to FF
FDConsolidatedF-7 Liberatorcancelled 1948
FEBoeingF-9 Flying Fortresscancelled 1948, to BA
FFNorth AmericanF-10 Mitchellcancelled 1948, to BD
FGBoeingF-13 Superfortresscancelled 1948, to BF
FHNorthropF-15 Reportercancelled 1948, to FK
FNorthropN-156F
FALockheedF-38 Lightningpreviously PA
FALockheedF-94 Starfire
FANorthropF-5 Freedom Fighter
FBBellF-39 Airacobrapreviously PB
FBMcDonnellF-101 Voodoo
FCCurtissF-40 Warhawkpreviously PC
FCConvairF-102 Delta Dagger
FDRepublicXF-103
FERepublicF-47 Thunderboltpreviously PE
FEConvairF-106 Delta Dart
FFNorth AmericanF-51 Mustangpreviously PF
FGLockheedF-104 Starfighter
FHRepublicF-105 Thunderchief
FJBellF-59 Airacometpreviously PJ
FJMcDonnellF-110 Spectre
FKNorthropF-61 Black Widowpreviously PK
FLBellF-63 Kingcobrapreviously PL
FNLockheedF-80 Shooting Starpreviously PL, recoded FT
FPConvairXF-81previously PP
FQNorth AmericanF-82 Twin Mustangpreviously PQ
FRBellXF-83previously PR
FSRepublicF-84 Thunderjetpreviously PS
FTLockheedF-80 Shooting Starpreviously PN, FN
QFTLockheedQF-80 Shooting Star
FUNorth AmericanF-86 Sabrepreviously PU
FVNorthropNorthrop F-89 Scorpion
FWNorth AmericanF-100 Super Sabre
FXLockheedYF-12 BlackbirdUnofficial?
FYNorth AmericanYF-93
FYNorth AmericanYF-95recoded FU
GAWacoPG-2
GBWacoPG-3
GCWacoCG-4
GDLaister-KauffmanXCG-10 Trojan Horse
GEWacoCG-13
GFChaseYCG-14
GGWacoCG-15
GHChaseXCG-18
GJChaseXCG-20
JTCessnaYAT-37D
LATaylorcraftL-2 Grasshopper
LAPiperL-4 Grasshopperoriginally LC
LBAeroncaL-3 Grasshopper
LBStinsonL-5 Sentineloriginally LD
LCPiperL-4 Grasshopperrecoded LA
LCAeroncaL-16originally LH
LBStinsonL-5 Sentinelrecoded LB
LDRyanL-17B/U-18B NavionSee LJ for North American L-17A/C, U-18A/C
LEInterstateL-6 Cadet
LEBoeingL-15 Scout
LEPiperL-18 Super Cub
LFPiperL-14
LFCessnaL-19 Bird Dog
LGConvairL-13 Grasshopper
LGde Havilland CanadaL-20 Beaver
LHAeroncaL-16recoded LC
LHPiperL-21 Super Cub
LJNorth AmericanL-17A/C, U-18A/C NavionSee LD for Ryan L-17B, U-18B
LJBeechcraftL-23 Seminole
LKAero CommanderL-26
OAGrummanOA-9 Goose
OBConsolidatedOA-10 Catalina
OCNorth AmericanO-47
ODKellettYO-60
OEBoeingPB2B-1 Catalina
PALockheedP-38 Lightningrecoded FA in 1948
PBBellP-39 Airacobrarecoded FB in 1948
PCCurtissP-40 Warhawkrecoded FC in 1948
PDCurtissXP-42
PERepublicP-47 Thunderboltrecoded FE in 1948
PFNorth AmericanP-51 Mustangrecoded FF in 1948
PGCurtissXP-55 Ascender
PHLockheedXP-58 Chain Lightning
PJBellP-59 Airacometrecoded FJ in 1948
PKNorthropP-61 Black Widowrecoded FK in 1948
PLBellP-63 Kingcobrarecoded FL in 1948
PMFisherP-75 Eagle
PNLockheedP-80 Shooting Starrecoded FT in 1948
PPConvairXP-81recoded FP in 1948
PQNorth AmericanP-82 Twin Mustangrecoded FQ in 1948
PRBellXP-83recoded FR in 1948
PSRepublicP-84 Thunderjetrecoded FS in 1948
PUNorth AmericanP-86 Sabrerecoded FU in 1948
QFPiaseckiH-21 Workhorse
QKCulverQ-14 Cadet
RFNorth AmericanRF-51 Mustang
TANorth AmericanAT-6 Texan
LTANorth AmericanLT-6G Texan
TBBeechcraftAT-7 Navigator
TCBeechcraftAT-11 Kansan
TCMikoyan-GurevichMiG-15
TCConvairTF-102 Delta Dagger
TDFairchildAT-21 Gunner
TDBeechcraftT-34 Mentor
BTEVulteeBT-13 Valiant
TECessnaT-37 Tweet
PTFBoeingPT-13 Kaydet
TFNorth AmericanTF-51 Mustang
TFNorthropT-38 Talon
TGBoeingPT-17 Kaydet
TGLockheedTF-104 Starfighter
TGNorth AmericanT-39 Sabreliner
THFairchildPT-19
TJCulverPQ-8 Cadet
TKCulverPQ-14 Cadet
TLNorth AmericanT-28 Trojan
TPConvairT-29 Flying Classroom
TQFairchildT-31
TRLockheedT-33 Shooting Star
UGde Havilland CanadaU-6 Beaver
UHPiperU-7 Super Cub
UKAero CommanderU-4/U-9
YFNorth AmericanYF-93
YTCessnaYAT-37D