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I know they're just designators, but it makes me wonder which would have won if Boeing had named their plane the X-37.
by LeifCarrotson 10y ago
I know they're just designators, but it makes me wonder which would have won if Boeing had named their plane the X-37.
- roryisok 10y agoCan someone explain this to me? I've been fascinated by fighter planes since I was a kid and never understood the designations. Why do the F104 and F117 come before the F35?
- handedness 10y agohttp://m.wikihow.com/Understand-US-Military-Aircraft-Designations http://m.wikihow.com/Understand-US-Military-Aircraft-Designa...
- roryisok 10y agoThanks! Most relevant quote, in case anyone else is interested: > The rule, although often violated, is that normal aircraft are to be designated in a strict numerical series according to their basic mission. The easiest examples are found in the Fighter class of US airplanes: F-14, then the F-15, F-16 and so on. But, there are exceptions. For example, the X-35, which was a research plane, was later redesignated the F-35 when it became fighter capable, even though the next number in the Fighter sequence was F-24.