Out of curiosity, I want to know how you guys name your planes, whether it's based on something (myth, etc.), following a military-like designation (like F for fighters, B for bombers yadda yadda) or just randomized.
If I may, I name my planes with the acronyms AXF (Aircraft eXperimental Fighter) or AXB (this time with Bomber), with the suffixes A, B, C and so on to mark the more updated or modified version, which may sound silly to you guys. Heh... I even have one model with so many versions (A to N) because I tested so many configurations on it (wings, thrusters).
I name mine like this:
[type of aircraft] - [Random number] - [Name related to craft]
And an added 'N' at the end of the number if it's a naval craft.
Ex: P-76N Swordfish
Kinda but not really the f4 phantom was an intercepter and was designated f so no special classification for interceptors @DarthAbhinav
Don't have the creativity. I typically classify them and give a designation.
Like:
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XP=Experimental Plane
AF=Attack Fighter
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Then number them. At 5 intervals. 5, 10, 15, etc...
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Then assign a Greek letter like Rho, Pi, Beta, etc...
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You could also use the phonetic alphabet on elite planes.
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Implication
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Elite Plane: XAF-35 Omega (Alpha [insert cool team name])
I think of a random letter, put a dash, think of a random number, and think of a creature similar to the build...
Example:
H-95 Vulture
and that would be a ground attack aircraft if I ever made one...
(Company)-(Name)
i.e. AlienIndustries Luminare
Company-type of aircraft-id number and variant
Ex: Vi-F-30D
most of my jets had "pulse jet" to them in favour of a user's plane
I use the manufacturer and the codename or designation.
Either boring names, or Google translate an object it reminds me of into another language (ex, "sword" or something into "cinquedea" which is Italian)
F fighter
C cargo
BL airship
AH heli
CA or. CJ civilian
M or F/A for multi role
B bomber
G ground attack
m[B for bomber, F for fighter, C for civil/cargo. Etc.]-[number of design][Model letter]
Ex: mC-10x, (Moxjet Cargo-10 Extra)(My upcoming plane)
After WW2, the US military got it's act together and combined the naming rules around 1950. The current names work like this: F for Fighter, B for bomber, A for attack, O for observation (patrol), C for cargo, T for trainer, E for electronic (surveillance, jamming, etc), U for utility, R for recon . There are other designations, but I can't remember them right now.
Soviet planes: These are the most fun! The Soviets themselves just assign a Manufacturer prefix (MiG for Mikoyan-Gurevich, An for Antonov, Tu for Tupelov, etc.) and a sequential number (MiG-3 was designed many years before MiG-15).
During the cold war, the Soviets were not going to share all their information with NATO enemies, so when NATO spotted new Soviet aircraft they had to come up with a name on their own. AND HERE'S WHERE IT GETS FUNNY. The name rules were simple and few: F words for fighters, B words for Bombers, one syllable for propellers, two syllables for Jets. These names were usually comical, but not always. So someone mentions "Fishbed, incoming!" You know a jet-fighter is approaching, whereas the "Bull" was obviously a slow, prop driven bomber.
American Navy Aircraft in WW2: this is more complicated. Each manufacturer was assigned a code letter and each plane the manufacturer designed was given a number. They also included code letters for the specific role of the plane. For example SBD3 stands for Scout / Bomber (the role) by Douglas (the manufacturer) 3 (the third design Douglas made for the Navy. The manufacturer letter are pretty random (Y for Consolidated, U for Vought, etc.) But the roles are pretty consistant: F for fighter, PB for patrol bomber, SB for Scout Bomber, TB for torpedo bomber etc.
American military aircraft during WW2: USAAF: "P" pursuit (fighters), B for (Heavy Strategic) Bombers, A for attack ( light tactical bombers), F (for Foto?) for photo reconnaissance aircraft (spy planes), C for cargo. Each plane had a number after the letter and if the plane was a prototype, you add an X or Y to the first letter (example YB-24)
Two words (usually). Both describe the appearance and role of the craft.
The way I do it is that I have 2 letters then a number. The first one of the letters is the first letter of the word of the plane's type(Drone=D or Seaplane=S), the second letter is the first letter of the word of what the plane will be used for(Military=M or Passenger=P). The numbers are the planes part count. I will then have a random nickname for the plane, if I come up with one.
It sounds like you have a good system. The main thing is for you to be able to tell things apart.
Personally I have something similar but when I upload I'd then make up a story and name appropriately.
Or sometimes the name and story comes to me as I'm building it and then I mull it over and those stories become much longer.
@JMicah4 it is a Horten Ho X
@FlyingThings what is your profile pic
I usually just throw some numbers in front of "P." for a name
Mostly military.
If it's something I designed myself, I name it after me in the designation prefix. If it's a by somone else, but I modify it, I name it after them.
My "aircraft company" (in-game) is called Jengdistries, so I do JF- for fighter, and JB for bomber. Experimental I don't use the J.