F-35 Name

[Mobius]

Interesting read on the finalists for the name of the F-35, my favorites are the F-35 Reaper, and F-35 Lightning II.  Spitfire II just doesn't sound quite right for it...

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent....Edition1.1351c695.html

[Hagar]

Can't they think of something original?

Spitfire II just doesn't sound quite right for it...

Indeed it doesn't. If they call it that there will be a riot. The Spitfire is unique. A thing of exquisite beauty & a national icon.

[Tweek]

Already had a long discussion about this on another forum.

I'll certainly be annoyed if they call it a Spitfire.

And if it's called 'Lightning', it should be called Lightning III.

[Ecko]

Reaper sounds nice to me, Spitfire is out of the question.

[Souichiro]

I like Cyclone!

Also.. Black Mamba... too long....

[Jakemaster]

It should be original not a copy, just as the plane is.  Reaper sounds cool!

[C]

Spitfire, no, for the pure reason that the name "Spitfire" has no other meaning than being the name of one of the most legendary aeroplanes ever...

Lightning, Hurricane etc are fine as they have other meanings...

Lightning maybe - a little too soon after the EE Lightning for us though, although I expect we'll name it something different to the US, as with tradition. The F-4 Phantom is one of the only ones we haven't renamed...

Tempest would go well with Typhoon and Tornado, and maybe another name for the RNs variant...

[lilley91]

Reaper has my vote, just as long as no "trying-to-be-funny" journalist calls it the raper.  You would have to be very careful of your spelling when writing about it  :P

cheers
james

[Felix/FFDS]

The F-4 Phantom is one of the only ones we haven't renamed...

ACtually, it's the F4H/F-110 later F-4 Phantom II.....

the first Phantom jet fighter was the McDonnell FH

FH = Phantom (1)
F2H = Banshee
F3H = Demon
F4H = Phantom II

[C]

ACtually, it's the F4H/F-110 later F-4 Phantom II.....

I meant in the British sense - we normally give US manufactured aircraft another name, as in the way that the B-29 became the Boeing "Washington", the Wildcat became a "Martlet" and the TBM Avenger became the "Tarpon".

[cspyro21]

Spitfire II? That's absurd! If they do call it the Spitfire II, it'll have to become a legendary fighter just to continue to legend of "Spitfire" (which I can't see happening )

Reaper suits it, not sure why, but it seems to do so

[C]

Reaper suits it, not sure why, but it seems to do so

Completely unsuitable in today's environment - gives the wrong impression entirely, particularly with current accusations surrounding certain areas of the military.

[Craig.]

I found this funny.

Britain proposed Fury, a favorite of many Lockheed and military officials but a name that risked a trademark conflict with the Plymouth Fury auto, this officer said

Doesn't that mean technically the plymouth fury could be an infringment on the sea fury?
Shows what a sad world we live in, when an everyday word used by everyone can be copyrighted to a product.

[beaky]

Completely unsuitable in today's environment - gives the wrong impression entirely, particularly with current accusations surrounding certain areas of the military.

I like "Reaper", too, but yes, the biddies will have a field day with it.
Accusations aside, I think these nitwits expect the military to do their job without hurting anybody, even enemy troops. ::P

[C]

I like "Reaper", too, but yes, the biddies will have a field day with it.
Accusations aside, I think these nitwits expect the military to do their job without hurting anybody, even enemy troops. ::P

But there's no reason to have a name which actually is directly associated with death and destruction...