Japanese Aircraft Code Name System

Each type of aircraft entering production for the JNAF after 1920 was given a type number combined with a brief description of its primary function. Initially related to Showa dates, in 1929 the type number became the last two digits of the year in the Japanese calendar year. The reputed date of the foundation of the Empire of Japan is 660 BC. Japanese historians ascribe to that date an Imperial Rescript said to have been issued by the first Emperor, Jimmu Tenno. Thus the Aichi dive-bomber which entered production in 1939 (2599 in the Japanese system) was the Type 99 Carrier Bomber. Only a single digit was used when the year ended in 00, as with the Type 0 Carrier Fighter (thus the name "Zero") which entered production in 1940 or the Japanese year 2600.

From 1927, new Army aircraft were given a type number based on the last digits of the Japanese year that the type was accepted into service. Up to the year 2599 (1939 in the West) the last two digits formed the type number. In 2600 (1940) the number 100 was used, and from 2601 (1941) only the last digit of the year was used. Thus, the Army Type 97 Heavy Bomber and Army Type 97 Fighter were both accepted in 2597 (1937) and can be differentiated by the functional description attached to each.

In July 1942 Frank T. McCoy, head of the Technical AirIntelligence Unit-Southwest Pacific Area, was responsible for creating the Allied Japanese Aircraft Code Name System, e.g., Zeke, Betty, Rufe. McCoy attended Ground and Flight School at Curtiss-Wright Aeronautical Corporation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Roy Hunt Flying School, Norman, Oklahoma, in 1931; joined HQ Squadron of 38th Bomb Group at AAB, Jackson, Mississippi (6/26/1942).

In the Pacific theater of war, General Douglas MacArthur authorized intelligence personnel to "take complete charge of all enemy crashed or captured aircraft or personnel." Captain Frank T. McCoy and Technical Sergeant Francis Williams helped organize a Materiel Section for technical intelligence operations in Melbourne, Australia, in 1942. In addition to providing information on aircraft and weapons performance, Captain McCoy and Sergeant Williams assigned code names to Japanese aircraft--feminine names for bombers and masculine names for fighters. It may not be surprising that "Frank" and "Frances" became the names of two Japanese aircraft.

In October 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Mccoy became officer-in-charge of the newly formed Technical Air Intelligence Unit attached to the Far East Air Forces. McCoy served as Chief of the Technical Air Intelligence Unit in the Office of the Directorate of Intelligence, Asst A-2, at HQ Allied Air Forces, USAAFISWPA (9/3/1942); served in a variety of capacities in analysis of tactical and technical intelligence in the Air Force; served as Instructor Pilot of C-119; was the first General Officer to log 1000 hours in C-130; held Command Pilot's rating in Air Force; held a Law Degree (LLB) from Cumberland University; served in a number of other command and advisory roles, including Assistant Deputy for Operations of the Tactical Air Command (TAC). Frank Thomas McCoy, Jr. retired as a Major General in 1968.