United States Navy aircraft serial numbers
The serial numbers of the aircraft of the United States Navy , also known as Bureau Number (BuNo) , are assigned for each aircraft by the Bureau of Aeronautics . As an aircraft identification number, they represent a clear identification for the duration of the respective machine's service in the US Navy .
history
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The Navy's first serial number system, which was introduced in 1911 with the procurement of the first aircraft, was based on the respective manufacturer. This was given an identification letter and the aircraft were numbered sequentially. A stood for Curtiss, B for Wright, and so on. The first Navy aircraft was the Curtiss Triad , a seaplane with a pusher propeller, the two procured copies of which were given the serial numbers A-1 and A-2. A short time later, a distinction was made between the various designs of a manufacturer, so the Curtiss flying boats were given the letter C and the amphibious aircraft were given the identifier E.
In March 1914 the manufacturer-related system was abandoned and replaced by a more generally applicable one. The new system used two letters, with the first indicating whether the aircraft was heavier than air (A), a balloon (B) or a dirigible airship (C), etc. The second letter indicated the subtype, e.g. B. H for seaplane, B for flying boat. See also the designation system for aircraft of the US Navy from 1922 to 1962 .
In the new system introduced in May 1917, the prefix identifiers were abandoned and replaced by the letter A (for airplane). From 1921 these serial numbers were assigned by the Bureau of Aeronautics, which was founded in the same year. The A prefix was omitted from 1930, the last use was A-9204, an OJ-2 . After reaching the serial number 9999, a new sequence was started with the number 0001, which is referred to as the second series of the Bureau Number .
In 1940 so many aircraft were procured that they were forced to end the new series at 7303 in order to avoid confusion with the aircraft of the first series that were still in service. A third series was started this time from the beginning with five digits (00001). When it reached the number 99999 in 1945, it was continued in six digits. This series is still valid today and exceeded 169,000 in 2015. Machines that were taken over by other armed forces received BuNos outside of the normal sequence beginning with 198003. However, this sequence does not follow any recognizable system.
Since the serial number is assigned at the time of the order and not when it is actually put into service, the number sequence has large gaps as a result of order cancellations.
See also
Web links
- History of the US Navy serial numbers
- List of BuNos up to 1995 (PDF; 348 kB)
- Background information on BuNos