USAF names new trainer after Tuskegee Airmen

[JohnB]

The USAF's new trainer, the Boeing T-7, has been named the Red h
Hawk, in honor of the Red-tailed aircraft flown by the famed group in WWII.

Boeing's PR video used a P-51B/C to make the point.
https://www.boeing.com/features/2019/09 ... 09-19.page

I wonder if Lockheed/Sikorsky is a bit upset since they already use the "hawk" suffix on their series of helicopter, (Blackhawk, Seahawk, Pavehawk, etc?). But since the name was chosen by the USAF (a customer) and not Boeing, they'll keep their mouth shut.

[Clifford Bossie]

I wonder if Lockheed/Sikorsky is a bit upset since they already use the "hawk" suffix on their series of helicopter, (Blackhawk, Seahawk, Pavehawk, etc?). But since the name was chosen by the USAF (a customer) and not Boeing, they'll keep their mouth shut.

Black Hawk was a name chosen by the Army in continuation of the tradition of naming aircraft after Indian tribes,nations and leaders. Pave Hawk and Sea Hawk were just a way to incorporate the "Hawk" into new roles of the same airframe.

[JohnB]

Of course, everyone knows about the Indian names (trying to stump your aviation nerd friends by getting them to match the names is always fun...few get them all correct), but Lockheed certainly has picked up on the trend and used it in its marketing...I have a factory promotional model of a UH-60 with Saudi markings and the Lockheed-applied name "Desert Hawk". As you say, other users, with no connection to the Army naming practice have used "Hawk" as well..so the name applies to the entire S-70 family, not just Army machines.

[Clifford Bossie]

I kind of wonder if Sikorsky would have issues if "Sea" something was used by other manufactures. Oh well, unless they failed to trademark it. Odd that the H-3 line includes "Sea King", "Jolly Green Giant" and "Pelican", but all were chosen by the customers.

Anyway, back to the original topic, I think the T-7A looks pretty cool and "Red Hawk" is a great name!

[CAPFlyer]

"Jolly Green Giant" was a nickname, not an official service name. In fact, most of the aircraft of that era in USAF service didn't actually have an official service name.

As for the "Sea" thing, again, that's a service designation. All US Navy Helicopters have a service name starting with "Sea" including the SeaSprite (Kaman SH-2), SeaCobra (Bell AH-1J, T, and W's in USMC service), and Sea Knight (Boeing CH-46s).

[JohnB]

While the name "Jolly Green Giant" may not have been it's gen-u-wine, SECAF-approved nane, the USAF did use it in official documents.
I know, I wrote news releases for HH-53s where we called the "Super Jolly Green Giants".

[bdk]

I wonder if Lockheed/Sikorsky is a bit upset since they already use the "hawk" suffix on their series of helicopter, (Blackhawk, Seahawk, Pavehawk, etc?). But since the name was chosen by the USAF (a customer) and not Boeing, they'll keep their mouth shut.

Maybe Turkey Buzzard was already taken?

The T-45 was derived from the UK Hawk trainer, so not just US planes are called "Hawk." And the Curtiss Hawk family predates all of these I suspect.

[JohnB]

I wonder if Lockheed/Sikorsky is a bit upset since they already use the "hawk" suffix on their series of helicopter, (Blackhawk, Seahawk, Pavehawk, etc?). But since the name was chosen by the USAF (a customer) and not Boeing, they'll keep their mouth shut.

Maybe Turkey Buzzard was already taken?

The T-45 was derived from the UK Hawk trainer, so not just US planes are called "Hawk." And the Curtiss Hawk family predates all of these I suspect.

Let's not forget the Douglas and Cessna Skyhawks...

and then there are the competing Falcons...bizjet vs. F-16...which is why the USAF added "Fighting" to the name.

My point was even the simplest of actions...in this case making the aircraft is fraught with danger.
When I was at HQ AFMC, I was involved when the AF wanted to name the F-22 and a huge cast of characters got involved. Eventually the SECDEF overruled the AF Chief of Staff, the ever nutty Tony McPeak.

A few years earlier there was a lot of angst over the name the stillborn T-46. There is a great story about that, too.

To show you how crazy the topic can be, when Porsche introduced its iconic 911, it was originally named 901. Then the French car builder Peugeot complained saying it had dibs to all car names with a "0" in the middle. So the 9 01 became the 911. I believe a few cars actually left the factory with the early designation. If they haven't been converted with newer emblems, they'd be worth a small fortune today.

[Stoney]

at least they didn't name it a "Valiant II" like they did the "Texan II"

[Stephan Wilkinson]

To show you how crazy the topic can be, when Porsche introduced its iconic 911, it was originally named 901.

Good one, John. There are even Porsche people who don't know that. Of course, they're actually Porsh people.