The following is a list of aircraft nicknames used by Soviet/Russian aircrews, ground personnel and design bureaus.

Copyright © A. Gretchikhine, 1997. All rights reserved.

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Aero

L-39 üÌËÁ /Elka/ - derived adding diminutive suffix -ka to the official designator "L"

Antonov

An-2 ëÕËÕÒÕÚÎÉË /Kukuruznik/ - cornhoper (closer to literal, kukuruza is maize) or cropduster (a more idiomatic translation; Annushka - little Anna

An-8 ëÉÔ /Kit/ - Whale

An-14 ðÞÅÌËÁ /Pchelka/ - little bee* (also An-28 and perhaps, An-38)

An-10 õËÒÁÉÎÁ /Ukraina/ - Ukraine*

An-22 áÎÔÅÊ /Antei/ - Antheus. Antheus is a greek mythology hero, son of Poseidon and Gaia, who lost his powers when lifted from the ground (doubtful marketing value for an aircraft)*

An-30 âÏÉÎÇ /Boing/ - Boeing. The cockpit of this surveying and mapping aircraft was slightly raised in comparison to An-24 in was derived from. This gave this aircraft a Boeing 747 look.

An-71 îìï Ó ×ÎÅÛÎÅÊ ÐÏÄ×ÅÓËÏÊ /NLO s vneshney podveskoy/ - UFO with an external store

An-72/74 þÅÂÕÒÁÛËÁ /Cheburashka/ - a fictional cartoon creature with disproportionally large round ears. The unusual overwing powerplant installation of An-72/74 must have given this association; chyudovishye s binoklem - monster with binocular

An-124 òÕÓÌÁÎ /Ruslan/ - character from Pushkin's poem*; ðÔÅÒÏÄÁËÔÅÌØ /Pterodaktel'/ - Pterodactel(sp?)

An-225 íÒÉÑ /Mriia/ - ukrainian for dream*

Aviatika

Aviatika-890 íÅÔÌÁ /Metla/ - broom

Beriev

A-50 ûÅÓÔÉËÒÙÌ /Shestikryl/ - hexaplane. The wing, tail and a pair of additional horizontal surfaces on the main gear bays adds up to six

Be-12 þÁÊËÁ /Chaika/ - seagull

Be-200 áÌØÂÁÔÒÏÓ /Al'batros/ - albatross*; Irkut* - resident of Irkutiya (Be-200 is built at Irkutskoe APO)

Ermolaev

Er-2 åÒÍÏÛËÁ /Ermoshka/

Ilyushin

Il-2 ûÔÕÒÍÏ×ÉË /Sturmovik/ - Attack aircraft; ìÅÔÕÞÉÊ ÔÁÎË /Letauschii (Letuchii) tank/ - flying tank; éÌØÀÛÁ /Ilyusha/ - diminutive of Ilya, common surname

Il-28 íÑÓÎÉË /Miasnik/ - butcher, given by the crews which believed that Beagle is not forgiving aircraf or putting this simply - a widow-maker

Il-76 çÕÓØ ÌÁÐÞÁÔÙÊ /Gus' lapchatyi/ - goose

Il-86 âÁÔÏÎ /Baton/ - bread loaf; âÁËÌÁÖÁÎ /Baklazhan/ - eggplant; Russky Dzhambo - Russian jumbo

Il-102 ÷ÁÌÅÎÏË /Valenok/ - winter boot, which has unimpressive look and aerodynamic

Kamov

Ka-8 éÒËÕÔÑÎÉÎ /Irkutianin/ - resident of Irkutsk*

Ka-22 ÷ÉÎÔÏËÒÙÌ /Vintokryl/ - screw-wing*. Logical name for this compound helicopter

Ka-50 þÅÒÎÁÑ ÁËÕÌÁ /Chernaia akula/ - black shark*; ïÂÏÒÏÔÅÎØ /Oboroten'/ - werewolf*. While Oboroten' could have been an individual name of one of the prototypes, Black shark is clearly related to the movie "Tchernaya akula" - Kamov's promotion spin with great Ka-50 footage and very little plot. Tchernaya akula - seems to be more popular and used as (semi-)official name of the helicopter.

Ka-52 áÌÉÇÁÔÏÒ /Aligator/ - alligator*

Lavochkin

LaGG fighters - ìÁËÉÒÏ×ÁÎÎÙÊ ÇÁÒÁÎÔÉÒÏ×ÁÎÎÙÊ ÇÒÏ /Lakirovannyi Garantirovannyi Grob/ - varnished guarantied coffin

La fighters - ìÁÐÏÔØ /Lapot'/ - peasant shoe made of tree bark

La-5 íÙÌÏ /Mylo/ - Soap. Given by LII personnel where La-5 was tested in winter camouflage. Apparently bluish-white paint job was associated with "zhukovsky" soap.

La-250 áÎÁËÏÎÄÁ /Anakonda/ - anaconda*

Mikoyan

The abbreviation "MiG" coincides with word ÍÉÇ /mig/ meaning "instant" or "moment"

MiG-15 (-17) óÁÍÏÌÅÔ-ÓÏÌÄÁÔ /Samolet-soldat/ - soldier-plane

MiG-21 âÁÌÁÌÁÊËÁ /Balalaika/ - triangular shaped folk music instrument. Clear pick on the Fishbed's wing; ÷ÅÓÅÌÙÊ /Veselyi/ - merry, because of it relatively small size and, perhaps, fun to fly

MiG-23 þÅÍÏÄÁÎ /Chemodan/ - luggage trunk (certain similarities of airframe and this travel accessory); ëÒÏËÏÄÉÌ /Krokodil/ - crocodile (short legs of the amphibian resembles MiG's main gear); çÒÉÆ /Grif/ - griffon, a radio call sign used in Afghanistan; æÁÎÔÏÍÁÓÅÎÏË /Fantomasoenok/ - see MiG-25.

MiG-25 ìÅÔÁÀÝÉÊ ÇÁÓÔÒÏÎÏÍ /Letaushchii gastronom/ - flying liquor store. MiG-25 uses incredible amount of alcohol based deicing fluid causing numerous cases of alcoholism among its pilots and ground crews. [Side note: It appears that earlier MiG-25 also used alcohol based hydraulics. Nicknamed "Massandra", this fiery cocktail forced concerned wives to write a letter to the higher echelons of power. Mikoyan's -- who is ethnic armenian -- reply was: "If aircraft system performance would require Armenian cognac, we will fill planes with Armenian cognac". Nevertheless, later MiGs featured alcohol free liquid, owning much to the original solution, proposed ironically by ... a woman.]; æÁÎÔÏÍÁÓ /Fantomas/ - beginning of the service life of the aircraft coincided with appearance of much popular French movie; þÅÒÔÏÐÏÌÏÈ /Chertopolokh/ - a weed, also used in folklore to describe something bulky and sophisticated. This nickname was given by Gromov LII personnel to whom E-155 appeared very different from smooth and rounded bodies of contemporary jets. Recall these large boxlike intakes of E-155, twin fins and winglets!

MiG-27 ëÏÎÄÏÒ /Kondor/ - condor; ëÒÏËÏÄÉÌ /Krokodil/ - Crocodile (see MiG-23); þÅÍÏÄÁÎ /Chemodan/ - luggage trunk (see MiG-23); õÔËÏÎÏÓ /Utkonos/ - duck-billed platypus, driven by the shape of the aircraft nose

MiG-29 óÔÒÉÖ /Strizh/ - swift; Fulcrum (ground crews and pilots refer to aircraft by western codename); çÏÒÂÁÞ /Gorbach/ - hatchback (perhaps later models with enlarged spine)

Project 105-11 ìÁÐÏÔØ /Lapot'/ - peasant shoe made of tree bark. This lifting delta-body aircraft was developed as a part of the Lozino-Lozinskiy Spiral space shuttle program.

Myasichev

3M íÏÌÏÔ /Molot/ - hummer; óÔÉÌÑÇÁ /Stilyaga/ - stylish, for longer (and more stylish looking) nose than M-4

VM-T áÔÌÁÎÔ /Atlant/ - atlant*

M-55 çÅÏÆÉÚÉËÁ /Geofizika/ - Geophysics*

Mil

Mi-1 íÏÓË×ÉÞ /Moskvich/ - Moscower*

Mi-6 ëÏÒÏ×Á /Korova/ - cow

Mi-8 úÏÎÔÉË /Zontik/ - umbrella, because of rotating blades; ëÁÒÌÓÏÎ /Karlson/ - the name of the character from the children book of swedish writer Astred Lindgren. According to the book, Karlson lived in the penthouse on the roof top and used a small proppelor on his back to get airborn; âÏÖßÑ ËÏÒÏ×ËÁ /Boj'ya korovka/ - ladybird, incect with black spots (usually six) on the red back; úÍÅÊ ÇÏÒÙÎÙÞ /Zmey gorynych/ - fictious three-headed dragon from russian folklore. During takeoffs (especially in a cold weather) Mi-8 creates steam coming from drenage fuel tubes which resembles the smoke of the fire-breathing dragon; öÉ×ÏÇÌÏÔ /Zhivoglot/ - eat-alive, did you ever have a look in Mi-8's cargo hold from behind?

Mi-10 ìÅÔÁÀÝÉÊ ËÒÁÎ /Letaiushchii kran/ - flying crane, generic; óÐÉÃÁ /Spitsa/ - long (knitting) needle

Mi-24 ûÍÅÌØ /Shmel'/ - bumble bee; ëÒÏËÏÄÉÌ /Krokodil/ - crocodile

Mi-26 ëÏÒÏ×Á /Korova/ - cow; óÁÒÁÊ /Saraj/ - barn

Petlyakov

Pe-2 ðÅÛËÁ /Peshka/ - diminutive of Pe, coincide with word "pawn". Consonant with "Pe". In Russian, the suffix "shka" is used to emphasize the small size.

Polikarpov

I-15 þÁÊËÁ /Chaika/ - seagull. The shape of the top wing of this biplane similar to the birds wing

I-16 éÛÁË /Ishak/ - donkey. In Russian, the first part of "I-16" pronounced as "Ishestnadtsat'" is consonant to "Ishak"

Po-2/U-2 ëÕËÕÒÕÚÎÉË /Kukuruznik/ - cornhoper (closer to literal, kukuruza is maize) or cropduster (a more idiomatic translation), ìÅÔÁÀÝÁÑ ÐÁÒÔÁ /Letaiushchaia Parta/ - flying (school) bench. Generic to trainer aircraft.

Sukhoi

T-4 óÏÔËÁ /Sotka/* - a 100, which refers to this number in the designation of the aircraft and also the take-off weigh of the plane which was close to 100 metric tones.

Su-17 óÔÒÉÖ /Strizh/ - swift. Radio call of the Su-25 during Afghanistan conflict (see Su-25, MiG-23). Swept wings of Su-17 (swift) contrasting to those of Su-25 (rook) as well as max speed difference could have influenced the choice of the names

Su-25 çÒÁÞ /Gratch/ - rook. Radio call of the Su-25 during Afghanistan conflict (see Su-25, MiG-23). The Soviet infantry called Su-25 òÁÓÝÅÓËÁ /Rasshcheska/ and/or çÒÅÂÅÎËÁ /Grebenka/ (comb) because loaded Su-25 with its ten pylons occupied with the payload, resembled the comb if viewed from below. The VVS staff called Su-25 ëÏÎÅË-ÇÏÒÂÕÎÏË /Konek-gorbunok/ which is a fictional animal from one of the fair tales by Bazhenov. This character is an ugly (hatchbacked) and small pony or some sort of a miniature horse, which outperformed the bigger (and faster) stalemates.

Su-26 óÕÞÏË /Suchok/ - bough, knot. Alternative content is optional

Su-27 öÕÒÁ×ÌÉË /Zhuravlik/ - baby crane; óÕÛËÁ /Sushka/ - diminutive of Su, coincide with word "cracker" (could be any Sukhoi design); óÕÈÁÒØ /Sukhar'/ - same

Su-27K/27IB/27M etc. ôÒÉÐÌÁÎ /Triplan/ - triplane, canards+wings+tail=3 horizontal surfaces. As one of the Kuznetsov sailors noted after seeing Su-27K/33 for the first time: "This fighter has two 'wings' too many..."

Su-27IB/34 õÔËÏÎÏÓ /Utkonos/ - duck-billed platypus, driven by the shape of the aircraft nose

Su-33/27K ëÏÒÁÂÅÌËÁ /Korabelka/ - carrier born. This well apply to MiG-29K and Su-25UTG

Su-37 ôÅÒÍÉÎÁÔÏÒ /Terminator/ - terminator*

Tupolev

Tu-anything - ôÕÐÏÌØ /Tupol'/, pl. Tupolya. Likely consonant to word topol'.

Tu-22 ûÉÌÏ /Shilo/ - awl. Self explanatory

Tu-22M óÌÅÐÏÊ äÖÜË /Slepoj Dzhek/ - blind Jack. Pick on the bomber's small cockpit windows and/or pour cockpit visibility

Tu-91 âÙÞÏË /Bychok/ - a fishy name, striking similarity

Tu-95 âÅÁÒ /Bear/. The bomber crews referred to their a/c by NATO codename

Tu-114 òÏÓÓÉÑ /Rossiia/ - Russia*

Tu-134 ôÕÛËÁ ÍÁÌÁÑ /Tushka malaya/ - small tushka (see Tu-160); ôÕÛËÁÎÞÉË /Tushkanchik/ - type of desert rat; ó×ÉÓÔÏË /Svistok/ - whistle, due to characteristic engine sound; íÁÌÙÛËÁ /Malyshka/ - baby; ðÁÓÓÁÖÉÒÓËÉÊ ÉÓÔÒÅÂÉÔÅÌØ /Passazhirskii istrebitel'/ - passenger fighter. Alternative content is optional

Tu-134Shch (experimental airframe fitted with fighter radom for the radar tests) ýÕËÁ /Shchyuka/ - pike for its predatory look

Tu-154 ôÕÛËÁ ÂÏÌØÛÁÑ /Tushka bol'shaya/ - big tushka (see Tu-160); ôÕÛËÁÎ /Tushkan/ - type of larger desert rat; çÏÒÂÁÔÙÊ /Gorbaty/ - hatchbak because of the prile given by an air intake of the center engine; á×ÒÏÒÁ /Avrora/ - trijet interpolation of three chimney legendary cruiser "Avrora"; ðÏÌÔÉÎÎÉË /Poltinnik/ - half-hundred, it is Tu-154 after all

Tu-160 ôÕÛËÁ /Tushka/ - diminutive of Tu, coincide with word "corpse" or "carcass" of small animal or bird (could be applied to any Tupolev design); çÏÒÄÏÓÔØ ÎÁÃÉÉ /Gordost' natsii/ - pride of nation. Used as a reference to cost and sophistication of the bomber; ëÁÍÂÁÌÁ /Kambala/ - flounder. Blended wing-body and highly inclined windshield inspired this one

Tu-204 ìÀÄÍÉÌÁ /Ludmila/. Given by folks at Aviastar who build both Tu-204 and An-124 Ruslan at the same Ul'yanovsk plant. Ludmila and Ruslan are characters from Pushkin's poem "Ruslan and Ludmila"

Yakovlev

Yak fighters nicknamed ñÓÔÒÅÂËÉ /IAstrebki/ (pl). IAstrebok is a small hawk. It is also possible that this word was morfed from Istrebok (diminutive of fighter plane) and Yak.

Yak-9U õÂÉÊÃÁ /Ubiitsa/ - killer. Not in "widow maker" sense but rather to emphasize its lethality to opponents

Yak-24 ìÅÔÁÀÝÉÊ ×ÁÇÏÎ /Letaiushchii vagon/ - flying car (as in street car)

Yak-28 ëÏÒÍÉÌÅà /Kormilets/ - provider. The aircraft was considered to have high level of automatization, so that pilot would simply relax in the cockpit and "hang there till next pay day".

Yak-36/36M/38/41 ÷ÅÒÔÉËÁÌËÁ /Vertikalka/ - vertical

Yak-40 ïËÕÒÏË /Okurok/ - cigaret butt; Istrebitel' goruchego - fuel fighter (in consuming sense)

Addenda:

Any rugged ground attack fixed and rotary wing aircraft nicknamed Shturmovik and/or Letauschii (Letuchii) Tank - Flying tank (Mi-24, Su-25). Certainly Il-2 set the tradition.

All helicopters can be referred to as ÷ÅÒÔÕÛËÁ /Vertushka/ - Whirlygig or Whirlybird.

All trainer aircraft can be referred to as óÐÁÒËÁ /Sparka/ - Double.

Second prototype airframe might be named Dubler - Double.

Flying testbed (letaushchaya laborotoriya) abbreviated as LL (eg Tu-144LL). Some tend to believe that LL stands for ÌÙÓÙÊ ÌÅ× /lyusyui lev/ bald lion.

Generally, each aircraft nicknamed by its model number. For example, An-12 is ä×ÅÎÁÄÃÁÔÙÊ /Dvennadtsayi/ - 12th and Su-27 is ä×ÁÄÃÁÔØ ÓÅÄØÍÏÊ /Dvadtsat' sed'moii/ - 27th. It is also very common to refer to the aircraft by so called bort number - the actual number painted on the side of the aircraft. For example, the first development airframe of Su-30MKI (blue 56) is nicknamed ðÑÔØÄÅÓÑÔ ÛÅÓÔÏÊ /Pyat'desyat shestoj/ - 56th by Sukhoi personnel. Additionally, the alphabetical suffix (model designator) is commonly used as a nickname: Mil's Mi-8AMT is referred to as Uh-em-te-shka (AMT-shka, origin of -shka is explained below).

Many aircraft nicknames were derived adding diminutive suffix -shka to the two letter OKB designator (make designator). In some cases these nicknames happen to coincide with "real" words, e. g. Peshka (Pe-2, Petlyakov's bomber), Sushka (Su-27, Sukhoi), Tushka (Tu-160, Tupolev) etc.

Ground crews of the jets refer to turboprops as ìÏÈÍÁÔÙÊ /Lokhmaty/ - hairy. Recall that some turboprops are 32 bladed (Tu-95/142 or An-22).

*Believed to be a company/OKB/Aviaexport/Rosvooruzhenie given name.

Stas Strokash, Dmitry Mikhnenko, Aleksey Swiridov, Shura Arhipov, Ilia Kuliev, Dmitry Grinyuk and Gary Alexander.