The 1956 United States Army designation system was introduced by the United States Army to replace the designation system used by the United States Army Air Corps which had become the United States Air Force in 1948. It was used until the unified tri-service designation system for all services came into effect.

List of designations and use

In 1956, the U.S. Army adopted a new, and relatively simple, designation system for its aviation assets. Aircraft were divided into three different types – 'A' for fixed-wing aircraft, 'H' for helicopters, or 'V' for V/STOL aircraft, and then were given a mission modifier, which, unlike the USAF system, came after the type code: 'C' for transports, 'O' for observation and reconnaissance aircraft, 'U' for utility types, and 'Z' for experimental aircraft. Aircraft types designated in this system were numbered sequentially. For more information on the designation system, see 1956 United States Army aircraft designation system.

AC: Airplane, Cargo (1956–1962) AC-1 Caribou – de Havilland Canada (redesignated CV-2 in 1962)Andrade 1979, p. 39 AC-2 Buffalo – de Havilland Canada (redesignated CV-7 in 1962)

AO: Airplane, Observation (1956–1962) AO-1 Mohawk – Grumman (redesignated OV-1 in 1962)Andrade 1979, p. 40 AO-2 Inflatoplane – Goodyear AO-3 Inflatoplane – Goodyear

AU: Airplane, Utility (1956–1962) AU-1 – de Havilland Canada (redesignated U-1 in 1962)Andrade 1979, p. 42

HC: Helicopter, Cargo (1956–1962) HC-1 Sea Knight – Boeing Vertol (redesignated H-46 in 1962)Andrade 1979, p. 128 HC-1B Chinook – Boeing Vertol (redesignated H-47 in 1962)

HO: Flying Platform (1956–1956) HO-1 Pawnee – Hiller (redesignated VZ-1 in 1956) HO-2 – de Lackner (redesignated HZ-1 in 1956)

HO: Helicopter, Observation (1956–1962) HO-1 – SNCASO HO-2 – Hughes HO-3 – Brantly HO-4 – Bell (redesignated H-4 in 1962) HO-5 – Fairchild Hiller (redesignated H-5 in 1962) HO-6 – Hughes (redesignated H-6 in 1962)

HU: Helicopter, Utility (1956–1962) HU-1 Iroquois – Bell (redesignated H-1 in 1962)

HZ: Helicopter, Experimental (1956–1962) HZ-1 Aerocycle – de Lackner Helicopters

VZ: Vertical Takeoff and Landing Research (1956–1962) VZ-1 Pawnee – HillerAndrade 1979. p. 178 VZ-2 – Vertol VZ-3 Vertiplane – Ryan VZ-4 Convertiplane – Doak VZ-5 Fledgling – Fairchild VZ-6 – Chrysler VZ-7 – Curtiss-Wright VZ-8 Airgeep – Piasecki VZ-9 Avrocar – Avro Canada VZ-10 Hummingbird – Lockheed (redesignated V-4 in 1962) VZ-11 Vertifan – Ryan (redesignated as V-5 in 1962) VZ-12 Kestrel – Hawker Siddeley (redesignated as V-6 in 1962)

See also United States military aircraft designation systems

References

Sources