This is a list of aviators by

nickname A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

A

* "Aggy" –

Noel Agazarian Noël le Chevalier Agazarian (26 December 1916 – 16 May 1941) was a British World War II fighter ace with seven victories. He was the brother of Special Operations Executive agent Jack Agazarian, who was executed by the Germans in 1945, and ...

, British, Battle of Britain ace * "Assi" – Hans Hahn, German fighter pilot during World War II

B

* "Bake" – V. H. Baker, British pilot and aircraft designer * "The Balloon Buster" –

Frank Luke Frank Luke Jr. (May 19, 1897 – September 29, 1918) was an American fighter ace credited with 19 aerial victories, ranking him second among United States Army Air Service pilots after Captain Eddie Rickenbacker during World War I. Luke was t ...

, American World War I fighter ace * "Bam" – C. S. Bamberger, British RAF World War II pilot * "Barron" – John Worrall, British World War II RAF pilot * "Beazle" – Hugh John Beazley, Battle of Britain pilot * "Bee" – Roland Beamont, Battle of Britain pilot * "Ben" – George Bennions, Battle of Britain ace * "Big Joe" – Joe McCarthy,

RAF Bomber Command RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II. From 1942 onward, the British bo ...

pilot (617 Squadron) in the Second World War * "Bing" – K. B. B. Cross, British World War II RAF pilot * "Bird" – Herbert Carmichael Irwin, Irish commander of British airships including

R101 R101 was one of a pair of British rigid airships completed in 1929 as part of a British government programme to develop civil airships capable of service on long-distance routes within the British Empire. It was designed and built by an Air M ...

* "Black Swallow of Death" – Eugene Bullard, African-American World War I fighter pilot * "The Black Devil" –

Erich Hartmann Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993) was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful flying ace, fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He flew 1,404 combat missions and participated in ...

, German fighter ace

* "Blondie" – Arnold Walker, British World War II RAF pilot * "Bo" –

Elwyn King Elwyn Roy King, DSO, DFC (13 May 1894 – 28 November 1941) was a fighter ace in the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) during World War I. He achieved twenty-six victories in aerial combat, making him the fourth highest-scoring Australia ...

, Australian World War I fighter ace * "Bobbi" – Evelyn Trout, American aviator * "Bomber" – Arthur T. Harris, British commander of

during World War II * "Bomber George" – Harold L. George, USAAC precision bombing specialist (to distinguish him from "Fighter" George) * "Boom" –

Hugh Trenchard Marshal of the Royal Air Force Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard, (3 February 1873 – 10 February 1956) was a British officer who was instrumental in establishing the Royal Air Force. He has been described as the "Father of the ...

, British World War I

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

general and founder of the Royal Air Force (for his loud voice) * "Boy" ** Peter Mould, British Second World War fighter ace **

Geoffrey Wellum Squadron Leader Geoffrey Harris Augustus Wellum DFC (4 August 1921 – 18 July 2018) was a British fighter pilot and author, best known for his participation in the Battle of Britain. Born an only child in Walthamstow, Essex, Wellum was educ ...

, British Second World War fighter pilot * "Bubi" (

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, "young boy", "kid") **

, German fighter ace ** Alfred Schreiber, German jet ace * "Buck" – Robert McNair, Canadian fighter ace * "Bud" – George E. Day, American POW * "Bully" –

Emil Lang Emil Lang (14 January 1909 – 3 September 1944), nicknamed "Bully", was a Luftwaffe flying ace during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial com ...

, World War 2 ''Luftwaffe'' fighter ace * "Bunny" – Christopher Currant, British RAF fighter ace in World War II * "Butch" ** Arthur T. Harris, British commander of

during World War II (from "butcher"; affectionately given by his men) **

Edward O'Hare Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry O'Hare (March 13, 1914 – November 26, 1943) was an American naval aviator of the United States Navy, who on February 20, 1942, became the Navy's first fighter ace of the war when he single-handedly attacked a ...

, American World War II fighter ace and

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of val ...

recipient * "Butcher" – Arthur T. Harris, British commander of

(Air Chief Marshal) during World War II (affectionately given by his men) * "Buzz" ** Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., American aviator and astronaut **

George Beurling George Frederick "Buzz" Beurling, (6 December 1921 – 20 May 1948) was the most successful Canadian fighter pilot and flying ace of the Second World War. Beurling was recognised as "Canada's most famous hero of the Second World War", as "The F ...

, Canadian RAF fighter ace (a nickname he never acknowledged)

C

* "Cats Eyes" – John Cunningham, Battle of Britain pilot * "Chappie" –

Daniel James, Jr. Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. (February 11, 1920 – February 25, 1978) was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force who, in 1975, became the first African American to reach the rank of four-star General (United States), general in the United ...

, American Air Force general * "Chuck" – Charles Elwood Yeager, World War II

USAAF The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

fighter ace and first pilot to break the

sound barrier The sound barrier or sonic barrier is the large increase in aerodynamic drag and other undesirable effects experienced by an aircraft or other object when it approaches the speed of sound. When aircraft first approached the speed of sound, th ...

in level flight * "Cobber" – Edgar J. Kain, Second World War RAF

fighter ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

* "Cobra" –

Ronald Stein Ronald is a masculine given name derived from the Old Norse ''Rögnvaldr'', Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. 234; Hanks; Hodges (2003) § Ronald. or possibly from Old English '' Regenweald''. In some cases ''Ronald'' is an Anglicised form ...

USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

* "Cocky" – Hugh Dundas, British Second World War RAF

* "Cowboy" –

Howard Peter Blatchford Wing Commander Howard Peter "Cowboy" Blatchford, DFC (25 February 1912 – 3 May 1943) was a flying ace, who achieved the first Canadian victory in World War II. Blatchford was born in Edmonton, Alberta on 25 February 1912, and enlisted in t ...

, Battle of Britain pilot * "Crow" –

Denis Crowley-Milling Air Marshal Sir Denis Crowley-Milling, (22 March 1919 – 1 December 1996) was a Second World War fighter pilot and later an air officer in the Royal Air Force. Second World War Originally a Rolls-Royce apprentice, he joined the Royal Air Force ...

, Battle of Britain pilot * "Cloudy" – Werner Christie, Norwegian fighter ace

D

* "Demon of Rabaul" –

Hiroyoshi Nishizawa was a Japanese naval aviator and an ace of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during World War II. Nishizawa was known to his colleagues as 'the Devil' for his breathtaking, brilliant, and unpredictable aerobatics and superb control of hi ...

, Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service fighter ace * "Dizzy" – H. R. Allen, RAF fighter ace and author * "Dogs" – John Dundas, RAF Battle of Britain fighter ace * "Dogsbody" –

Douglas Bader Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader, (; 21 February 1910 – 5 September 1982) was a Royal Air Force flying ace during the Second World War. He was credited with 22 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared p ...

, RAF fighter ace (radio callsign while Wing Commander of Tangmere) * "Dolfo" – Adolf Galland, German fighter ace * "Dookie" – Jenna Dolan, first woman to fly the

AV-8B Harrier II The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) AV-8B Harrier II is a single-engine ground-attack aircraft that constitutes the second generation of the Harrier family, capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL). The aircraft is primari ...

in combat * "Dutch" –

Petrus Hugo Petrus Hendrik Hugo, (20 December 1917 – 6 June 1986) was a South African fighter pilot and flying ace in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. Early life Petrus Hendrik Hugo was born 20 December 1917 on the farm Pampoenpoort ...

, South African WW2 pilot

E

* "The Eagle of Crimea" – Pavel V. Argeyev, Russian

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

F

* "Fighter George" – Harold George, USAAC fighter ace (to distinguish him from "Bomber" George) * "Fighter of Libau" –

Erich Rudorffer Erich Rudorffer (1 November 1917 – 8 April 2016) was a German ''Luftwaffe'' fighter ace who was one of a handful who served with the ''Luftwaffe'' through the whole of World War II. He was the 7th most successful fighter pilot in the history ...

, World War II German ace * "Fish" –

Herman Salmon Herman Richard Salmon (July 11, 1913 – June 22, 1980), nicknamed "Fish", was a barnstormer, air racer, and test pilot for the Lockheed Corporation. Biography Early life Salmon was born in 1913 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Pennsylvania-bo ...

, American

test pilot A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...

* "Flotte Lotte" – Charlotte Möhring, German female pilot * "Flying Knight of the Northland" – Clennell H. Dickins, Canadian pioneer bush pilot

G

* "Gabby" –

Francis Gabreski Francis Stanley "Gabby" Gabreski (born Franciszek Stanisław Gabryszewski; January 28, 1919 – January 31, 2002) was a Polish-American career pilot in the United States Air Force who retired as a colonel after 26 years of military service. He wa ...

, American Army Air Force

* "Ginger" – James Lacey, British fighter ace * "Grumpy" - George Unwin, British fighter ace, Battle of Britain

H

* "Hamish" – T. G. Mahaddie, Bomber Command pilot, Pathfinder Force * "Hap" – Henry H. Arnold, American Army Air Forces commanding general * "Hasse" – Hans Wind, Finnish fighter ace * "Hilly" – Mark Henry Brown, Battle of Britain pilot * "Hipshot" – Danny Hamilton, US Air Force Reserve * "Hoagy" –

Peter Carmichael Commander Peter Carmichael, (11 August 1923 – 25 July 1997), nicknamed "Hoagy", was a combat pilot with the Royal Navy during and after the Second World War. Later, he became famous during the Korean War for shooting down a jet-engined MiG- ...

, British fighter pilot * "Hooter" – Steve Rainey, American

* "Hoppy" – Colin Hodgkinson, British fighter pilot * "Huss" – F. Hussain, IMA, Col, US Air Force Reserve

I

* "Igo" – Ignaz Etrich, Austrian aviator and aircraft builder * "Illu" –

Ilmari Juutilainen Eino Ilmari "Illu" Juutilainen (21 February 1914 – 21 February 1999) was a fighter pilot of the Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), and the top scoring non-German fighter pilot of all time. The top flying ace of the Finnish Air Force, he led all Fi ...

, top Finnish World War II fighter ace

J

* "Jack" – John Frost, South African Air Force pilot * "Jake" – Leon Swirbul, co-founder of

Grumman Aircraft The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a 20th century American producer of military and civilian aircraft. Founded on December 6, 1929, by Leroy Grumman and his business partners, it merged in 199 ...

* "JB" – James Brown, American

* "Jimmy" – John S. Thach, American Navy

* "Johnnie" – James E. Johnson, British RAF fighter ace * "Johnny" – George L. Johnson, British WW2 RAF bomber navigator

K

* "Kaos" – Art Nalls, American

and air show pilot * "Killer" –

Clive Caldwell Clive Robertson Caldwell, (28 July 1911 – 5 August 1994) was the leading Australian air ace of World War II. He is officially credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft in over 300 operational sorties, including an ace in a day. In addit ...

, Australian RAAF

* "Kinch" – Iven Kincheloe, American

L

* "Little Dragon" – Muhammad Mahmood Alam, Pakistani fighter ace * "Lock" –

Ormer Locklear Ormer Leslie "Lock" Locklear (October 28, 1891 – August 2, 1920) was an American daredevil stunt pilot and film actor. His popular flying circus caught the attention of Hollywood, and he starred in ''The Great Air Robbery'' (1919), a scre ...

, American

stunt pilot Stunt flying refers to any stunts performed in an aircraft. It encompasses aerobatics, wing walking, and transferring from one airplane to another or to a moving vehicle on the ground, such as an automobile or train, and vice versa. History From th ...

* "Lightning" – Joe Little, African American WW2 pilot (member of the

Tuskegee Airmen The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army ...

) * "Lucky Breeze" – George Scott,

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

Royal Naval Air Service pilot and airship pilot

M

* "The Mad Major" –

Christopher Draper Squadron Commander Christopher Draper (15 April 1892 – 16 January 1979), was an English flying ace of World War I. His penchant for flying under bridges earned him the nickname "the Mad Major". After the war he became a film star through h ...

, British World War I fighter ace * "Mick" –

Edward Mannock Edward Corringham "Mick" Mannock (24 May 1887 – 26 July 1918) was a British flying ace in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force during the First World War. Mannock was a pioneer of fighter aircraft tactics in aerial warfare. At the time ...

, British World War I fighter ace * "Mouse" – Gordon Cleaver, Battle of Britain pilot * "Mutt" –

Joseph Summers Captain Joseph "Mutt" Summers, (10 March 1904 – 16 March 1954) was chief test pilot at Vickers-Armstrongs and Supermarine. During his career, Summers flew many first flights on prototype aircraft, (a record of 54 by a test pilot), from the Su ...

, British

O

* "One Armed Mac" – James MacLachlan, a British World War 2 ace who flew with a prosthetic arm

P

* "Paddy" ** Hubert Adair, Battle of Britain pilot ** Brendan Finucane, Irish World War II RAF fighter ace ** W. H. Harbison, British RAF officer * "Pancho" – Florence L. Lowe, American pioneer aviator * "Pappy" ** Greg Boyington, American World War II U.S. Marine Corps fighter ace ** Paul Gunn, American World War II Army Air Force bomber pilot * "Pete" ** Frank K. Everest, Jr., American

** Marc Mitscher, American

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

carrier admiral ** Elwood R. Queseda, American fighter ace * "Petit Rouge" (french: Little Red) –

Manfred von Richthofen Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (; 2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of ...

, German fighter ace * "Pick" - Percy Charles Pickard, well known in England during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, KIA during the Amiens prison raid * "Pritzl" –

Heinz Bär The H. J. Heinz Company is an American food processing company headquartered at One PPG Place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company was founded by Henry J. Heinz in 1869. Heinz manufactures thousands of food products in plants on six contin ...

, German fighter ace, because of his affection for Pritzl candy bars. * "Punch" – Clennell H. Dickins, Canadian pioneer bush pilot

R

* "Ratsy" – George Preddy, P-51 Mustang ace * "Red" – Eugene Tobin, American who flew with the RAF during the Battle of Britain * "The Red Baron" (

, ''der Rote Baron'') –

, German

* "The Red Battle-flyer" (German: ''der rote Kampfflieger'') –

, German

* "The Red Knight" –

, German fighter ace * "Reeste" –

, German fighter ace

S

* "Sailor" –

Adolph Malan Adolph Gysbert Malan, (3 October 1910 – 17 September 1963), better known as Sailor Malan, was a South African fighter pilot and flying ace in the Royal Air Force (RAF) who led No. 74 Squadron RAF during the Battle of Britain. He finished ...

, South African RAF fighter ace * "Sandy" – Brian Lane, RAF Battle of Britain pilot, Squadron Leader and fighter ace * "Sexy Rexy" –

Ola Mildred Rexroat Ola Mildred Rexroat (August 28, 1917 – June 28, 2017) was the only Native American woman to serve in the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Rexroat was born in Argonia, Kansas, to a Euro-American father and an Oglala mother. The family ...

Women Airforce Service Pilot The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) (also Women's Army Service Pilots or Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots) was a civilian women pilots' organization, whose members were United States federal civil service employees. Members of WASP became t ...

(WASP) aviator * "Shorty" – Vernon Keogh, American who flew with the RAF during the Battle of Britain (named for diminutive height) * "The Silver Fox" – Robert L. Stephens, record-setting American

* "Skip" – Jean Ziegler, American test pilot on Bell X-1 program * "Slew" – John S. McCain, Sr., American naval aviator and chief of

Bureau of Aeronautics The Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) was the U.S. Navy's material-support organization for naval aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" (''i.e.'', responsibility) for the design, procurement, and support of naval aircraft and relate ...

* "Snow Eagle" – Clennell H. Dickins, Canadian pioneer bush pilot * "Spig" – Frank W. Wead, U.S. Navy aviator and screenwriter * "Spuds" – Theodore Ellyson, pioneer U.S. Navy aviator * "Stan" – Roderic Dallas, top Australian fighter ace of World War I * "Stapme" – Gerald Stapleton, British Battle of Britain fighter ace * "Strafer" –

Geoffrey Warnes Squadron Leader Geoffrey Berrington Warnes, (22 October 1914 – 22 February 1944) was a British pilot who flew with No. 263 Squadron RAF during the Second World War. He was described by Group Captain Johnnie Johnson as a "gay, cheerful charac ...

, No. 263 Squadron RAF * "Stuffy" – Hugh Dowding, British commander of

RAF Fighter Command RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War. It earned near-immortal fame during the Battle of Brita ...

from before the war into the Battle of Britain * "Sawn Off Locky" – Eric Lock, Battle of Britain pilot

T

* "Taffy" –

Trafford Leigh-Mallory Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, (11 July 1892 – 14 November 1944) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force. Leigh-Mallory served as a Royal Flying Corps pilot and squadron commander during the First World War. Remaining in ...

Fighter Command RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War World War II or the Second World War, oft ...

Group commander during the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

* "Tex" – David L. Hill, American fighter pilot * "Tim" – John Elkington, Battle of Britain pilot * "Timbertoes" – Sydney Carlin, Battle of Britain gunner who lost a leg in World War I * "Titch" – George Palliser, Battle of Britain pilot

U

* "Uncle Wiggly Wings" – Gail S. Halvorsen, American Air Force officer

W

* "Wop" – Wilfrid R. May, Canadian pioneer bush pilot * "Whitey" – Edward L. Feightner, American

and

Blue Angels The Blue Angels is a flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy.

solo * "White Eagle" – Clennell H. Dickins, Canadian pioneer bush pilot * "Willie" – Hugh Wilson, RAF aviator * "Winkle" – Eric Brown, British naval aviator and

* "Wrong Way" –

Douglas Corrigan Douglas Corrigan (January 22, 1907 – December 9, 1995) was an American aviator, nicknamed "Wrong Way" in 1938. After a transcontinental flight in July from Long Beach, California, to New York City, he then flew from Floyd Bennett Field in Brook ...

, American aviator (from having to lie to

Civil Aeronautics Board The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) was an agency of the federal government of the United States, formed in 1938 and abolished in 1985, that regulated aviation services including scheduled passenger airline serviceStringer, David H."Non-Skeds: T ...

to fly the Atlantic)

Z

* "Zulu" ** Albert Lewis, Battle of Britain pilot ** George Lloyd World War I pilot

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aviators Lists of people with nickname by occupation

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

O

P

R

S

T

U

W

Z

See also

References