Military Weapon nicknames

F-15 - Hangar Queen (due to repair needs)
M-16 - Mattel (due to plastic construction)
Beaufighter was dubbed 'whispering death' by the Japanese due to its silent approach

The 25mm bushmaster cannon got a cool name in Iraqi by the iraqis. It's on the tip of my tounge but death is in there somewhere. damn it!!

One of the contenders for most-nicknames-per-product:
The MG 42. Germans themselves called it Knochen- or Hitlersäge (Bone / Hitler saw), Hitlersense (Hitler´s sickle), Geige (violin)... allied nicknames include Spandau, Hitlers buzzsaw, Linoleum ripper, zipper etc....

"King Tiger". This mistranslation of "Königstiger" is actually stronger in its meaning than the original german name.

"Schmeisser": American nickname for the MP40 after Hugo Schmeisser. Interesting sidenote is that a "Schmeisser", apart from being a last name in this case, can also mean "someone who throws with much force".

"Pneumatic Hammer": allied nickname for the german MK 108 fighter cannon.

Some "funny" ones:

"Stalinorgel" (Stalin´s organ): german nickname for soviet katyusha rocket launchers.
"Ratschbumm" : nickname for a soviet cannon, actually a "phonetic" transcript of the firing.
"Panzeranklopfgerät" : "armor-(door-)knocking device: german PaK 37.

A-6 Intruder- Queer(I believe anyway.)

THe Bushmaster 25 mm cannon mounted on LAV's in Iraq were dubbed "The Great Destroyers" by Iraqi soldiers and insurgents. Apparently cause the gun is great for blasting people who are hiding behind walls, berms, armor, stuck out in the open, cars, trucks(technicals), and camels (JK).

I had some friends who were in the Marines during the last conflict and they always felt like they were rolling in with alot of ass when they were being backed up by bushmasters. Really helped moral on half the suicidal runs into fortified cities they made my hommies go on.

Heard the C-130 refered to in RAF parlance as "Fat Albert"

M-2 .50 cal. machine gun -- "Ma Duece"

There was a huge experimental bomber in the 60's (forgot the designation) called the "Valkyrie"

Originally posted by ben91069
Schrapnellmine 35 (SMi-35) mine = bouncing betty
Nebelwerfer 41 - 15cm Rocket Launcher - "Screaming Meamies"

I think we (the brits) used to call the nebelwerfer "moaning minnies"-similar to the above,because of the noise they made.

I heard that the Allied pilots called the ME-262 a "blow job."

Nice howard.

OK this is a bit vague,but I heard talk of Hitler`s giant mortar,nicknamed "thor"
I think it is mentioned once or twice on the net,but I first heard of it from the Brit TV documentary made after WW2,called
"the world at war" (a classic series BTW)
The episode which talked of "thor" was about operation barbarossa and the siege of Stalingrad.
It sounded a fearsome weapon,with 2 or 4 ton mortar rounds.It was used to level whole city blocks in one hit,during the battle for Stalingrad.
Think it had to be delivered by train?not sure though.
Anyone happen to know anymore about this beast?--I would be very interested.

It was my Grandfather who told me about the "moaning minnies" BTW, he was in a flamethower tank during operation market garden,and after it.

Originally posted by titus

Originally posted by Odd Man
... e.g. SS-18 Satan

interesting, NATO surely gives some scary names... and that missile deserves it.

They also have a whole slew of Dragons and Snake military patches. (for all the reptilian doubters out there)

Did anyone mention theSquad Automatic Weapon SAW M249 (Saws anything down like a saw)
Also known as just the SAW

I heard that the Allied pilots called the ME-262 a "blow job."

Thats also mentioned in the book 'Spitfire - The biography' by Jonathan Glancy which I have just finished reading (excellent btw).

A few other knicknames I know of that I haven't seen mentioned already are as follows;

Panavia Tornado - The Fin (RAF)
Gloster Javelin - Harmonious Dragmaster
Fairey Swordfish - Stringbag
Vickers Wellington - Wimpy
Dornier Do 17 - Flying Pencil




[edit on 10-11-2006 by waynos]

Originally posted by Silcone Synapse

Originally posted by ben91069
Schrapnellmine 35 (SMi-35) mine = bouncing betty
Nebelwerfer 41 - 15cm Rocket Launcher - "Screaming Meamies"

I think we (the brits) used to call the nebelwerfer "moaning minnies"-similar to the above,because of the noise they made.

German soldiers called several versions of the Nebelwerfer "StuKa zu Fuß" (StuKa on foot); or "Heulende Kuh" (Howling Cow).


One other interesting nickname by "technical" enemies: The aircraft used in the airlift operation during the Berlin Blockade of 1948/49 were nicknamed "Rosinenbomber" (raisin bombers) after some aircrews started dropping little packages of sweets with little parachutes to please the Berlin children. Though only few aircrews actually dropped these packages, "Rosinenbomber" became a common nickname for all aircraft that participated in the air bridge - mostly C-47 of course because of their vast numbers.

---------

Originally posted by Silcone Synapse
OK this is a bit vague,but I heard talk of Hitler`s giant mortar,nicknamed "thor"
I think it is mentioned once or twice on the net,but I first heard of it from the Brit TV documentary made after WW2,called "the world at war" (a classic series BTW)
The episode which talked of "thor" was about operation barbarossa and the siege of Stalingrad.
It sounded a fearsome weapon,with 2 or 4 ton mortar rounds.It was used to level whole city blocks in one hit,during the battle for Stalingrad.
Think it had to be delivered by train?not sure though.
Anyone happen to know anymore about this beast?--I would be very interested.
...

"Thor" isn´t a nickname, it was the proper individual name given to one of seven 60cm mortars, correct type designation being "Gerät 040" and model name "Mörser Karl". More than once did the Germans give special weapons individual names, as can be seen with the giant "Gustav" and "Dora" railway cannons.

Two of the "Karl" mortars named "Thor" and "Odin" became especially famous because they were used to great success during the siege of Sewastopol. It is however debatable whether they were even used at Stalingrad. Untrue is that 4 ton figure, the heaviest shell used weighed about 2.2 tons. It is also wrong that they were used to level city blocks, because that would have been a vast mismanagement. They were intended and only used to destroy fortifications and bunkers.

The mortars were delivered by train, but could move on their self-propelled lafette at about 10 km/h.




[edit on 12/11/2006 by Lonestar24]

Originally posted by HowardRoark
I heard that the Allied pilots called the ME-262 a "blow job."

I don't think so.

I always thought the Blow Job referred to the Trident missile and anyway, a Britania always beats a Trident!

The .303 Lewis Gun was often called the Trench Broom by the Germans during WWI and God - that sodding aweful Charlie 'G', I remember carrying that swine!

Few more Finnish nicknames:
Claymore mine = Refugee TV (heavier version is the widescreen TV )
Side AT mine = Subwoofer
XA-185 APC = PASI (official) = Pannu, that translates to Boiler or kettle
RK-62 and RK-95 = Rynchester

These aren't weapons but they're British Army slang and quite funny (IMO)

Tea/Coffee:

NATO - white with 2 sugars

Julie Andrews - White Nun (no sugar)

Whoopi Goldberg - Black Nun

Originally posted by Strangerous
These aren't weapons but they're British Army slang and quite funny (IMO)

Tea/Coffee:

NATO - white with 2 sugars

Julie Andrews - White Nun (no sugar)

Whoopi Goldberg - Black Nun

Never heard of anyone asking for a Julie Andrews or a Woopi Goldberg!

NATO is widely used because in the old days of the Cold War, if you wanted a brew anywhere within the NATO sphere of influence, then NATO meant white, with 2 sugars.

-M16: Black Rifle, Plastic Rifle, Mattel Rifle
-A-10: Warthhog, Silent Thunder
-F-117: Darth Vader's Helmet
-B-2: Batwing
-F-15: Starship
-Mi-24: Flying Coffin (due to it's look and when you come acrossed one you probably end up in one)

Those are the only ones I can remember off hand...

Originally posted by Lonestar24

Originally posted by Silcone Synapse

Originally posted by ben91069
Schrapnellmine 35 (SMi-35) mine = bouncing betty
Nebelwerfer 41 - 15cm Rocket Launcher - "Screaming Meamies"

I think we (the brits) used to call the nebelwerfer "moaning minnies"-similar to the above,because of the noise they made.

German soldiers called several versions of the Nebelwerfer "StuKa zu Fuß" (StuKa on foot); or "Heulende Kuh" (Howling Cow).

The "Screaming Meamies" refers (in part) to the fact that that's what the gun gave the GIs who were cloase enough to hear them firing. The other part of it is the same as the Brits' Moaning Minnie's, coz as onomatapeia goes, it's pretty good.

F 104 - 'Widowmaker' or 'Earth Nail' due to tendency to stop flying at inopportune moments.

On the tea thing I have heard someone ask for a Julie Andrews, the Whoopi one I've read but never heard myself - black tea