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Aircraft and Helicopters Identified with Dog Names

Western society, which has a tradition of hunting and hunting dogs, has reflected this tradition on the aeroplanes and helicopters they produce. Bristol Bulldog, Foxcon Terrier 200, Mi-4 ‘Hound’, Kaman HH-43 Huskie, Aviat A-1 Husky, Grumman C-2 Greyhound and MiG-31 Foxhound are just a few of them.

Dogs are cute animals that attract attention with more than 400 breeds or species differences in terms of their appearance and size. It is generally accepted that they are one of the subspecies of wolves, also known as Grey Wolves, native to North America and Eurasia. Dogs are related to foxes and jackals as well as wolves. Dogs, just like cats, are a species spread over the world's largest geography. In addition, together with cats, they are one of the two most widely kept domestic animals in the world. According to a 2001 article published in New York, the dog population in the world is estimated to be more than 400 million.

Dogs' friendship with mankind goes back a very long time. For more than 12 millennia, dog species have been used as a hunter, a protector and a friend that mankind needs in their work. Dogs have very high eyesight and a keen sense of smell. While these characteristics make them hunting dogs and shepherd dogs, it is believed that the changing world and needs over time have caused the genetics of dogs to change, so different dog breeds have emerged. Today, dogs, which are used as guard dogs in many countries and even as beasts of burden in some countries, have started to be fed as housemates in the last five centuries, especially in Europe, and this understanding has spread from Europe to the whole world. On the other hand, dogs, which are also preferred for helping the disabled and search and rescue, are trained to take part in more specific tasks and are also used as police dogs.

Therefore, who doesn't love dogs in every aspect of our lives? Of course, I am not counting the dogs that roam the streets and bite innocent people from time to time. I am one of those who advocate that stray animals should be protected, that these animals should be given the right to live in safe areas under the control of municipalities, but that this should be done without leaving the dogs unattended, thus preventing these animals from occupying the streets and preventing them from harming passers-by.

In any case, these cute creatures are among the favourite animals of those involved in aviation, and many of them consider them to be their best friends. Some aircraft manufacturers, who love their dogs very much, have chosen to give their aircraft the name, breed or species of their dogs as a name or nickname. I would like to share information about some of the aircraft bearing the names of some pet dogs with you as a market article.

Beagle Aircraft Company and Bristol Bulldog

Although the name of this British aircraft manufacturer is reminiscent of a Beagle, it is an abbreviation of the English name ‘British Executive & General Aviation Limited’. Although the life of this company, which became famous as Beagle Aircraft, lasted only nine years, the company was an aircraft manufacturer that emerged from the merger of Miles and Auster companies, which produced Miles Magister aircraft, which flew with Uğur aircraft for a while. When the name of the company became Beagle, the other aeroplanes were named after other dog breeds owned by the family (Husky, Terrier, Airedale, Bulldog, etc.).

Among these, the Bristol Bulldog is known as a fighter aircraft that later became very famous, and became very famous between the two great wars. This aircraft was named after the fighting nature and tough appearance of Bulldog dogs. This aircraft is also known as the aircraft in which Sir Douglas Bader, one of the legendary pilots of the British Royal Air Force, lost his legs while performing aerobatics. Since this aircraft was not sufficiently equipped to enter the Second World War with the advancement of aviation, it was used as a training aircraft in the rear service for a while and was used to train British pilots. However, the Bristol Bulldog, used by the Finnish Air Force against the Russians during the Winter War, struggled to hold its own against the more modern Russian aircraft Tupolev SB and Polikarpov I-16.

On the other hand, the production of Bulldogs, the most successful of the Beagles, continued for a while. More than three hundred were produced in total, and continued to serve the British Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy as the main training aircraft for more than 25 years, including after the war. These aircraft were also used for pilot training by about 10 countries, including the Swedish and Lebanese Air Forces. Even today, there are those who use these aircraft. They even continue to be the choice of some pilots in air shows.

Foxcon Terrier 200

The name Terrier, a cute dog breed, has been chosen for a cute Australian-made light sports aircraft. This aircraft can be produced with wheel or skid options for over-sea use. Foxcon Terrier is powered by a 100 horsepower Subaru or Rotax engine. Terrier 200 aeroplanes are two-seater. In other words, it is a small aircraft where you can take your Terrier with you and go travelling. Later, four-seater Terrier 400 models were also developed.

Sopwith ‘Pup’, Puppy

This special Pup was definitely a pilot's best friend. Extremely docile and highly manoeuvrable, it achieved many successes during its short career. In 1917, a Pup became the first aircraft to land on a cruising ship. This type was later widely used in naval operations.

Mi-4 ‘Hound’

The Soviet-built S-55/Whirlwind was given the name of a dog as a nickname used by NATO. To date, more than 4,000 Mi-4 and its Chinese version, the Z-5, have been produced. It is known that Albania last used Mi-4 helicopters in 2005. On the other hand, according to some sources, there is information that North Korea may still have a few Mi-4s in its inventory.

Kaman HH-43 Huskie

Famous for its synchronised intertwined rotors, this helicopter became known as the Huskie, a cute wolf dog. Similar to the Huskies, which also serve as hard-working and durable sled dogs running at the back of the pack, which are widely featured in films, the Kaman HH-43 was used in firefighting operations during the Vietnam War, and later became a helicopter that made a name for itself mostly as a search and rescue platform.

Another Husky, Aviat A-1

Husky dogs are probably loved by many people, and they are one of the dog breeds that I find very cute. The name Husky was also deemed appropriate for the Aviat A-1 aircraft, which is widely used in fishing patrol missions without towing a glider or as the hands and feet of security forces against poaching in Kenya. In this aircraft, a Lycoming engine with 180 horsepower (200 hp in the A-1C-200 variant) was used, thus achieving a weight-power ratio almost similar to fighter aircraft. Robust like a tank. This aircraft, which has very good performance for take-off and landing from short runways, is manufactured in Wyoming, just south of the famous Yellowstone National Park in the USA.

Grumman C-2 Greyhound

The name Greyhound was deemed appropriate for the Grumman C-2, a relative of the S-2E/T aircraft, which was also used by the Turkish Navy and later by TAI. Greyhounds continued to be used by the US Navy for many years. It is not as fast an aircraft as the greyhounds it is named after. I don't know why it was given this name. It should be called a beast of burden. It is a very durable, robust but slow transport aircraft. These aircraft, which can carry a cargo load of about 5 tonnes (10,000 lbs), are widely used in landing and taking off from aircraft carriers and providing communication between the ship and the shore with a passenger carrying capacity of up to 26. They are now being prepared to be replaced by the CMV-22B Osprey air platforms (half aircraft, half helicopter).

MiG-31 Foxhound

Finally, another Russian aircraft, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-31, a fighter jet, has been given the name ‘Foxhound’ by NATO. A type of dog, which we can call foxhound, foxhound, etc. in Turkish, has been given as a nickname to this huge long-range interceptor aircraft of the Russians. With an impressive speed performance of Mach 2.83, there is almost no aircraft that this fighter aircraft cannot intercept. Equipped with an advanced PESA radar, although not as advanced as AESA, this aircraft naturally carries air-to-air missiles and anti-radiation missiles along with a 23 mm rotary machine gun. Air-launched ballistic and anti-satellite missiles are also part of its standard load.

Conclusion

In the past, hunting and going hunting in Western society functioned as a ceremony with rifles in hand, travelling on foot or on horseback, accompanied by hunting dogs as part of the caravan. The mansions where such groups stayed during the hunting season in big cities in Europe are now also used as a route for touristic trips. The fame of some of them has gone beyond being hunting mansions and turned into restaurants where famous chefs serve. Naturally, when hunting and hunting dogs have become so widespread, Western societies have reflected their traditions on the aeroplanes and helicopters they produce based on dog names. Bristol Bulldog, Foxcon Terrier 200, Mi-4 ‘Hound’ Hound, Hunting Dog, Kaman HH-43 Huskie, Aviat A-1 Husky, Grumman C-2 Greyhound Grey Hound and MiG-31 Foxhound Foxhound were used as nicknames in aircraft and helicopters. So much so that sometimes these nicknames have even taken precedence over the original name of the aircraft.

We have not yet developed a nomenclature understanding in this direction. I don't know if it is necessary, but if tomorrow someone is looking for a name for their aircraft or helicopter, which may also be a UAV, my favourite name would be Sivas Kangal. Kangal is not just a shepherd dog, but a value identified with Anatolia. I believe that it would be very appropriate for this value to find its place in aviation one day. What do you think?