The Imperial Japanese Armed Forces Method of Designating Aircraft

Army and Navy Method of Designating Aircraft
Western Year	Japanese Year	Year of Emperor's Reign	Army Designation [1]	Navy Designation [2]
1928	2588	Showa 3	Type 88	Type 3
1929	2589	Showa 4	Type 89	Type 89
1930	2590	Showa 5	Type 90	Type 90
1931	2591	Showa 6	Type 91	Type 91
1932	2592	Showa 7	Type 92	Type 92
1933	2593	Showa 8	Type 93	Type 93
1934	2594	Showa 9	Type 94	Type 94
1935	2595	Showa 10	Type 95	Type 95
1936	2596	Showa 11	Type 96	Type 96
1937	2597	Showa 12	Type 97	Type 97
1938	2598	Showa 13	Type 98	Type 98
1939	2599	Showa 14	Type 99	Type 99
1940	2600	Showa 15	Type 100	Type 0
1941	2601	Showa 16	Type 1	Type 1
1942	2602	Showa 17	Type 2	Type 2
1943	2603	Showa 18	Type 3	Popular names only [3]
1944	2604	Showa 19	Type 4
1945	2605	Showa 20	Type 5
[1] The Army gave a different number to each new project through the design and development stages, prefixed by Ki-, meaning Kitai (airframe); the numbering was sequential, starting from the first airplane. [2] The Navy also issued a designation which served to identify each new project through the design and development stages. It was a combination of letters and numbers.The first letter denoted the aircraft type, the number the sequence identification, and the last letter usually indicated the designing company. See Table Navy Method of Numbering Aircraft to the right. [3] The Navy used the letter-number-letter system until 1942. After that, naval aircraft were given popular names, usually as having a meteorological or geographical association.

Navy Method of Numbering Aircraft
Prefix Letter		Sequence Number	Suffix Letter
A	Carrier fighter		A	Aichi
B	Carrier Torpedo-Bomber		H	Hiro Naval Arsenal
C	Carrier Reconnaissance		K	Kawanishi
D	Dive-Bomber		M	Mitsubishi
E	Floatplane Reconnaissance		N	Nakajima
F	Observation		W	Watanabe
G	Land Bomber		Y	Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
H	Flying Boat
J	Interceptor
K	Trainer
L	Transport
M	Special Purpose Attacker
N	Floatplane Fighter
P	Land Diver Bomber
Q	Anti-Submarine
R	Land Reconnaissance
S	High-Altitude Interceptor