Why Eurofighter was named Typhoon

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18 years 6 months

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Having only a (very) passive knowledge of current stuff, I was hoping that some of you knowledgable guys would enlighten me as to why the Eurofighter was named "Typhoon" ???

I've often wondered whether it has any bearing/relevance, being named as such, in honour of (the legendary) Roland Beamont - given his input into getting the original (Hawker/Sabre eng'd) version into service (when the authorities wanted to pull the plug...... (monoxide/departing tails/Sabre failure et al)........

Also, in respect as a Chief test pilot of Canberra/Lightning & TSR 2 , as well as Director (?) within Bae & his involvement with the Tornado programme (whatever that was), before his eventual (sad) passing ?????

Any links welcomed.

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18 years 11 months

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Because it blows hard? (Sorry couldn't resist :diablo: )

It was likely named after the Typhoon of WWII fame but then I'd think they'd have called it the "Typhoon II". And where it was more of a ground attack aircraft like the Thunderbolt I'm surprised they didn't call it the Spitfire II but then I guess that would be like the Germans calling it the . . . it occurs to me I haven't the faintest idea what the Germans named their aircraft :o . Sure you've got the Bf-109, Fw-190, Me 262 etc. but did they have names or were the names always given in German?

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it occurs to me I haven't the faintest idea what the Germans named their aircraft

Der Taifun...

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RE: Why Eurofighter was named Typhoon


I haven't the faintest idea what the Germans named their aircraft :o . Sure you've got the Bf-109, Fw-190, Me 262 etc. but did they have names or were the names always given in German?

The Luftwaffe did not like the name at all and they expressed that point. The Typhoon of WW2 did a lot of damage to the German Army.
I have no idea why the Luftwaffe doesn't name the EF-2000 by another name? During WW2 the Royal Navy called the F-4F Wildcat the Martlet IIIB.

Adrian

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There was a nice 60-page supplement issued with Air International a few months back.

It charts the development history, weapons, engine etc - the lot.

There is a 'Milestones' page - and from that.......

"September 3, 1998 - With the Eurofighter 2000 title no longer accurately reflecting the in-service date, the aircraft was formally re-named Eurofighter Typhoon, although initially this was just intended for marketing outside Europe".

later....

"July 23, 2002 - The RAF formally adopted the name Typhoon for the aircraft. It was also announced that the air forces of the other partner nations - Germany, Italy and Spain - had agreed to adopt Typhoon as the official service name".

I can't find the reference - but I think the name was chosen (after lots of debate!) because it means the same in all four languages - Typhoon, Taifun, Tiffuni ?? etc (anyone know the Italian & Spanish for Typhoon?)

Ken

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RE: Why Eurofighter was named Typhoon

Thank you Ken for the brief history. -Adrian

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"(anyone know the Italian & Spanish for Typhoon?)"

Typhoon in Italian is Tifone, and in Spanish it is Tifón.

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The Typhoon name was officially selected by industry specifically for export campaigns (with some urging from the Brits, who were the only partner who really objected to Eurofighter as a name for the aircraft as well as the 'manufacturer'). Finding a name that meant the same in all four languages, that didn't have a latin/German/Anglo root, and didn't upset the boxheads too badly was a long and complex process.

The Typhoon name was selected primarily because it was felt to follow the 'wind' theme of the Tornado - echoing the wartime fighter-bomber was a lucky coincidence for the RAF. Urban legend has it that Cyclone (Zyklon) was also a contender until our German chums realised that if the single seater was the Zyklon-A the two-seater would be the .........

The Brits quickly adopted the Typhoon name for their own aircraft, and Italy and Spain followed suit.

The German Government didn't follow, but it wasn't because the "Luftwaffe did not like the name at all."

Many Luftwaffe blokes use the name, however.

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The Typhoon name was officially selected by industry specifically for export campaigns (with some urging from the Brits, who were the only partner who really objected to Eurofighter as a name for the aircraft as well as the 'manufacturer'). Finding a name that meant the same in all four languages, that didn't have a latin/German/Anglo root, and didn't upset the boxheads too badly was a long and complex process.

The Typhoon name was selected primarily because it was felt to follow the 'wind' theme of the Tornado - echoing the wartime fighter-bomber was a lucky coincidence for the RAF. Urban legend has it that Cyclone (Zyklon) was also a contender until our German chums realised that if the single seater was the Zyklon-A the two-seater would be the .........

The Brits quickly adopted the Typhoon name for their own aircraft, and Italy and Spain followed suit.

The German Government didn't follow, but it wasn't because the "Luftwaffe did not like the name at all."

Many Luftwaffe blokes use the name, however.

Italy and Spain don't use the name Typhoon. Despite the fact the italian aircraft wear the name on their fins, the official designation is still EF2000 as in Germany and Spain. Spanish military uses specific designations as well. Single seats are designated C.16 and twin seats as CE.16.
Before 1992 Germany used the designation Jäger 90 (Fighter 90), but this was rejected after in service date was set back.
IMO EF2000 is still suitable as it indicated the 21st century.

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The Luftwaffe did not like the name at all and they expressed that point. The Typhoon of WW2 did a lot of damage to the German Army.
I have no idea why the Luftwaffe doesn't name the EF-2000 by another name? During WW2 the Royal Navy called the F-4F Wildcat the Martlet IIIB.

Adrian

WW2 feelings are no longer of relevance. After the three nation Tornado, the four nation Typhoon does fit and sounds similar in German.

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The Typhoon name was officially selected by industry specifically for export campaigns (with some urging from the Brits, who were the only partner who really objected to Eurofighter as a name for the aircraft as well as the 'manufacturer'). Finding a name that meant the same in all four languages, that didn't have a latin/German/Anglo root, and didn't upset the boxheads too badly was a long and complex process.

The Typhoon name was selected primarily because it was felt to follow the 'wind' theme of the Tornado - echoing the wartime fighter-bomber was a lucky coincidence for the RAF. Urban legend has it that Cyclone (Zyklon) was also a contender until our German chums realised that if the single seater was the Zyklon-A the two-seater would be the .........

The Brits quickly adopted the Typhoon name for their own aircraft, and Italy and Spain followed suit.

The German Government didn't follow, but it wasn't because the "Luftwaffe did not like the name at all."

Many Luftwaffe blokes use the name, however.

Aghree on the wind theme, but the Cyclone part (german translation and all) .... hilarious!

As for Spain and Italy, what's wrong with Tifón and Tifone?

Anyway, it don't matter if. Fighting Falcon turned into Viper, which probably is a much better name.

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19 years 10 months

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Situation 1998 in Germany!

At the ILA 1998 in Berlin I asked someone at the stand of Daimler-Benz Aerospace about naming the Eurofighter "Typhoon". I had only read about the naming in Air International June 1998. In that issue stood the "the aircraft will be formally re-named Eurofighter Typhoon for marketing outside Europe".
The people at the stand could not tell me official, but the german part of EFA did not like the name "Taifun/Typhoon" , because in bad remembrance of the Hawker Typhoon during WW2. I answered back, the famous german sports and touring aircraft Bf 108 "Taifun" is known for the development of metal construction. Why not remember that aircraft?
But one of them answered, the Eurofighter programm is to be historically clean.
In the end they gave me a nice poster showing all DA's. :) :)

You must remember now, that this discusion happend before the german parlament elections on Sep 27th 1998, as a Red-Green coalition (Chancellor Schröder) won. Before the elections, both parties, SPD and Die Grünen-Bündnis 90, were against the Eurofighter!!! Some rumors said at that time that Germany might step out of EF after the elections, so DASA tried everything not to get bad news about the Eurofighter programm!!!
Politics again!!! :mad:

Nowadays, most of the pilots at the GAF call the EF 2000 Eurofighter, short "Eufi", as like "Toni" for the Tornado.
Maybe soon, it might be also called "Taifun".
As we all know, some aircraft are more known under their "unofficial" name as under their official name e.g. F-16 Fighting Falcon, better known as "Viper". ;)

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Finding a name that meant the same in all four languages, that didn't have a latin/German/Anglo root, and didn't upset the boxheads too badly was a long and complex process.

So they finally compromised on the language issue and gave and gave the aircraft a wind themed name from the Japanese language. I doubt if Europe’s car manufacturers will ever be so keen to give their products names from the same source.

Mind you; keeping with the wind theme and the Japanese language, the Europeans could have chosen the well known Japanese expression for “Divine Wind”

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the... “Eurofighter Kamikaze”!!! :diablo: :diablo:

it occurs to me I haven't the faintest idea what the Germans named their aircraft . Sure you've got the Bf-109, Fw-190, Me 262 etc. but did they have names or were the names always given in German?

Wasn't the the Me-262 called the Swallow (Vogel), if my memory serves me correctly?

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So they finally compromised on the language issue and gave and gave the aircraft a wind themed name from the Japanese language. I doubt if Europe’s car manufacturers will ever be so keen to give their products names from the same source.

Mind you; keeping with the wind theme and the Japanese language, the Europeans could have chosen the well known Japanese expression for “Divine Wind”

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the... “Eurofighter Kamikaze”!!! :diablo: :diablo:

Wasn't the the Me-262 called the Swallow (Vogel), if my memory serves me correctly?

No Japanese name. Portugise/Arab and the Chinese = strong wind are the possible origins.
The GAF flew/fly the Starfighter, Phantom, Tornado and Typhoon, what does not prevent the pilots/crews to use different nicknames too.
Where is the problem?! Typhoon spoken in German sounds like Taifun and is the same thing too, when even the writing is the same, when it comes to Tornado.
The former Fiat G-91 was named 'Gina' by their pilots (Gina Lollobridigha, famous Italien actress).
The former Noratlas became 'Nora' by their crews (female name).
The F-104 never got the otherwhere popular name 'Zipper' f.e.

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The german name for the F-104 Witwenmacher (widowsmaker)!

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Wasn't the the Me-262 called the Swallow (Vogel), if my memory serves me correctly?

Vogel just means bird. Cognate with the English word fowl. Swallow (the bird) is, IIRC, schwalbe.

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Scorpion,

The Spanish use the name Tifon as well as the C16/CE16 designations. The AMI use the name Tifone, in addition to the EF2000 designator.

The only operator who don't officially use the name in any form is the Luftwaffe.

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The german name for the F-104 Witwenmacher (widowsmaker)!

Came from the press to highlight the shortcomings of the Starfighter-crisis in the 60s.

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Scorpion,

The Spanish use the name Tifon as well as the C16/CE16 designations. The AMI use the name Tifone, in addition to the EF2000 designator.

The only operator who don't officially use the name in any form is the Luftwaffe.

You are right. The Luftwaffe prefers the name 'Eurofighter' for political reasons. Something fighting for Europe, even as expensive as Europe is not too bad in Germany.

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Wasn't the the Me-262 called the Swallow (Vogel), if my memory serves me correctly?

There were two versions of me-262. Ones that served as Fighters/interceptors was named "schwalbe" (swallow), fighter/bombers was named "sturmvogel" .

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Italians had a line of aircraft engines back in WWII which were called Tiffone, so they found the name pretty suited... No idea whether Spoanish had something with Tifon.