Part Number Prefix By Airplane Type

General Notes

Click on the airplane type in the left hand column to see associated prefixes. Some of the part numbers in the Prefix Database are not verified. While every effort has been made to assure accuracy, there may be errors. Nor does this represent all of the prefix numbers for each aircraft. When trying to identify a crash site always use the most common prefixes found there, never rely on just one or two parts.

  • When prefix numbers are followed by a dash (52-) the part number has a dash in it. Ex: 52-3574
  • When prefix numbers are followed by a plus (71+) the part number is continuous. Ex 719135
  • When a bold L (L) appears it represents any letter. Ex: 128+L+ would be 128J84625
  • Any other letters that appear are the actual letters in the prefix. Ex: VS would be VS10250
  • When a bold number sign (#) appears it represents any number. Ex: 7+####- would be 72563-256
  • Commas are used only to separate multiple prefixes. Ex: 208,209,244,248- represents four different prefixes. Examples of each: 208-63575, 208-15638, 244-68452, and 248-95132
  • For North American aircraft the prefix number represents the North American model number. Ex: the F-86E-5 (and F-86E-1) was NA-170 the prefix for the part numbers is 170-
  • At the crash site of an F-86E-5 I would expect to find 170- prefixes as well as prefixes for an F-86A (140, 151, 161-) as the F-86E was an improvement of the F-86A, but still retained many of the same parts. I would not expect to find later model prefix numbers such as 193- (F-86F) or 203- (F-86H).
  • As always there are exceptions to the rule. An example would be if an F-86E was upgraded with F-86F-40 wings, which was a common practice in training Sabres.
  •  Download a part prefix PDF for offline use.
Drones
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
BQM-34 A Ryan 124+L+
Experimental
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
X-15
North American 240-
Helicopters
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
AH-1 All Bell 209, 212-
AH-64 A HughesMcDonnell-Douglas 7-
CH-46 All Boeing A02+L+
H-2 All Kaman K6+
H-3 All Sikorsky S61+
H-34 All Sikorsky S16+
H-47 All Boeing 114+L+
H-53 All Sikorsky 65+
H-54 All Sikorsky S64+
H-58 All Bell 206-
H-60 A Sikorsky 7+####-
UH-1 All Bell 204, 205-
USAF Attack
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
A-1
Douglas 525+
A-10
Fairchild 160+L+
A-26
Douglas 412, 415, 419, 512, 515, 519+
A-27
North American 69-
A-35
Vultee 72-, 88-
A-36 A North American 97-
A-37
Cessna 41+
A-7
Ling-Temco-Vought 215, 216, 218-
USAF Bombers
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
A/B-26
Douglas 412, 415, 419, 512, 515, 519+
B-1 A, B Rockwell L3, L5, L6, L12, L30, L32, L63+
B-17 All Boeing # - 1 to 3 digit number followed by a dash
B-24 D thru J Consolidated 32+L+
B-25 North American 62-
B-25 A North American 62A-
B-25 B North American 62B-
B-25 C North American 82, 90, 93, 94, 96-
B-25 D North American 87, 100-
B-25 G North American 96- NOTE: 96 is also used for C
B-25 H North American 98-
B-25 J North American 108-
B-26 All Martin 34, 36, 38-
B-29 All Boeing # - 1 to 3 digit number followed by a dash
B-32 All Consolidated 33-
B-36
Convair 36L
B-45
North American 130-
B-45 A North American 147-
B-45 C North American 153-
B-52
Boeing 4, 5, 25, 34, 35, 36-
B-57
Martin 272-
B-70
North American 259, 278-
USAF Fighters & Reconnaissance
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
F-89 D Northrop 47+, 51+, 56+, 67+, D+
F-100 A North American 180, 192-
F-100 C North American 214, 217, 222-
F-100 D North American 223, 224, 235, 245-
F-100 F North American 243, 255, 261, 262-
F-101
McDonnell 20, 33+
F-102 A Convair 8-
F-104 A Lockheed 72, 76, 77, 78, 79+
F-105 D Republic 57, 79-
F-106 A Convair 8-
F-107 A North American 212-
F-111
General Dynamics 12+L+
F-117 A Lockheed 20-
F-15 All McDonnell Douglas 67, 68+L+
F-16 All General Dynamics 16+L+
F-22
Lockheed 50+L
F-4 All McDonnell 32, 53-
F-5
Northrop 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 14-
F-84
Republic 30, 37, 38+L+
F-86 A North American 140, 151, 161-
F-86 D North American 164, 165, 173, 177, 190, 201-
F-86 E North American 170, 172-
F-86 F North American 172, 176, 191, 193, 202, 227, 231, 238, 256-
F-86 H North American 187, 203-
F-86 K North American 205, 222, 213, 221, 242-
F-94 C Lockheed 45+
P-38
Lockheed 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24+
P-39
Bell 12, 14, 15, 23, 24, 25, 26-
P-40 40, A, B, C on Curtis-Wright 81-
P-40 E, on Curtis-Wright 87-
P-47 D Republic 89, 93, 101-
P-47 N Republic 96-
P-51 North American 91-
P-51 A North American 99-
P-51 B North American 102, 104-
P-51 C North American 103, 111-
P-51 D North American 109, 111, 122, 124-
P-51 H North American 126-
P-51 K North American 111-
P-59
Bell 27-
P-61 A, B Northrop 51- or 513, 516, 517
P-63
Bell 33, 37, 41-
P-80
Lockheed 174, 175, 176+
P-82
North American 120-
P-82 B North American 123-
P-82 E North American 144-
P-82 F North American 149-
P-82 G, H North American 150-
SR-71
Lockheed 4A, 549-
USAF Laison & Observation
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
L-1
Stinson 70-
L-19/ O-1
Cessna 172 to 186+, 800 to 890+
L-5
Stinson 76-
O-2 A Cessna 142+
O-47 A North American 25-
O-47 B North American 51-
OV-1
Grumman 134-
OV-10
Rockwell 249, 300, 305-
USAF Trainers
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
AT-11
Beechcraft 804-
AT-17
Cessna 54576
AT-6
North American 55, 59-
AT-6 A North American 77, 78-
AT-6 B North American 84-
AT-6 C North American 88-
AT-6 D North American 88, 121-
AT-6 F North American 121-
AT-6 G North American 168-
BT-13
Vultee 63, 74, 79-
BT-14 All North American 58-
BT-15
Vultee 63, 74, 79-
BT-9
North American 19-
BT-9 A North American 19A-
BT-9 B North American 23-
BT-9 C North American 29-
PT-13
Stearman 75-
PT-19
Stearman 64, 68-
T-28 A North American 159, 171, 174, 189-
T-28 B North American 200, 219-
T-28 C North American 226, 252-
T-33 A Lockheed 176, 177, 178+
T-34 B Beechcraft 45-
T-37
Cessna 412+
T-38
Northrop 2, 3-
T-39 A North American 246, 265, 276-
T-39 B North American 270-
T-39 D North American 277, 285-
T-39 E North American 282-
T-39 G North American 306-
T-6 A Raytheon 133-
USAF Transports
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
C-133
Douglas 45+, 55+
C-119
Fairchild 110-
C-130
Lockheed 3+L+ to 38+L+
C-135
Boeing 5, 6, 8, 9, 25, 35, 39, 60, 64, 65, 69, 90+
C-141 B Lockheed 5+L+
C17
Lockheed NBA+
C-45 All Beachcraft 74, 84, 94, 734, 784, 794-
C-46 All Curtis-Wright 20-
C-47 All Douglas 511, 512, 513, 514+
C-5 A Lockheed 4+L+
C-54
Douglas 517, 523, 524+
C-78
Cessna 54576
E-3 A Boeing 65, 69, 204+
USN Attack
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
A-1
Douglas 525+
A3J 1, 2 North American 247, 263, 269-
A3J 3 North American 269, 279, 283, 296-
A-4
Douglas 155, 355, 400, 557, 566, 567, 582+
A-5 See A3J North American
A-6 All Grumman 128+L+
A-7
Ling-Temco-Vought 215, 216, 218-
AJ 1 North American 146, 156, 160-
AJ 2 North American 169, 184-
AJ 2P North American 175, 183-
AV-8 B McDonald 75+L+
USN Bombers
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
C-2 A Grumman 123+L+
P2V
Lockheed 14, 28, 30, 31, 33, 41, 42, 43, 44, 51, 52
P2V
Lockheed 53, 66, 82+, 87 to 98+
P-3
Lockheed 800 to 940+
PB4Y All Consolidated 100-
PBM
Martin 162-
PBY All Consolidated 28-
S-2 All Grumman 89+L+
SB2C 5 Curtis-Wright 84-
SBD
Douglas 419, 505, 506, 515, 519+
SBD
Douglas 106, 109, 119, 205, 206, 219, 405, 406, 412
TBM 3 Grumman 20, 21, 22, 32, 34, 35, 36, 51+
USN Fighters
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
F-14 All Grumman A51+L+
F-18 All Northrop Grumman 74+L+
F2H
McDonald 15-, 23-
F3H
McDonald 25-
F-4 All McDonnell-Douglas 32, 53-
F4F All Grumman 71+
F4U All Chance-Vought VS+
F6F 3, 5 Grumman 24, 25, 26, 27+
F7F All Grumman 37, 38, 39, 40+
F8F All Grumman 10 to 16+, 23, 33, 53, 55, 57+, 66 to 80+
F8U All Chance-Vought CV+
F9F All Grumman 136+, 137+, 139+
FG All Goodyear VS+
FJ 1 North American 134, 141-
FJ 2 North American 179, 181-
FJ 3 North American 194, 215-
FJ 4 North American 208, 209, 244, 248-
FM All General Motors 71+
USN Trainers
Type Model Manufacturer Prefix(es)
SNB All Beachcraft 74, 84, 94, 734, 784, 794-
SNJ 1 North American 52-
SNJ 2 North American 65, 79-
SNJ 3 North American 77-
SNJ 4 North American 88-
SNJ 5 North American 88, 121-
T-28 B North American 200, 219-
T-28 C North American 226, 252-
T2J 1 North American 241, 249, 253, 266-
T-34 B Beechcraft 45-
T3J North American 246, 277, 285-