What do the pilots call it?

[Frostie]

Ive heard their calling the F-22, the 'Wadthafurcwazdat'

[Rooks]

LOL! :D

[CrazyAggie05]

haha love it

[D-Scythe]

Some more: F-15E - dark greys, F-15C - light greys.

 

AIM-120 - Fetch'em Fido

AIM-9X - X-ray

[EvilBivol-1]

I rarely come across anybody referring to the MiG-29 as the "Swift", or the Su-27 as the "Crane." The most common tags are the above mentioned "Sushka" or "Suhar'" for the Su (might apply to any Sukhoi) and simply "Mig" for the MiG-29 (or, again, any MiG aircraft). Either that, or simply "27" and "29". :) Actually, the numerical designations are probably the most frequently used in casual discussions (either numerically or spelled out), and not just for aircraft. For example, the T-80 is often called "the eighty", etc.

 

"Grach" (Rook) is an exception and is often used for the Su-25. In general, all fast-movers were dubbed "svistki" (whistlers) in Afghanistan.

 

"Crocodile" is a common nick for the Mi-24. Choppers in general are often referred to as "vertushki" (diminutive of 'vertolyot', Russian for helicopter).

 

Most of the typical Russian aircraft nicknames are simply shorthand and diminutive versions of their proper names, as compared to the more imaginative and unrelated names used by Western air forces.