User:Ctbolt/ToDo/RAAFtemplate

Template for RAAF Aircraft

I've just completed a template for RAAF Aircraft using their RAAF designations (A12 etc). It is based on similar ones used for car manufacturers. Have a look at Template:RAAF_Aircraft for review / comments. - Ctbolt 07:19, 7 March 2007 (UTC)

While the template looks nice and I'm sure that you put a lot of work into it, I'm not sure what value a big list of what are, to most people, meaningless numers is going to add to articles on aircraft used by the RAAF and it is probably going to be quickly removed from articles on non-Australian designed aircraft. Moreover, these aren't the designations used by the RAAF, but instead the code which it uses to identify its individual aircraft - the RAAF uses the name assigned to the aircraft by its manufacturer (eg, so the F-4 Phantom was the F-4 Phantom in Australian service and not the A69). It would probably be more useful to convert List of aircraft of the RAAF into a series of tables which include the aircraft's series number. I may be in the minority on this though. --Nick Dowling 07:30, 7 March 2007 (UTC)

It does seem a bit cryptic for anyone that's not intimately familiar with the codes. ;-) Kirill Lokshin 13:26, 7 March 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for the feedback. I see your point on the large list of codes. Here's my reasoning:

• I wanted to easily navigate to another aircraft as you can do with cars from one manufacture : Holden's Navigation (they also use 'EJ, EH etc' although in a limited fashion.
• Something similar is already being used for Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation aircraft. Manufacturer designations are used and not their common names CAC Navigation
• The aircraft name is visible when you hover your mouse over the code - although this may not be intuitive for all people.
• The code series (A20) is on every ADF aircraft - at least post WWII. So people looking up a Winjeel or Wirraway are going to be at least a little savvy on the codes.

I still think it's useful on the aircraft pages as a Navbox rather than incorporate it into a list:

• As above, it is easier to navigate
• With a lot of aircraft, the codes would make it smaller than having full names
• There is no other list with these designations or 'codes' for RAAF aircraft although as Nick said this could be fixed in List of aircraft of the RAAF

To take on board your comments I propose the following:

• I've got an example with names included here User:Ctbolt/RAAF4

The idea would to have it default to state 'collapsed'.

I yet to complete the other series - Series three is there for an example

The above is an example for formatting only - so the naming, order etc is for another day.

• It probably should be called the 'Aircraft of the Australian Defense Forces' as army and navy aircraft are included.
• The List of aircraft of the RAAF should also have a name change to List of aircraft of the ADF - that discussion is not for here. I will post it at the page.
• The Navbox could be re-ordered in to bomber / fighter / army / RAN etc then by date of first use by the ADF
• Having even short names or pictures would be great but would make the list box very large

- Ctbolt 04:33, 11 March 2007 (UTC)