Lockheed P-80A 'Shooting Star'
HISTORY
- The Army Air Force approached Lockheed and Clarence "Kelly" Johnson to design a new aircraft around the British H-1 turbojet engine. The XP-80 prototype flew only 143 days later, exceeding 500 mph on its first flight. The Army Air Force quickly authorized production of 5,000 Shooting Stars. By the end of World War II, only 917 planes had been built and none saw combat.
- The Shooting Star was America's first jet aircraft that was built in large quantities. When production ended 1,714 had been built. In 1947 the Air Force dropped the "P" designation (for "pursuit"), substituting "F" (for "fighter"). By the time war broke out in Korea, F-80s were already in squadrons on the Japanese Islands. On 27 June 1950 a Shooting Star of the 35th Fighter Squadron scored America's first jet victories by downing two IL-10 bombers over South Korea. In its first clash with Soviet-built MiG 15s on S November 1950, an F-80 downed a single MiG 15.
- Despite the initial success against the MiG 15, it became apparent that the F-80 was outclassed by its swept-wing rival. Shooting Stars were withdrawn from front-line fighter service, but continued to be used as fighter-bombers. Shortly after the end of the Korean War, America's first combat-tested jet fighter was replaced by the F-S4 and the F-86.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Status: Static Dispaly |
| Manufacturer: Lockheed Aircraft Corporation |
| Year: 1945 |
| Model: P-80A Shooting Star |
Registration Number:
|
| Serial Number: |
| Crew: 1 |
| Max T/O Weight: 14,000 lb. |
| Span: 38 ft. 10 in. |
| Length: 34 ft. 6 in. |
| Height: 11 ft. 4 in. |
| Maximum Speed: 558 mph |
| Cruise Speed: 510 mph |
| Rate of Climb: 4,580 ft/min |
| Power Plant: 1 x Allison J33-A-9 turbojet engine, 3,850 lb. thrust |
| Range: 540 miles |
| Service Ceiling: 45,000 ft. |
| Armament: Six 0.50-cal machine guns & up to 2,000 lbs. of bombs |
BECOME A MEMBER
