P-80 (F-80) Shooting Star

The Shooting Star recorded a number of firsts: It was the first Air Force aircraft to exceed 500 mph in level flight, the first American jet airplane to be manufactured in large quantities, and the first Air Force jet to be used in combat. In June 1943, Lockheed was invited to design an aircraft around the de Havilland H-1 turbojet newly developed in Britain. Lockheed's design team led by Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson completed the project details in a week, and the first prototype was flown 143 days later. On that first flight, pilot Milo Burcham was so pleased with the performance of the aircraft that he presented a display of low-level aerobatics prior to landing. Several early P-80s were sent to Europe for a demonstration tour, but World War II ended before the aircraft could be employed in combat. The aircraft was redesignated in 1948 when "P" for pursuit was changed to "F" for fighter. Although it was originally conceived as a high-altitude interceptor, the F-80C was used extensively as a fighter-bomber in the Korean War, primarily for low-level rocket, bomb, and napalm attacks against ground targets. F-80C pilots flew more than 15,000 sorties in the first four months of the war. On November 8, 1950, 1st Lt. Russell J. Brown, flying a 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-80C, shot down a Soviet-built MiG-15 in the world's first all-jet air battle. The early success was short lived, however, and soon F-80 pilots required help from F-86 pilots in the form of top cover. Only 14 F-80s were shot down by enemy aircraft in Korea, but 113 were downed by ground fire. Many Shooting Stars were converted into FP-80 (later RF-80) reconnaissance and QF-80 drone versions. The T-33, for many years the world's most widely used jet trainer, and the radar-equipped F-94C all-weather interceptor were both developed from the F-80.

Contractors:	Lockheed Aircraft Co.
Locations Built:	Burbank, Calif.
Number Built: (USAF)	1,731 (1,678)
First Flight:	January 8, 1944
First Flight Model:	XP-80
First Flight Location:	Muroc AAF, Calif.
First Flight Pilot:	Milo Burcham
Models/Variants:	YP-80. P-80A, B, C (later redesignated F-80A, B, C). FP-80A, C (later redesignated RF-80A, C). F-14A. QF-80A, C
Powerplant:	One Allison J33 of 5,400 lb thrust (with water/alcohol injection)
Wingspan:	38 ft 10-1/2 in.
Length:	34 ft 6 in.
Height:	11 ft 4 in.
Weight:	16,856 lb gross
Armament:	Six .50-cal. machine guns and eight 5-in rockets or 2,000 lb of bombs
Accommodation:	Pilot only
Cost:	$93,456
Max. Speed:	580 mph
Range:	1,380 mi.
Ceiling:	48,000 ft.