Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star
Lockheed Corporation · United States · first flew 1944 · fighter
The Lockheed P-80/F-80 Shooting Star was the United States Army Air Forces' first operational jet fighter, designed and built with remarkable speed during World War II. It established the template for post-war US fighter development and formed the basis of the highly successful T-33 trainer.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Fuselage-side air intakes flanking the cockpit — no nose intake |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- America's first operational jet fighter with straight mid-mounted wings
- Fuselage-side air intakes flanking the cockpit — no nose intake
- Long cigar-shaped fuselage with wingtip fuel tanks
Straight mid-set wings, fuselage-side intakes, a smooth cigar-shaped fuselage, and wingtip drop tanks are the F-80's signature; it is somewhat similar to the T-33 but with a single-seat cockpit.
Specifications
- The Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star has a length of 10.49 m (34 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.81 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 966 km/h (600 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed in 143 days by Lockheed's Skunk Works under Kelly Johnson, the XP-80 first flew on 8 January 1944. It arrived in Europe just before V-E Day and missed World War II combat. In Korea it flew extensively and scored the world's first jet-versus-jet kill on 8 November 1950 when Lt. Russell Brown downed a MiG-15.
Variants
The P-80A was the initial production fighter; the F-80C was the main Korean War variant; the RF-80A was photo-reconnaissance configured; the T-33 is a two-seat trainer stretch. The F-94 Starfire was an all-weather derivative.
Where you'll see it
Operated exclusively by the USAF and in small numbers by allied air forces including Brazil; all retired by the mid-1950s from front-line service. Several airworthy examples remain with US warbird operators.
Related aircraft
- Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning
- Lockheed XP-80 Shooting Star
- Lockheed NC-121K Warning Star
- Lockheed P-80A Shooting Star
- Arado E.580
- Bell XP-77
- Blohm & Voss BV 155
- Curtiss SC Seahawk
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