Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
fighter aircraft family by Lockheed
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first fighter jet of the United States Army Air Force. It made a few flyovers of Germany in the last weeks of World War II. From 1948 its designation was changed to F-80 Shooting Star. Early in the Korean War the MiG-15 was shown to be much better and the F-86 replaced it. The United States Air Force was the main operator, but Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay also used it.
| P-80 / F-80 Shooting Star | |
|---|---|
| |
| P-80A | |
| Role | Jet fighter |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Corporation |
| Designer | Clarence "Kelly" Johnson |
| First flight | 8 January 1944 |
| Introduction | 1945 |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary users | United States Air Force United States Navy |
| Number built | 1,715 |
| Unit cost |
US$110,000 in 1945
|
| Variants | Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star |
| Developed into | Lockheed F-94 Starfire |
This aircraft was the basis of the famous training aircraft T-33 T-Bird and the F-94 Starfire fighter jet.
