Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
| 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 |
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.
This aircraft was the basis of the famous training aircraft T-33 T-Bird and the F-94 Starfire fighter jet.
