The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was a straight-winged jet fighter developed and produced by the American company Lockheed. Introduced in 1945, it was the first jet fighter operated by the United States Army Air Forces. The aircraft was built from 1945 until 1950 with a total number of 1,715 units produced and was retired with the United States in 1959.
On January 8, 1944, the aircraft prototype designated as XP-80 performed its maiden flight. It was powered by a single de Havilland-built Halford H.1B turbojet. The aircraft was designed with a conventional all-metal airframe and fitted with a thin and straight low wing, and a tricycle arrangement undercarriage.
In late 1944, it entered into service. The Shooting Star was the first fighter jet in operations with its engine located in the fuselage. It was produced from 1945 to 1950 with a total number of 1,715 units built.
The single-seat P-80 has an external length of 10.49 meters, an external height of 10.5 meters, and a fuselage width of 1 meter. It has a tail height of 3.43 meters and a wheelbase of 3.6 meters. It featured a straight wing with a wingspan of 11.81 meters and a wing area of 22.07 square meters. The aircraft has an empty weight of 3,819 kg, a gross weight of 5,534 kg, and a maximum takeoff weight of 7,646 kg. The maximum payload is 1,000 kg and the fuel tank capacity is 885 US gal.
The P-80 Shooting Star is powered by a single Allison J33-A-35 engine. It is a centrifugal compressor turbojet with water injection, a single-stage double-sided centrifugal compressor, fourteen can type stainless steel combustion chambers, a single-stage axial turbine, and a wet sump oil system. The engine produces a 4,600 lbf dry thrust and 5,400 lbf with water injection. The aircraft has a maximum speed of 516 knots at sea level and a cruise speed of 381 knots. It has a standard range of 717 nautical miles and a ferry range of 1,200 nautical miles. It can fly up to 46,800 feet and can climb at a rate of 6,870 feet per minute.
The P-80 could be loaded with six 12.7 mm M3 Browning heavy machine guns, eight 127 mm HVAR (High-Velocity Aircraft Rocket) unguided rockets, and two 450 kg of bombs.
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