Lockheed XP-80 Shooting Star
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first American combat-ready jet fighter, and was the first American production combat aircraft to exceed 500 mph in level flight. It was the first American jet-powered aircraft to score a victory in air-to-air combat, and was the victor in the world's first jet-versus-jet combat. It participated in the world's first operational combat mission that was assisted by mid-air refuelling. For a brief time, it held the world's air speed record. And perhaps most significant, it formed the basis of the T-33 two-seat advanced trainer, one of the most successful trainers of the postwar era.

The USA got off to a late start in the new field of jet propulsion. The Germans had pioneered jet propulsion with the Heinkel He 178 V1, which was flown for the first time on August 27, 1939. The world's first jet-powered fighter, the Heinkel He 280 V1 flew for the first time on April 2, 1941. The Messerschmitt Me 262 V-3 took to the air under jet power for the first time on July 8, 1942. The British were not far behind the Germans, the Gloster E.28/39 experimental testbed having been flown for the first time on May 15, 1941 powered by a Whittle W2B turbojet engine with centrifugal supercharger. The Gloster Meteor flew for the first time on March 5, 1943, powered by a pair of 1500 lb.s.t. Halford H.1 turbojets. The prototype de Havilland DH-100 Vampire flew on September 21, 1943, powered by a single 2700 lb.s.t. Halford H.1 (Goblin) turbojet.

As far back as 1939, Lockheed engineers Clarence R. "Kelly" Johnson and Hall L. Hibbard had been interested in jet propulsion for aircraft, and had actually engaged in various paper projects. In particular, Lockheed had done some preliminary work on a company-financed project designated L-133 which had progressed to several different versions on the drawing board, culminating in the Model L-133-02-01, which was a canard design powered by a pair of Lockheed-designed L-1000 turbojet engines. The USAAF was not particularly interested in any of these projects and declined to finance any of them, so none of them ever progressed past the preliminary concept stage. However, spurred by reports from England on progress there with jet propulsion, and perhaps even more so by intelligence reports of German and Italian advances in the area of jet propulsion, the USAAF suddenly began to show more interest in jet-powered combat aircraft.

In exchange for the generous Lend-Lease aid provided to England by the USA, the British agreed to supply blueprints of their new jet engines to the USA, where they would be built under license by General Electric. Powered by a pair of General Electric I-A turbojets, the Bell XP-59A Airacomet made its maiden flight on October 19, 1942. Although the XP-59A provided valuable experience to the USAAF in the operation of jet-powered aircraft, it was basically a flying testbed and not a combat-capable aircraft. The USAAF had to look elsewhere in its search for an effective jet fighter.

In light of its pioneering work on the XP-59A Airacomet, the Bell Aircraft Corporation might have been a more likely choice than Lockheed for work on a more combat-capable jet fighter. However, the Bell corporation was heavily committed to other projects and could not take on any more work. In view of Lockeed's earlier studies in jet propulsion, in late 1942, the USAAF transferred to Lockheed the preliminary design studies undertaken by Bell for the XP-59B single-engined version of the Airacomet. In March of 1943, the specifications and drawings for the Halford H.1B (Goblin) turbojet were also transferred to Lockheed. This engine was to built under license in the USA by Allis-Chalmers as the J36.

In the spring of 1943, preliminary discussions were carried out between Lockheed representatives and the Air Technical Service Command about the production of a combat-capable jet fighter. On May 17, 1943, a conference chaired by Brig-Gen Franklin O. Carroll, chief of the Army Air Forces Engineering Division formalized these preliminary discussions. Lockheed was invited to submit a fighter proposal built around the de Havilland-built Halford H.1B turbojet. Immediately afterwards, Lockheed undertook a preliminary design investigation for a jet fighter project named L-140 by the company. On June 17, 1943 the USAAF gave its approval to the L-140 project, and on June 24 a formal Letter Contract was issued. The designation XP-80 was chosen for the project. On October 16, a formal contract was issued. One of the key requirements imposed on Lockheed was the need to complete the first aircraft within 180 days of the award of the Letter Contract.

In order to meet this schedule, Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson, assisted by William P. Ralston and Don Palmer, assembled a small team of engineers and went to a ten-hour day/ 6-day week schedule. They housed themselves in a temporary building near the wind tunnel at Plant B-1 and set out to design the L-140 and to build the prototype XP-80 in record time and in complete secrecy. They operated almost completely outside the normal company bureaucracy, and proceeded with a minimum of paperwork and overhead. This was the origin of the famous Skunk Works.

The Skunk Works team adopted a simplistic approach. The team settled on a clean aircraft with a low aspect ratio, laminar-flow wing. Conventional tail surfaces and a retractable nosewheel undercarriage were adopted. The Halford H.1B engine was to be fed by air intakes positioned in the lower fuselage forward of the wing leading edge and exhausted through a straight tailpipe. The pilot sat in a pressurized cockpit underneath a rearward-sliding bubble canopy. The aft fuselage with engine and tail surfaces was detachable as a single unit for ready access to the powerplant. The armament was to consist of six 0.50-inch machine guns, all mounted in the nose.

The mockup of the XP-80 was ready for inspection on July 20-22, 1943. Only a few minor changes were recommended by the inspectors, and construction of the XP-80 (serial number 44-83020) proceeded rapidly. Since the project had the highest priority, construction went so rapidly that the XP-80 was soon ahead of schedule. The pressurized cockpit was considered unnecessary for the first prototype, so it was decided that an unpressurized cockpit would be fitted in order to save time. However, the jet engine program did not proceed quite so rapidly and the delivery from England of the first non-flyable turbojet was delayed several times, forcing Lockheed to use a wooden engine mockup for the first tests.

The non-flyable engine was finally delivered on November 2, 1943. This engine was installed in the XP-80, and the aircraft was trucked from Burbank to Muroc Dry Lake. On November 16, the XP-80 was formally accepted by the USAAF, beating the schedule by completing the aircraft within 143 days from the date of award of the Letter Contract.

While the XP-80 was still under construction, some consideration had been given to installing a less powerful General Electric I-16 (license-built Whittle W2B) jet engine for initial testing, with production aircraft being powered by the more powerful Halford H.1B built under license by Allis-Chalmers as the J36. However, the XP-80 would be decidedly underpowered with the I-16, and this idea was dropped.

However, the J36 program ran into difficulties and ultimately failed to produce anything useful. In September 1943, Lockheed proposed as an alternative a larger and heavier L-141 version, to be powered by a General Electric I-40 (later produced by both General Electric and Allison as the J33). The USAAF was sufficiently impressed that they issued a contract for two XP-80As. Serials were 44-83021 and 44-83022.

A flyable Halford engine was delivered to Lockheed in mid November of 1943. The de Havilland-built Halford H.1B turbojet had a bench thrust of 3000 pounds at 10,500 rpm and an installed thrust of 2460 pounds at 9500 rpm. On November 17, 1943, while the H.1B engine installation in the XP-80 was undergoing ground testing, both intake ducts collapsed, and the ingestion of debris damaged the engine. While waiting a replacement engine, the ducts were strengthened. The British selflessly rushed over a replacement engine which had been intended for the number 2 Vampire fighter. The replacement engine arrived on December 28 and was promptly installed in the XP-80. The XP-80 was finally ready for its maiden flight.

The first flight of the XP-80 took place on January 8, 1944 with test pilot Milo Burcham at the controls. The first flight had to be cut short after only five minutes because of undercarriage retraction failure and the pilot's concern over boosted aileron sensitivity. These problems were quickly fixed. Subsequent test flights reached a top speed of 502 mph at 20,480 feet, the XP-80 becoming the first USAAF aircraft to exceed 500 mph in level flight. However, the flight tests also disclosed a number of problems including bad stall and spin characteristics, an excessively-high stick force, unsatisfactory fuel management systems, and poor engine reliability and performance. At low speeds, it had a tendency to stall and roll sharply to the right with little or no warning. These problems were addressed one-by-one. The original blunt-tipped wing and tail surfaces were replaced with rounded tips after the fifth flight, and sharp leading edge fillets were added at the wing roots. The tailplane incidence was increased by 1 1/2 degrees.

The XP-80 weighted 6287 pounds empty and 8196 pounds loaded. Dimensions were wingspan 37 feet 0 inches, length 32 feet 10 inches, height 10 feet 3 inches, and wing area 240 square feet. During tests, the XP-80 reached a top speed of 502 mph at 20,480 feet, becoming the first USAAF aircraft to exceed 500 mph in level flight. Service ceiling was 41,000 feet, and initial climb rate was 3000 feet per minute. The aircraft was armed with six 0.50-inch Browning M2 machine guns with 200 rounds per gun.

The XP-80 was eventually transferred to the 412th Fighter Group for tactical evaluation. Following that, the aircraft was returned to Muroc before being assigned to the AAF Training Command at Chanute Field in Illinois. The XP-80 survived all of these evaluation trials, and on November 8, 1946, it was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution for eventual display. Restoration work was completed in May of 1978.

Lockheed XP-80A Shooting Star
In September 1943, even before the XP-80 had made its first flight, Lockheed had proposed a larger and heavier L-141 version powered by the more powerful General Electric I-40 "Whittle" turbojet engine (later produced by both General Electric and Allison as the J33). The USAAF was sufficiently impressed that they issued a contract for two examples under the designation XP-80A. Serials were 44-83021 and 44-83022.

The General Electric I-40 engine that powered the XP-80A had a thrust of 4000 pounds, and was fed by intakes relocated a bit further aft to a position just below the cockpit windshield. The XP-80A was significantly larger and about 25 percent heavier than the XP-80 prototype in order to accommodate the larger engine. The wingspan was 39 feet 0 inches, two feet greater than that of the XP-80, but wing area was reduced to 237.6 square feet by using a narrower chord. Length was increased from 32 feet 10 inches to 34 feet 6 inches. Height increased to 11 feet 4 inches. Weights were considerably greater than those of the XP-80, being 7225 pounds empty, 9600 pounds gross, and 13,780 pounds maximum takeoff. The increased weight required a stronger undercarriage. Ammunition capacity increased from 200 to 300 rounds per gun, and internal fuel capacity increased from 285 to 485 US gallons. In contrast to the XP-80, the XP-80A was fitted with a pressurized cockpit.

XP-80A 44-83021 flew for the first time on June 10, 1944. It was followed on August 1 by XP-80A 44-83022. 44-83022 was fitted with a second seat which could carry an engineering observer. Early in the test program the XP-80A experienced excessively-high cockpit temperatures due to a faulty cabin pressurization valve. This problem was easily fixed, but there were more serious problems encountered with an unstable airflow through the intake ducts. Kelly Johnson took a ride in the rear seat of 44-83022 in order to try and figure out what was causing the problem. Kelly Johnson was an extremely talented aeronautical engineer, and he correctly diagnosed the cause as being boundary layer separation along the walls of the duct. The problem was solved by adding a series of boundary layer bleeds along the upper edges of the ducts. This feature was added to all subsequent production aircraft.

The second XP-80A became the first in the Shooting Star series to carry a 165 US-gallon drop tank underneath each wingtip. When carried, these tanks actually lowered rather than increased the drag. They could be brought home empty with no penalty in aerodynamic drag. The tanks also improved aileron effectiveness and wing loading.

The first XP-80A crashed after an engine failure on March 20, 1945, but test pilot Tony LeVier managed to parachute to safety and escaped with only back injuries. The second XP-80A was later used as a testbed for the Westinghouse J34 axial-flow turbojet in support of the XP-90 program.





Lockheed YP-80A Shooting Star
Thirteen YP-80A service test aircraft were ordered on March 10, 1944. Serials were 44-83023 through 44-83035. They were generally identical to the XP-80A and were powered by the General Electric I-40 turbojet, the production model of which was designated J33-GE-9 or -11. Armament was increased to six 0.50-in machine guns in the nose.

The USAAF wanted a photographic reconnaissance aircraft with the performance of the P-80, and, on September 23, 1944, they ordered that the second YP-80 (44-83024) be completed as an unarmed photo-recon ship. It was assigned the designation XF-14, the F designation being in the pre-1948 F-for-photographic reconnaissance series. In converting the aircraft to XF-14 configuration, the six 0.50-in machine guns in the nose of the YP-80A were taken out and replaced by a set of cameras. A window for the camera was built into the lower nose section in front of the nosewheel. The sides of the nose were left unblemished, unlike later P-80 reconnaissance models which had cameras on the side of the nose ahead of the air intakes. The career of the XF-14 was rather brief--it was destroyed on December 6, 1944 in a midair collision with a Lockheed-owned B-25 Mitchell during a test flight.

The first YP-80A took off on its maiden flight on September 13, 1944, beginning the manufacturer's trials. The trials got off to a horrible start. The third YP-80A (44-83025) crashed on its maiden flight on October 20, 1944, killing the well-known test pilot Milo Burcham.

In spite of the loss of the third YP-80A, four YP-80As were deployed to Europe in order to demonstrate their capabilities to combat crews and to help in the development of tactics to be used against Luftwaffe jet fighters. YP-80As 44-83026 and 44-83027 were shipped to England in mid-December 1944, but 44-83026 crashed on its second flight at Burtonwood, England, killing its pilot, Major Frederick Borsodi. 44-83027 was modified by Rolls-Royce to flight test the B-41, the prototype of the Nene turbojet. On November 14, 1945, it was destroyed in a crash landing after an engine failure. 44-83028 and 44-83029 were shipped to the Mediterranean. They actually flew some operational sorties, but they never encountered any enemy aircraft. Both of them fortunately managed to survive their tour of duty in Europe, but one of them crashed on August 2, 1945 after returning to the USA. The other one ended its useful life as a pilotless drone.

The remaining nine YP-80As were used for a variety of purposes, including operational evaluation and service trials. The first YP-80A was specially instrumented and was used by NACA at the Ames Aeronautical Laboratory at Moffett Field in California for high-speed diving trials. The tenth, eleventh, and twelfth YP-80As were delivered in 1945 to the 31st Fighter Squadron of the 412th Fighter Group at Bakersfield Municipal Airport in California for service tests.

Lockheed P-80A/B/C Shooting Star
The initial production version of the Shooting Star, the P-80A, was ordered on April 4, 1944, when a Letter Contract for two batches of 500 aircraft was issued. In June of 1945, 2500 additional P-80As were ordered. However, following V-J Day this second contract was cancelled in its entirety and the first contract was cut back to 917 aircraft.

The P-80A was much the same as the YP-80A which preceded it, differing only in minor details. The P-80A introduced under-fuselage dive brakes which opened forward at the wing join, and had a landing light installed behind a transparent fairing in the upper nose. The intake lip was moved slightly further aft, and the tailplane incidence was raised by 1.5 degrees.

The first 345 aircraft of this contract (serials 44-84992 to 44-85336) were designated P-80A-1-LO. Some of them were powered by the 3850 lb.s.t. General Electric J33-GE-11 turbojet, the production version of the I-40 which had powered the XP-80A and the YP-80A. Others were powered by the Allison J33-A-9, a version of the same engine built by the Allison Division of the General Motors Corporation.

The next 218 aircraft in the contract (44-85337 to 44-85941 and 45-8301 to 45-8262) were built as the P-80A-5-LO production block and differed by being equipped with the more powerful 4000 lb.s.t. Allison J33-A-17. The -5 also introduced a boundary layer control splitter plate inside the air intake. The landing light was relocated from the nose to the nosewheel landing gear strut. Later, the initial production P-80A-1-LOs were retrofitted with the uprated Allison engine during routine engine overhauls.

On January 19, 1945, North American Aviation had been awarded a contract to produce one thousand P-80As in its Dallas plant. The designation given to these license-produced Shooting Stars was P-80N. However, this contract was cancelled shortly after V-E Day, and no P-80Ns were ever completed.

The first P-80A was accepted by the AAF in February of 1945, and the last was delivered in December 1946. Early P-80As had a overall light grey finish which was used to seal all skin joints. This finish proved to be too hard to maintain in service, and was deleted in favor of a natural metal finish.

Another F-80A-1-LO (44-85042) was modified in the field as ERF-80A-1-LO to test new photographic equipment in a nose of modified contour.

One P-80A-1-LO airframe (44-85201) was modified as an unarmed photographic reconnaissance aircraft, with the guns being replaced by a set of cameras. The aircraft was redesignated XFP-80A, the F-14 designation originally planned for the reconnaissance version of the Shooting Star having been dropped. The XFP-80A differed from the original XF-14 in having a more elongated nose which hinged upward to provide better access to the cameras.

38 P-80A-5-LOs were completed during construction as FP-80A-5-LO photographic reconnaissance aircraft. Serials were 44-85383, 58385, 85399, 85425, 85433, 85439, the odd numbers in the batch of 44-85443 to 44-85491 inclusive, and the even-numbers in the batch 45-8301 to 45-8314 inclusive. Following the production of these modified recon aircraft, a new batch of aircraft (45-8364 to 45-8477) was manufactured from scratch as FP-80A-5-LO. This designation was later changed to RF-80A. Camera installation consisted of one K-17 camera and two K-22 split-vertical cameras. These all had camera noses that were generally similar to that of the XFP-80A. They were initially powered by the 3850 lb.s.t. General Electric J33-GE-11 engine.

In addition 66 production P-80A fighters were converted by Lockheed Aircraft Services, Inc as photo-reconnaissance ships. They differed from factory-built models in having a less even contour over the nose at the very front of the aircraft. They were redesignated RF-80A-15-LO. An unknown number of RF-80As were modified to RF-80A-10-LO standard with the installation of an AN/ARN-6 radio compass, JATO, plenum chamber fire warning units, modified heating, cooling, and pressurization. The -10 block aircraft were powered by J33-A-9A or -9B and J33-GE-11A or -11B engines. However, in 1953, 98 of these -10 and -15 FP-80As were re-engined with the 5400 lb.s.t. Allison J33-A-25 engine. These were redesignated RF-80A-20-LO and RF-80A-25-LO respectively.

Six RF-80A aircraft were modified to RF-80C-11-LO standard by Lockheed Air Service, Inc. The conversion consisted of the installation of the J-33-A-35 engine, an ejection seat using an M-5 catapult and M-3 actuator, and provisions for an AN/ARC-27 command radio. These RF-80Cs had improved camera installations in a nose of modified contour.

26 P-80A-5-LO aircraft were winterized by having the I-16 emergency fuel pump replaced by the the Pseco S-2342A pump, plus a modification to the fuel system to make it possible to use the port leading-edge tand for gasoline starting. An engine-driven fuel pump was fitted. These modified aircraft were redesignated P-80A-10-LO.

Three P-80As (44-8500, 44-85005, and 45-85235) were transferred to the US Navy for trials. They received BuNos 29667, 29668 and 29689 respectively, but apparently never got a Navy designation. 29667 was turned over to the Navy on May 17, 1945, and carried out simulated carrier landings at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, with much of the flying being done by Cmdr Najeeb Halaby. 29668 reached the Navy on Dec 18, 1945 and was fitted with a catapult bridle and arrestor hook. 29668 was used for carrier-suitability trials aboard the aircraft carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt, with Marine Corps LtCol Marion Carl carrying out several landings and takeoffs. However, the Navy never experienced any interest in acquiring a carrier-based version of the single-seat Shooting Star fighter.

One of the problems experienced by all early jet fighters was their relatively limited range and endurance as compared to conventional piston-engined fighters. One idea that was given serious thought at the time was for jet fighters to be towed like gliders behind bombers until they reached the combat zone. These fighters would then be cut free, start their engines, and engage in combat. When combat was over, the fighters would re-link to the bombers for the tow back home. In May of 1945, P-80A serial number 44-84995 was transferred to Wright Field for use in testing of the feasibility of this idea. An attachment bar for the cable tow was installed in the nose of the P-80A. It could be engaged or released by the pilot. The cable not only provided a tow, it also provided electrical power to the P-80A. Several tests were carried out in which the aircraft was towed behind a Boeing B-29A-10-BN (42-93921). On September 23, 1947, LtCol Pat Fleming took off and attempted to link up in midair to the B-29 tow cable. After several attempts were frustrated by air turbulence from the B-29, he finally succeeded in linking up to the end of the tow cable. He was towed through the air for 10 minutes. When it came time to unhook, the tow bar stubbornly refused to release. Fleming finally maneuvered underneath the B-29, where the bomber's bow wave snapped the attachment point backwards, blocking his forward view. Fleming managed to land safely, but the program was immediately terminated as being impractical. 44-84995 was eventually repaired and restored to standard P-80A configuration and returned to active service.

P-80A-1-LO 44-85044 was tested with a modified rotating nose housing four machine guns which could be elevated up to an angle of 90 degrees. The idea was for the P-80 to be able to approach an enemy bomber from below and be able to fire on it without being in danger of return fire. However, when these guns were fired, the P-80A bucked and trembled and the accuracy of fire left much to be desired, and the idea was abandoned. It was later fitted with a second cockpit in the nose in which the pilot lay prone. The regular cockpit was occupied by a safety pilot who made takeoffs and landings, navigated, and handled flaps and speed brakes. However, the prone pilot was situated so far forward that he experienced vertigo during maneuvers. The idea was abandoned as being impractical.

P-80A-1-LO 44-85116 was fitted with jettisonable racks for 5-inch HVAR rockets in place of the wingtip tanks. Later, it was fitted with a rocket launcher gun in a modified nose. The nose incorporated louvres to exhaust the gases produced by the firing rockets.

P-80A 44-85354 was experimentally fitted with four 20-mm cannon in place of the standard six machine guns. However, this cannon armament was never adopted as standard.

P-80A 44-85214 was fitted with a 30-inch diameter Marquardt C30-10B ramjet on each wingtip. 44-85042 used a pair of 20-inch Marquardt C20-85D ramjets. The ramjets were first used in flight on March 12, 1947 and on June 17, 1948 44-85214 flew briefly on ramjet power alone. About a hundred sorties were made at Muroc, mainly by Lockheed test pilot Herman R. "Fish" Salmon. The ramjet program was discontinued when it became apparent that the ramjet consumed fuel at a much too rapid rate to make it a practical means of aircraft propulsion.

In June of 1948, the P-80A and FP-80A were redesignated F-80A and RF-80A respectively.

After the end of the Korean War, 129 F-80As were partially brought up to F-80C standards by Lockheed Air Service, Inc. These were redesignated F-80C-11-LO and RF-80C-11-LO respectively, and were issued to ANG and USAF reserve units. These RF-80Cs had improved camera installations in a nose of modified contour. The conversion consisted of the installation of the J33-A-35 engine, the installation of an ejector seat using an M-5 catapult and M-3 actuator, and provision for an AN/ARC-27 command radio.
Lockheed P-80B Shooting Star
The next production version of the Shooting Star was the P-80B. The prototype for the series was designated XP-80B and was produced by modifying the ninth P-80A-1-LO (44-85200). A 4000 lb.st. Allison J33-A-17 turbojet engine equipped with water/methanol injection was fitted. In order to provide space for the water-alcohol tanks, the internal fuel capacity was reduced from 470 to 425 US gallons. Contrary to other reports, the P-80B did not have a thinner wing or a thicker skin, the wing thickness actually remaining the same all throughout the P-80 series. A Lockheed-designed ejector seat was fitted, making the P-80B the first operational American warplane to be equipped with an ejector seat. Provisions were made for the installation of JATO bottles. A dark-colored nose fairing housed a loop aerial for an AN/ARN-6 D/F set. The P-80B retained the wingspan, length and height, of the P-80A. The B could be distinguished from the A by relocating the pitot tube from the nose to the vertical fin.

A total of 240 P-80Bs were delivered between March 1947 and March 1948. These included 209 P-80B-1-LOs and 31 P-80B-5-LOs. The latter block were winterized models with canopy defrosting. In addition, they used special greases and natural rubber optimized for Arctic service in Alaska. In addition, on the P-80B-5-LO the 0.50-inch M-2 machine guns of the P-80B-1 were replaced with improved M-3 machine guns of identical calibre.

The first operational P-80Bs were issued to the 1st Fighter Group at March Field, California in June of 1946.

P-80B 45-8557 was transferred to the U. S. Navy, where it became BuNo 29690 and was used for experimental purposes.

At least five P-80Bs (45-8484, 8485, 8528, 8538, and 8561 were modified to duplicate the functions and guidance system of the Bell GAM-63 Rascal air to surface missile. They were fitted with modified noses and wing tip tanks, and were equipped with additional vertical control surfaces both above and below the wings.

117 F-80Bs were later brought partially up to F-80C standards, and were redesignated F-80C-12-LO. They were issued to Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve squadrons after the end of the Korean War.

In late 1946, it had been over ten years since any aircraft of US manufacture had held the world's speed record. At that time, the world's speed record was 615.8 mph, set on September 7, 1946 by Group Captain E. M. Donaldson of the RAF flying a modified Gloster Meteor F.4. In the autumn of 1946, the USAAF decided that it would be a good idea for the USA to regain this record. In pursuit of this aim, the USAAF instructed Lockheed to modify the XP-80B (44-85200) to make an attempt to set a new world's aircraft speed record.

The modified XP-80B aircraft was redesignated XP-80R, and was fitted with a set of experimental flush air intakes and a low-profile canopy. It was initially powered by a J33-A-17 engine. On its first attempt, the XP-80R failed to average over 600 mph in four passes over a 3 km course. In pursuit of more speed, the XP-80R was returned to Burbank for modifications. The experimental flush intakes were replaced by conventional intakes, and a 4600 lb.s.t. Allison Model 400 engine was fitted. This engine was a modified J33 equipped with water-methanol injection. The wings were clipped and were fitted with sharper leading edges.

On June 19, 1947, the XP-80R was ready for another attempt. Piloted by Colonel Albert Boyd (chief of Flight Test at the Air Materiel Command), the XP-80R succeeded in setting a new record of 623.738 mph. The P-80R was subsequently used operationally by the Air Training Command as an advanced trainer. It is now on display at the USAF Museum at Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio.

In June of 1948, the P-80B was redesignated F-80B.
Lockheed P-80C Shooting Star
The final production version of the Shooting Star was the P-80C, which was a heavier and more powerful version of the P-80B. The first P-80C flew on March 1, 1948. Whereas the P-80A and B had been delivered under original wartime contracts, the P-80C was built under postwar Fiscal Year 1947, 1948, and 1949 contracts.

The first two production batches included 162 P-80C-1-LOs and 76 P-80C-5-LOs. These were initially powered by the 4600 lb.s.t. Allison J33-A-23 jet engine. The last 561 P-80C aircraft were from the P-80C-10-LO production block and were powered by the 5400 lb.s.t. Allison J33-A-35 engine. The contract included four aircraft (49-3957/3600) that were originally ordered by Peru but delivered to the USAF in the fall of 1951. The P-80C could be externally distinguished from the B by the relocation of the pitot tube from the fin back to a position underneath the nose. The wingspan was 39 feet 9 inches, and the length was 34 feet 5 inches. It used the improved M3 machine guns first introduced on the later production blocks of the P-80B.

In June of 1948, the designation of the P-80C was changed to F-80C

The F-80C bore the brunt of Shooting Star combat in Korea, most of the F-80As and B's either remaining stateside or going on duty in Europe. In service, many P-80C aircraft were fitted with two additional wing pylons, and provision for the mounting of sixteen 5-inch rockets were made. Service modifications included the use of either 265 US gallon under-tip tanks (sometimes named "Misawa" tanks after the air base in Japan where they were first introduced) or 230 US-gallon centerline tip tanks. When the latter type of tanks were carried, the wingtips were squared off, reducing the span to 38 feet 9 inches.

During the Korean War, an uncertain number of F-80A and F-80C fighters were modified to RF-80C standards. They differed from other Shooting Star reconnaissance aircraft by having a smooth fighter-style nose. The guns were replaced by one or two K-14 cameras, but the gun barrels were painted over to give the appearance of retaining weapons.

After the end of the Korean War, 137 F-80As and RF-80As were partially brought up to F-80C standards by Lockheed Air Services, Inc. These were redesignated F-80C-11-LO and RF-80C-11-LO respectively, and were issued to ANG and USAF reserve units. The RF-80Cs had improved camera installations in a nose of modified contour. The conversion consisted of the installation of the J33-A-35 engine, the installation of an ejector seat using an M-5 catapult and M-3 actuator, and provision for an AN/ARC-27 command radio.

One F-80C (47-171) was constructed of magnesium throughout. It was redesignated NF-80C. One shudders to think of what would have happened if a fire ever broke out! In fact, the aircraft was originally on display at the Air Force Museum in Ohio, but removed after its all-magnesium construction was deemed to be a fire risk. Another usual experiment took place with F-80C serial number 49-429. It was tested on skis in Alaska.








































Specifications (P-80C/F-80C)
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 34 ft 5 in (10.49 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 9 in (11.81 m)
Height: 11 ft 3 in (3.43 m)
Wing area: 237.6 sq ft (22.07 m2)
Aspect ratio: 6.37
Airfoil: NACA 65-213
Empty weight: 8,420 lb (3,819 kg)
Gross weight: 12,200 lb (5,534 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 16,856 lb (7,646 kg)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0134
Frontal area: 32 sq ft (3.0 m2)
Powerplant: 1 ? Allison J33-A-35 centrifugal compressor turbojet, 4,600 lbf (20 kN) thrust dry 5,400 lbf (24 kN) with water injection
Performance
Maximum speed: 594 mph (956 km/h, 516 kn) at sea level
Maximum speed: Mach 0.76
Cruise speed: 439 mph (707 km/h, 381 kn)
Range: 825 mi (1,328 km, 717 nmi)
Ferry range: 1,380 mi (2,220 km, 1,200 nmi)
Service ceiling: 46,800 ft (14,300 m)
Rate of climb: 6,870 ft/min (34.9 m/s)
Time to altitude: 20,000 ft (6,100 m) in 5 minutes 30 seconds
Lift-to-drag: 17.7
Wing loading: 51.3 lb/sq ft (250 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 0.364 0.435 with water injection.
Armament
Guns: 6 ? 0.50 in (12.7mm) M3 Browning machine guns (300 rpg)
Rockets: 8 ? 127 mm (5.00 in) HVAR unguided rockets
Bombs: 2 ? 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs

Several P-80A Shooting Stars were transferred to the United States Navy beginning 29 June 1945, retaining their P-80 designations.
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