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The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star is the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. [1] Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, two pre-production models saw limited service in Italy just before the end of World War II.
In parallel with the B-17 drone program, in 1946/47, three P-80A Shooting Star fighters were converted to radio-controlled drones in a test program to develop faster, more maneuverable aerial gunnery targets for the new generation of jet fighters entering the Air Force inventory. All armament was removed, and radio control equipment was installed.
P-80 Shooting Star: Jun 10, 1944: United States' first operational jet fighter 080: P-80 Shooting Star: YP-80A-P-80C 380: P-80 Shooting Star: Unbuilt naval proposal 480: P-80 Shooting Star: Unbuilt naval proposal 580: T-33 Shooting Star: Mar 22, 1948: Trainer; originally designated TP-80C and TF-80C 680: F-80D Shooting Star: Unbuilt version ...
The 1st FG was equipped with the first operational U.S. jet fighter aircraft, the P-80A Shooting Star, in 1946. Inactivated in 1961, after 30 years the group was renamed the 1st Operations Group (OG) and activated on 1 October 1991 as a result of the 1st Fighter Wing implementing the USAF objective wing organization.
The aircraft was only used in combat once, when Marine Corps night fighter squadron VMF(N)-513 flying F7F-3Ns saw action in the early stages of the Korean War, shooting down two Polikarpov Po-2 biplanes. 1943 [93] [94] 1944 [93] [94] 364 [94] XF5U: Fighter Vought Cancelled in 1947 1943 Never 2 XF8B: Fighter Boeing 1944 Never 3 P-80 (F-80 ...
Bong then became a test pilot assigned to Lockheed's plant in Burbank, California, where he flew P-80 Shooting Star jet fighters at the Lockheed Air Terminal. On August 6, 1945, he took off to perform the acceptance flight of P-80A 44-85048. It was his 12th flight in the P-80; he had a total of four hours and fifteen minutes of flight time in ...
RF-80A Shooting Star 66 production P-80A fighters were converted by Lockheed into reconnaissance aircraft and given the designation RF-80A-15-LO. The RF-80A proved itself in combat during the Korean War and took part in numerous sorties over North Korea as well as sorties along the border with North Korea and China, near the Yalu River. [9] [26]
With the long runways of the airport, the unit was able to upgrade to Lockheed P-80A Shooting Star jet aircraft in early 1948. In 1950, the unit became the first Air National Guard organization to win the Winston P. Wilson Trophy as the outstanding jet fighter unit for the year.