The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).
Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying, and two pre-production models did see very limited service in Italy just before the end of World War II.
Designed with straight wings, the type saw extensive combat in Korea with the United States Air Force (USAF) as the F-80.
Variants
P-80/F-80
1714 production aircraft were delivered to the Air Force prior to any conversions or redesignations, with their original block numbers.
XP-80
Prototype powered by a de Havilland-built Halford H.1B turbojet and first flown 8 January 1944, one built.
XP-80A
Production prototype variant powered by a General Electric I-40 turbojet, increased span and length but wing area reduced, two built.
YP-80A
12 pre-production aircraft. One aircraft, 44-83027, lent to Rolls-Royce Limited and used for development of the Nene engine.
XF-14
One built from YP-80A order (44-83024), lost in midair collision with B-25 Mitchell chase plane on 6 December 1944; USAAF photo reconnaissance prototype.
P-80A
344 block 1-LO aircraft; 180 block 5-LO aircraft. Block 5 and all subsequent Shooting Stars were natural metal finish.
Fitted with 225 US gal (187 imp gal; 850 l) tiptanks.
F-80A
USAF designation of P-80A.
EF-80
Modified to test “Prone Pilot” cockpit positions.
F-14A
Unknown number of photo-reconnaissance conversions from P-80A, all redesignated FP-80A.
XFP-80A
Modified P-80A 44–85201 with hinged nose for camera equipment.
USAF designation of FP-80A, 66 operational F-80A’s modified to RF-80A standard.
ERF-80A
Modified P-80A 44–85042 with experimental nose contour.
XP-80B
Reconfigured P-80A, improved J-33 engine, one built as prototype for P-80B
P-80B
209 block 1-LO; 31 block 5-LO; first model fitted with an ejection seat (retrofitted into -As)
F-80B
USAF designation of P-80B.
P-80R
Modification of XP-80B to racer.
P-80C
162 block 1-LO; 75 block 5-LO; 561 block 10-LO
F-80C
USAF designation of P-80C; 128 F-80A modified to F-80C-11-LO with J-33-A-35 engine and ejection seat installed; fitted with 260 US gal (220 imp gal; 980 l) tiptanks; major P-80 production version.
RF-80C
70 modified F-80A and F-80C, and six modified RF-80A, to RF-80C and RF-80C-11, respectively; upgraded photo recon plane.
DF-80A
Designation given to number of F-80As converted into drone directors.
QF-80A/QF-80C/QF-80F
Project Bad Boy F-80 conversions by Sperry Gyroscope to target drones.
Q-8 was initially proposed as designation for the QF-80.
TP-80C
First designation for TF-80C trainer prototype.
TF-80C
Prototype for T-33 (48-0356).
TO-1/TV-1
U.S. Navy variant of F-80C; 49 block 1-LO and one block 5-LO aircraft transferred to USN in 1949; 16 initially went to U.S. Marine Corps.
