The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, later renamed the F-80, was the first jet fighter used in combat by the U.S. Army Air Forces. Although German jets like the Messerschmitt Me 262 often get more attention in World War II history, the P-80 still played an important role in the war and influenced the design of future jet fighters.
Development of jet technology during World War II
When discussing advanced WWII aircraft, German models like the Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger, Messerschmitt Me 262 and Heinkel He 163 Komet often come to mind. However, the Allies weren’t far behind with the development of jet technology.
The British pioneered the first turbojet engine. It was designed by Royal Air Force (RAF) officer Frank Whittle in 1930, and the breakthrough led to the creation of the Gloster E.28/39, the first Allied jet aircraft, which made its first flight in 1941. Not long after, the United States introduced its own jet fighter, the Bell P-59 Airacomet, which entered service in October 1942.
While 66 units were produced, the P-59 never saw combat, as it lacked the performance needed for battle. It couldn’t match the speed of the latest piston-powered fighters, and the RAF deemed it inferior to the Gloster Meteor. As such, it was primarily used for pilot training.
Closing the gap
Realizing the need to catch up with the British and Germans, the United States developed the P-80 Shooting Star. Designed by Lockheed, it was the only Allied jet of the Second World War to have the engine mounted within the fuselage.
The development of the P-80 was driven by the Allies’ discovery of the Messerschmitt Me 262 in spring 1943. The US decided to use existing British jet research and fit the aircraft with the Halford H-1B Goblin engine, to give the P-80 performance that could match the Me 262.
Work began on the P-80 in May 1943 – without the engine, as it wasn’t yet available from the United Kingdom. Lockheed Chief Engineer Kelly Johnson gathered a team of engineers and told them their orders: they were to develop a new aircraft prototype for the USAAF. They would perform their job with the utmost secrecy, working six 10-hour days a week, as this new jet fighter needed to be completed within 150 days.
Skunk Works created the first prototype, the XP-80 Lulu-Belle, in early 1944, after 141 days of work. Powered by the British H-1B engine, Lulu-Belle first flew on January 8 of that year and, in further tests, exceeded 500 MPH at over 20,000 feet. This made it the first USAAF turbojet aircraft to surpass that speed in level flight.
After the first flight, Johnson remarked, “It was a magnificent demonstration, our plane was a success – such a complete success that it had overcome the temporary advantage the Germans had gained from years of preliminary development on jet planes.” This success prompted the development of additional prototypes.
Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star specs
The P-80 Shooting Star was built with a well-balanced fuselage to keep its center of gravity just right. Its cockpit featured a bubble canopy, giving pilots a wide, clear view. When production ramped up, the original British engine in the prototype was replaced with an American-made Allison J33-A-35 engine, mounted inside the aircraft. This engine produced 4,600 pounds of dry thrust, allowing the jet to fly at speeds up to Mach 0.76 and cover about 825 miles.
The P-80 was a single-seat fighter armed with a solid mix of weapons. Its primary armament included six .50 caliber AN-M3 Browning machine guns mounted in the nose. It could also carry eight High-Velocity Aerial Rockets (HVAR) and two 1,000-pound bombs using wing-mounted hardpoints and special rails. However, because of its compact frame, the aircraft had limited space for carrying extra weapons or supplies.
Flying secret missions over Italy
The U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) were eager to deploy the P-80 Shooting Star, hoping it could compete with the German Me 262 in combat. To test its capabilities, they sent four early YP-80A jets to Europe. Two were stationed in the UK for training and demonstrations, while the other two were sent to Italy to operate with the 1st Fighter Group at Lesina Airfield.
In Italy, the YP-80As faced a unique challenge. The Luftwaffe was already using jets in the region, particularly the Arado Ar 234B Blitz reconnaissance planes, which conducted surveillance over Allied positions and easily evaded traditional Allied aircraft. The YP-80A had the potential to change that.
One YP-80A, assigned to the 94th Fighter Squadron, flew two missions in Italy. While the details of these flights remain unclear, they were officially classified as non-combat. Although the P-80 was intended to play a larger role in the war, production delays prevented it from widespread deployment.
Death of Richard Bong
Maj. Richard Bong was the top American flying ace of the Second World War, serving in the Pacific Theater. He claimed his first kill in December 1942 and scored an additional four the following summer, securing a promotion to the rank of captain. By the time the conflict came to an end, he’d racked up more kills than famed World War I ace Eddie Rickenbacker, with 40 credited to his name.
Following his service with the USAAF, Bong became a test pilot. On August 6, 1945, he took off in a P-80 Shooting Star, which immediately suffered a malfunction with its primary fuel pump. Bong never switched on his auxiliary fuel pump, and when he attempted to eject from the aircraft, he was too close to the ground and perished.
Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star’s post-war service
After WWII, the P-80 Shooting Star continued to serve in various roles, including as a fighter-bomber in Korea, designated the F-80. Additional units of the P-80A were delivered to the US Navy, where they were modified for service aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB/CVA/CV-42).
Over 1,700 P-80s were produced, with the aircraft undergoing several upgrades, eventually evolving into the T-33 trainer, which served with several air forces around the world. A total of 6,557 were produced until 1959.
In addition to its operational roles, the P-80 contributed to aviation history by breaking several records. On June 19, 1947, a P-80R, piloted by Col. Albert Boyd, set the world speed record of 623.73 MPH. It also played a part in the development of aerial refueling, becoming the first jet to be successfully refueled mid-flight in combat.
Deployment of the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star
The most well-known variant of the P-80 Shooting Star was the F-80. Intended to be a high-altitude interceptor, it took on a number of roles throughout the Korean War, including as a photo reconnaissance aircraft (RF-80), a day fighter and a fighter-bomber. It notably flew combat sorties against North Korean-flown Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15s, as well as against Ilyushin Il-10 ground attack aircraft and Yakovlev Yak-9 fighters.
Most notably, the F-80C secured the first American jet-versus-jet kill during a dogfight against enemy MiG-15s on November 8, 1950, with pilot Lt. Russell Brown in the cockpit. An estimated 75 percent of enemy losses during the first months of the conflict were attributed to the aircraft. That being said, 368 were lost, the majority to ground fire.
Given its WWII-era origins, the F-80 was slower than anticipated. This eventually led to the North American F-86 Sabre taking over the aircraft’s combat role in Korea.
Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star’s legacy
The P-80 Shooting Star was a key player in the growth of jet aviation in the U.S. and helped shape the future of jet fighters. While it didn’t see much action during World War II, it had a major influence on jet technology. The P-80 proved what jet-powered aircraft could do and set the stage for more advanced designs like the F-86 Sabre and MiG-15.
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Its development and eventual use showed America’s dedication to pushing aviation technology forward and maintaining air dominance. The P-80 might not be as well-known as some other planes from its time, but its impact on jet aviation and the post-war era is undeniable.