Production of the XP-80, the experimental version of the F-80 Shooting Star, began in 1943 for use in World War II. However, the conflict ended before the aircraft could be used in combat. In 1948, the US Air Force renamed XP-80s when the aircraft designation “P” for “Pursuit” changed to “F” for “Fighter.” It was not until the Korean War that Shooting Stars saw use and gained notoriety. For example, an F-80C flown by 1st Lt Russell J. Brown shot down a Russian-built MiG-15 in the world’s first all-jet dog fight.
The first Lockheed F-80A arrived at Hill Field in 1946 for airframe maintenance, ushering in the base’s mission entry into the Jet Age. Later, in 1953, Hill Air Force Base received responsibility for repairing the Allison J-33 engine used in the F-80 and T-33 aircraft. The F-80A on display was originally manufactured as a two-seat T-33A trainer in the 1950s. An aircraft fabrication company cut the nose down and configured it into an F-80A prior to being acquired by the Hill Aerospace Museum for display.
As the first combat-ready, jet-propelled fighter in the US Air Force, the F-80 was responsible for many firsts in military aviation history. An F-80 participated in the world’s first operational combat mission assisted by mid-air refueling. It was also the first production combat aircraft to exceed 500 miles per hour in level flight. Lastly, it was the world’s first victor in jet-versus-jet aerial combat when an F-80 shot down a Soviet-built MiG-15 on 8 November 1950.
Serial Number: 44-84999
Manufacturer: Lockheed
Primary Function: Fighter
Crew: One
Engines: One Allison J-33-A-17A turbojet
Wingspan: 38 ft 10 in
Length: 34 ft 6 in
Height: 11 ft 4 in
Weight: 7,920 lbs (empty); Maximum Takeoff Weight: 14,00 lbs. Thrust: 4,000 lbs.
Speed: Maximum: 558 mph; Cruising Speed: 510 mph
Range: 1,000 miles
Service Ceiling: 45,000 ft
Armament: Six .50-caliber Browning M-2 machine guns
Payload: Up to 2,000 lbs. ordnance
Years of Service: 1944 – 1959
