Description
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star is an American single-seat, single-engine jet fighter. Research work on a jet fighter for the USAAF began in the USA, based on the British De Havilland H-1B Goblin engine, in 1943. The flight of the first prototype took place in January 1944. However, due to numerous failures and catastrophes, the first planes to line units arrived only at the beginning of 1945. The P-80 planes did not take part in World War II. After its completion, the USAAF reduced their original order, and by 1950, 1,715 P-80s of three versions: A, B, and C were finally produced. Serial versions were powered by the Allison J33-A-35 engine. The modified P-80B, dubbed the XP-80R, set a speed record of 1003.9 km / h on June 19, 1947. The P-80s were massively used in the Korean War, but due to their inferior parameters to the Mig-15, they were replaced by the F-86 Saber. After being withdrawn from service, they were used as attack aircraft and support the battlefield. There was also a training version called T-33, which was produced until 1959. Nearly 7,000 aircraft of this version were built! Technical data (version P-80C): Maximum speed: 965 km / h, speed of climb: 23.3 m / s, maximum altitude 14,000 m, maximum range: 1,930 km, armament: fixed – 6 M2 Browning 12 machine guns , 7mm, suspended – up to 908 kg of bombs.
