F-80B Shooting Star

The North American Aviation F‑80B Shooting Star, the first operational jet fighter of the United States Air Force, entered service in 1945 and quickly demonstrated the potential of jet propulsion in combat. Developed from the prototype XP‑80, the B model incorporated a more powerful Allison J33‑35A turbo‑jet, a strengthened airframe, and an improved hydraulic system that allowed a top speed of 600 mph (965 km/h) and a service ceiling above 40,000 ft. Its armament of six .50‑caliber machine guns and capacity for bombs or rockets gave it a versatile strike capability. Though the aircraft saw limited action in World War II, it became the backbone of early Cold‑War air‑defense units, participating in the Korean War where it earned the first jet‑on‑jet aerial victories for the United States. The F‑80B’s straight‑wing design, simplicity of maintenance, and pioneering use of jet technology earned it a place in aviation history as a bridge between piston‑engine fighters and later swept‑wing supersonic designs such as the F‑86 Sabre. Its operational record helped shape tactical doctrines and accelerated the transition to all‑jet fighter fleets worldwide.

Lockheed Corporation

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