#f 80

F-80 Shooting Stars

F-80Cs of the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group in Korea during the summer of 1950.

Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star

In the first month of the Korean War, the P-80 Shooting Star shouldered much of the burden of United Nations air operations. As the first American jet fighter to see combat, it quickly secured air superiority over North Korean forces flying older, propeller-driven aircraft. In the face of a numerically superior enemy, it carried out 15,000 sorties in the first four months alone.

On 27 June 1950, P-80s achieved the first jet-versus-aircraft victories in U.S. history, shooting down several North Korean Yak fighters. When North Korean troops in the South came in range of P-80s, they endured a horrendous greeting of napalm, anti-personnel bombs and withering machine gun fire.

P-80s carried out ground-attack missions, striking troop convoys, bridges, and supply routes to slow the North Korean advance. These missions destroyed vital infrastructure, disrupted communications, and provided essential close support for retreating allied ground forces. Their speed and reliability helped stabilise U.N. defences and demonstrated the effectiveness of jet warfare.

The appearance of the phenomenal MiG-15 in late 1950 made the P-80 obsolete as a pure fighter. The Soviet-built MiG was faster, could climb higher, and had heavier armament, easily outclassing the older American jet. As a result, the P-80 was soon replaced by the more advanced F-86 Sabre for front-line air combat duties. It fought throughout the war and dispensed an awe-inspiring amount of rockets and bombs.

1) Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star was first operational jet fighter used by United States Army Air Forces and key step in US transition from piston to jet-powered aircraft. saw early success in Korean War (1950–1953), scoring first US jet-vs-jet kill.

1 November 1950. The first-ever jet-versus-jet combat. Three MiG-15s from the 50th IAD intercepted ten F-80 Shooting Stars. The F-80C piloted by 1st Lt Frank Van Sickle USAF (kia) was shot down by 1st Lt Semyon Fyodorovich Khominich. Initially attributed to ground fire.

1)US first successful turbojet-powered combat aircraft, soon outclassed by MiG-15 and quickly replaced in air superiority role by F-86 Sabre. F-94 Starfire, all-weather interceptor using same airframe, also saw Korean War service.

American F-80 Shooting Star with both bomb load and tip tank.