The P-80 Shooting Star holds the distinction of being America's first operational jet fighter, playing a pivotal role in the nation's transition into the jet age. The aircraft was the result of a collaboration between the Army Air Forces and Lockheed, with the initial prototype, the XP-80, making its maiden flight on Jan. 8, 1944.
Developed with remarkable speed, the XP-80 was designed and built in just 143 days in 1943. Its design was characterized by a bullet-shaped fuselage, flush rivets, and straight wings, earning it the nickname, "Shooting Star."
While the P-80 did not see combat in World War II, two pre-production YP-80A models were used for limited reconnaissance missions in Italy in early 1945. The aircraft's primary combat service came during the Korean War, where it was involved in the first-ever jet-versus-jet air combat, with an F-80 shooting down a MiG-15 on Nov. 8,1950. The P-80 was eventually succeeded by the F-86 Sabre.
Learn more: History in Two: Lockheed XP-80/YP-80/P-80/F-80 Shooting Star