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Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star
Lockheed's F-80 Shooting Star was the first USAF jet fighter
to see combat over Korea. Until the introduction of the MiG-15 on November 1 1950, the
F-80 had no peer in the North Korean Air Force. However, the MiG immediately
reversed situation, having a considerable performance advantage over
all of the American straight-wing jet fighters. Despite being a relatively unsophisticated aircraft,
the F-80 did manage to maintain a 2 to 1 kill ratio over the MiG, claiming 31 of the Soviet fighters
destroyed to the loss of 14 to the guns of the MiGs
As the war progressed, the F-51D Mustang
was gradually withdrawn from combat. It was replaced in the ground attack role by first-generation jet fighters
such as the F-80 and F-84. Likewise, these aircraft had become available
as the F-86 Sabre arrived to battle the fast, high flying MiGs. When reviewing the reliability of the various jet fighters
employed in Korea, the F-80 demonstrated greater reliability and overall serviceability. Typical of Lockheed
designs, the Shooting Star was built like a locomotive and absorbed battle damage
better than virtually any of its contemporaries.
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