Lockheed P-80A for the U.S. Navy (1945)

[jzichek]

Check out this article at RetroMechanix.com on a Lockheed P-80A Shooting Star procured by the U.S. Navy in 1945:



The aircraft received several modifications for carrier use, including the addition of an arresting hook, catapult hooks and holdback. The accompanying image gallery features 21 high resolution photos of this rare P-80 variant, including close-ups of the arresting gear. Ideal for modelers or enthusiasts of historic naval aviation!

-Jared

[jzichek]

We've posted a follow-up article on the early navalized Lockheed P-80A at RetroMechanix.com:



Based on material provided by naval aviation historian Tommy Thomason, the article features 6 photos of the aircraft under evaluation at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland in 1946. The high resolution photos provide close-up views of both the bridle and pendant configurations which were tested for catapult launch of the aircraft.

-Jared

[jzichek]

The third installment in our unplanned series on an early navalized Lockheed P-80A is up at RetroMechanix.com:



The article presents a re-discovered U.S. Naval Air Test Center (NATC) report dating from June 23, 1947 on flight tests of the Shooting Star as an overload fighter with wing tip auxiliary fuel tanks installed. The accompanying image gallery reproduces the entire report, including several rare photos of the aircraft with wing tip tanks attached.

-Jared