Lockheed YP-80A "Shooting Star"
BLACK - B
Tail Number 44-83029
CFS3 - V4.00.167

This aircraft was built by GregoryP using the Version 4.00.167 AvHistory 1% Assembly Line process. The 1% version of this plane is based on the stock MS/CFS3 visual which has been repainted.

John BRAVO/4 Whelan's excellent historical paint represents the YP-80A, tail number 44-83029 (BLACK - B).



This seldom seen livery was designed so that allied pilots & AAA crews would not confuse the Shooting Star for a German machine during operational flights over Italy.

The service history of the Shooting Star begins in 1944, when the decision was made to deploy four service test YP-80As to Europe to demonstrate their capabilities to combat crews and to help in the development of tactics to be used against Luftwaffe jet fighters.

YP-80A's 44-83026 and 83027 were shipped to England in mid-December 1944, but 44-83026 crashed on its second flight in England, killing its pilot. 44-83027 was turned over to the British government and modified by Rolls-Royce to flight test the B-41, the prototype of the Nene turbojet. On November 14, 1945, 44-83027 was destroyed in a crash landing after an engine failure.

Aircraft number 44-83028 and 83029 were shipped to the Mediterranean.

They flew some operational sorties over Italy, but they never encountered any enemy aircraft. They were both returned to the USA after the war.

BEAR
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