@ Washington, D.C.
August 2018
The XP-80 was the prototype of the P-80 Shooting Star, the first operational turbojet fighter produced in the United States. Designed by the legendary Lockheed engineer, Clarence L. “Kelly” Johnson, the XP-80 was built in record time and first flew on January 8, 1944, 143 days after start of design. During this first flight, the XP-80 reached an impressive speed of 547 mph in level flight. Unusual for a prototype aircraft, “Lulu-Belle” flew from the outset with all six guns installed, and several early flights involved gunnery trials. By August 1944, Lockheed had completed XP-80A prototypes (using a GE engine) and the improved performance of these jets rendered this important airframe obsolete. After use of this aircraft to develop combat tactics, “Lulu-Belle” finished its career in 1946 as an engine test-bed for the Goblin engine. In 1949, the Army transferred the aircraft to the Smithsonian Institution. The nickname “Lulu-Belle” came from a character in Al Capp’s comic strip “Lil’ Abner.”
