Lockheed XP-80 Shooting Star "Lulu Belle", first of a prolific family
- Description
- Tags
- EXIF Metadata
- Information
On this day, at Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards AFB) in the Mojave desert, Lockheed chief test pilot Milo Burcham took the second US jet fighter, the XP-80, for its first flight. Tex Johnston was then flying the other jet engine Bell XP-59. After a brilliant demonstration of the capabilities of the XP-80 in front of numerous dignitaries, Johnston sent a cable to his mother company: “WITNESSED LOCKHEED XP-80 INITIAL FLIGHT STOP VERY IMPRESSIVE STOP BACK TO DRAWING BOARD STOP SIGNED, TEX”. The XP-80 was the first US aircraft to exceed 500mph in level flight and indeed the first of a large family (F-80, T-33, TV-2, F-94). At this time, Allied forces a preparing the invasion of France, which would happen 6 months later in Normandy
- Author
- Robin MORET
- Dimensions
- 3073*1920
- Visits
- 576
- Rating score
- no rate
_data/i/upload/2019/06/02/20190602232427-99e7cd83-la.jpg
_data/i/upload/2016/06/20/20160620003544-6a79f097-la.jpg
_data/i/upload/2016/06/20/20160620003657-1859ef8e-la.jpg
_data/i/upload/2016/06/20/20160620003748-7631ac23-la.jpg
_data/i/upload/2016/06/20/20160620004010-fc3a7045-la.jpg