P-80 Shooting Star - America's WW2 Combat Jet

The story of the P-80 Shooting Star, the only US jet to see action in WW2 during a secret operation in Italy.

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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.

Photos licensed under Wikimedia Creative Commons: Ian Dunster; Alejandro Pena; Arjun Sarup

[SirHenryMaximo]

I'm often amazed by the fact that WWII saw both canvas biplanes and jet fighters on the air.

[elrobo]

I was a crew chief in the USAF in the 60's and worked on the P-80 and AT-33, the AT-33 was a T-33 with guns and bomb racks. I laughed every year when we had to do a "termite inspection" yearly as the floor of the jet was wooden. During Viet Nam the AF decided to try to convert an AT-33 to carry a Vulcan 20 MM gun pod for close ground support. We modified it to mount a gun pod on the centerline rack and took it to the borescope gun range where we jacked it and retracted the nose gear. We had to pump the gear struts up to give clearance. The gun fired great. The jet flew on a test flight to Gila Bend Az. range to test the gun. The acft came back on an emergency and it was parked by me and the canopy was still down. I had to open the canopy and saw that the pilot was very upset, he told me that when he hit the gun the recoil from the gun almost stopped the jet in flight. He said some other things but I can't put them here. Oh well we tried.

[charlessaint]

History Channel: We got Pawn Stars and Ice Road Truckers!
Everyone else: We got Dr. Mark Felton.

[subterfusion]

My dad had 8 hrs in the T33 before he washed out of flight school. One of the high points of his life. On his deathbed, flying on synthetic morphine, he described to me a waking dream....turning in formation in the T33, high above Lackland air base. I salute you, Pop.

[michaejackson]

My dad was an Air Force fighter pilot. He was an instructor pilot for a time in the T-33. In fact, the picture shown is my dad getting into his T-33 as a Capt/Instructor in Texas where my mom met him. Miss you dad! He served over 30 years. Starting on the F-86, F-102 and 106, Forward Air Controller in Vietnam in OV-10s, 10 years in SAC flying B-52s and KC-135s, then back to OV-10s in Germany. Finishing with the B-1 Bombers in Kansas before retiring.

[UnclePutte]

The all-too familiar story of early jets: lost in a crash, lost in a crash, lost in a crash, lost in an accident, lost in a crash...

[budwyzer]

RIP Dick Bong.

America's Ace of Aces with the greatest name ever bestowed on a human being.

[Vuk_Stajic]

Crazy how your videos feel more like a full production rather than just a YT vid. Thanks for your amazing work!

[studuerson]

For myself, and many others, a T-33 ride was our first time in a jet cockpit. What a memory.
A classmate of mine once hit the wrong switch on that ride, and kicked off the wing tanks over Tinker AFB.

[Hectopath]

Random fact: Mark's grandfather was a British soldier who fought in the Burma front of WWII. He said so himself in a community post a little while back. Just something for new viewers that I thought you'd find interesting. :)

[jedimindtrix]

Crazy they flew till 1997 in active service. Trainer or not that's a hugely impressive lifespan.

[stevesullivan]

From my readings... after the war both of the inventors of the jet engine met, German and British. They shared information with each other and were amazed to find out they both reached the same conclusion via different design routes. One of those rare times in history where simultaneous inventions take place with neither person aware of the others work. They became close friends, working together on projects well into their latter years.

[Pittsspecials]

As a pilot I once met an old man on the golf course in Brunswick GA. He said he was a pilot too . He said he was the LSO on the USS Langly. He also said his last assignments were to fly the P-80 at the airport In Brunswick. He said it was a Navy airstrip during the war. He looked pretty old but…while we spoke he came alive …and appeared grow “younger “ the more we spoke of his fighter pilot days.

[SearchEast]

P80 with the wing tanks is straight ICONIC

[garandbear]

It's a shame that America's highest scoring ace of all time, Richard Bong, died test piloting a P-80 on August 6th, 1945.

[jaydee]

I got a look at the manual for a P-80 once. One of the illustrations in it was an artist conception of p-80s defending B-29s from zeros.

[Wseldgzer]

My local college rescued one from the shredder. Restored it, flew it around for a few years then put it on display out front of the local airport. They did a great job on it. There's still quite a lot of them in private hands that are air worthy.

[crstothard]

They would have flown past each other very quickly.... greetings from NYC!

[billyc]

I'm so glad I found this channel. I have been fascinated by ww2 since I was a boy and my grandfather would tell me about battles. I have never watched any documentaries with a better narrator. Mark is a natural and I've watched thousands of documentaries. Thank you so much Dr. Felton

[jimvonbaden]

I worked as an Avionics Technician on the T-33 from 1982-1988 at Tyndall AFB. I have many back seat hours on this fun plane. It was a very good trainer. Two of them are at the Air and Space Museums in DC and Virginia, and I worked on both of them back in the day.