Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star.

Interesting History?

This year the Wales National Air Show in Swansea Bay, S-Wales U.K. was the attraction of the Shooting Star and American Jet fighter of the 1950's era. But this aircraft was conceived long before World War-II (1939-45) as Americas first Jet fighter the T-33, work began in 1943 at Burbank as the XP-80 lead by Clarence L. Johnson based on the De Havilland H-1 turbo jet and 180 days later its first flight for the USAAF took place.

After various engine alternatives and testing 525 aircraft were delivered at the end of the war in 1945, thirteen YP-80's operated in Europe and two in Italy in October 1944 for special operations. An order of 5000 was dropped to 2000 and eventually to a lover number of about 240  were built between 1946-47.

The F-80 was a single seater and the T-33 became a two seat trainer, there were also other specialised versions and both served with the Air force and the US, Navy. Some were exported to the former Yugoslavia, Italy, Belgium, Turkey and Japan in the 1950's. 

The Royal Canadian Air Force produced a licensed version of this aircraft and it saw operational service in the war on the Korean Peninsula. Max speed 180 mph and range approx. 1345 miles for early versions and later 558 mph and a range of 540 miles. Armament six machine guns and two hard points for bombs or rockets.

Mikoyan-Gurevich. MIG-15. Part-Two.

Extensive Training Aircraft.

Many of the worlds air forces can boast today that it was the Midget (NATO-Codename) that got them where they are. This aircraft saw some twenty years as a front line fighter, before being moved on the roles of counter attack and advanced trainer.

Over eighty-seven countries received the type and it became the basis for Jet aviation production in the Peoples Republic of China, North-Korea, and a few other countries around the globe. The Soviet Union quickly revealed to the west the next generation the MIG-17/19, for a time it was not known if they were the same aircraft?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

N-Korea, Cuba and one or two other countries still may be flying the Midget in both counter attack and advanced training, since there are so many sanctions placed on them?              

Embraer.

A success Story. 

Today we associate Embraer with their quality ERJ family of commercial aircraft, which are employed across the globe and many airlines. There are also various private versions of these jets, which have become a stop gap in larger fleets.

This is all down to good Brazillian business marketing sense, allowing Embraer to take away business from the big boys Airbus, Boeing and the Russians. this was first achieved with the introduction of a small business jet. Now the Brazillians could show off at Internatioal airshows in Europe.

On the other hand Embraer started with propeller driven aircraft and made a major breakthrough with its EMB series, the EBM-111 Survielance/Maritime Reconnassaince and the EMB-312 Tucano counter-insurgency/Trainer.

Israel and Britain being respective buyers of the types, probably boosted ideas, design and so it goes on. Brazil has had an aviation industry since the 1920's and was enabled to maintain various types that were purchased since, so they had gained much experience.