| LOCKHEED T-33 SHOOTING STAR | Taming the T-BIRD Flying America's first jet trainer AMERICA'S FIRST OPERATIONAL JET FIGHTER was the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, which first flew in 1944. Unfortunately, the propellerdriven trainers of World War II could not prepare pilots well for flying turbojet airplanes. Problems encountered during transition to the jet included difficulty slowing during the landing approach, because the P-80 did not have propeller drag to help it slow down. When initiating a go-around, early jet engines responded (spooled up) very slowly. Because of these and other characteristics about which piston pilots had no experience, the P-80 suffered a high loss rate. BY BARRY SCHIFF PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE FIZER VIDEO EXTRA Fly along with the author in this online video. 58 | AOPA PILOT January 2015