Lockheed L-133 Starjet

History of the Lockheed L-133 Starjet

Jet-powered flight is a concept that became popular even before the events of World War II (1939-1945). However, global conflict helped it move forward at a fairly rapid pace and spurred the development of many components.

European engineers were the best in the field, and they ended up getting involved with the Americans at the end. The U.S. ended up investing heavily in money, manpower, and supplies to produce a serviceable, combat-grade fighter that became the Lockheed P-80 "Meteor" of the later stages of the war.

Work in this field continued in the United States in 1940, when research on jet engines was slow. That same year, Lockheed engineers invested in a new internal turbojet design called the "L-1000," which promised 5,000 pounds of thrust. On March 30, 1942, as the United States was fully involved in World War II, the company submitted to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) a design for a single-seat fighter for which their new engine would be adapted. The L-133 "Starjet" will feature two engines arranged side-by-side to maximize thrust, overall reliability and straight-line performance.

Due to the forces at work, the control surfaces will be hydraulically assisted. Names associated with the L-133 program include Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, Willis Hawkins and Hall Hibbard.

Based on their research, Lockheed engineers are therefore optimistic about the performance specifications of their new fighter jet - a top speed likely to be around 612 mph (625 mph reported by other sources). The structure will involve a lot of steel, and the landing gear will be a fairly modern fully retractable wheeled tricycle system. The "Hybrid Wing Body" configuration was chosen, with the main plane of the wing at the stern, while the canard front wing provides stability/control. A nose-mounted air intake will internally serve a twin-turbojet configuration.

In its current form, the L-133 was a very futuristic fighter design at the time - on par with the far-reaching designs proposed by the Germans.

The tail of the plane is also unique in that it doesn't have any horizontal planes - just a vertical tail. The cockpit features a simple two-piece canopy that provides the pilot with a strong front and side view. However, the raised ridge obstructs some rearward views. Using a long nose can also be challenging for pilots during ground operations.

Dimensions include a length of 48.3 feet and a wingspan of 46.7 feet.

The L-1000 engine included in the L-133 was multistage and had axial flow. These integrated intercoolers, a device dedicated to engine cooling, were originally intended to be shown, but were not installed in their final form. The engines would be fed through long ducts emanating from a single nose-mounted air intake and running along the sides of the fuselage (above the cockpit) before encountering the twin-turbojet unit located at the rear.

The Army funded the development of this engine in 1943, when it was known as the "XJ37-1".

The proposed armament of the fighter is a powerful battery of 4 x 20mm guns mounted in the nose section and around the upper part of the air intakes.

While the L-133 proposal was impressive, it was too large a project for the USAAF on many other fronts of the war at the time. As a result, the aircraft was not developed further and was eventually abandoned, although it served Lockheed engineers well, eventually providing the USAF with an advanced jet fighter - which became the classic P-80 Meteor.

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