Windstar YF-80

A Lockheed F-80, which the YF-80 fuselage is modeled after

The YF-80 is a two-thirds scale replica of a Lockheed F-80 or T-33. The aircraft is a composite construction, single engine, low wing design with retractable tricycle landing gear. The tip tanks are removable for aerobatic flight.[2] The aircraft is powered by a Chevy 350 V-8 turbocharged engine driving a turbine thrust section. The thrust section is driven by belts with high gear ratios to drive the turbine closer to the rotational speed it was originally designed for.[3]

The aircraft project was intended to showcase the Davis engine technology with a static prototype displayed in 1977. Burt Rutan was approached to build the composite fuselage, but the US$240,000 cost estimate was declined. Davis attempted to produce a production prototype fuselage for US$80,000. By 1987 the project was not complete, resulting in a court case between investors. The prototype was re-engined with a Turbomeca Marboré II turbine engine as the Stargate YT-33.[4]

Windstar YF-80

1977 Davis cold-jet prototype

Stargate YT-33 (MT-33)

Turbine powered prototype[5]

Data from Flight International

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: 1 × Davis Cold Jet Hybrid Piston turbine, 220 lbf (0.98 kN) thrust

Performance

• Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)