Windstar YF-80

The Windstar YF-80 is an American single-seat homebuilt replica of the Lockheed F-80.^[1] 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.^[2]

YF-80
Role	Homebuilt aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Windstar

Design and development

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.^{[clarification needed]} The aircraft is a composite-construction, single-engine, low-wing design, with retractable tricycle landing gear. The tip tanks are removable for aerobatic flight.^[3] 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.^{[4][full citation needed]}

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.

Stargate YT-33

YT-33
Role	Homebuilt aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Stargate, Inc.
Retired	2018
Status	Production completed (1994)
Number built	One
Developed from	Lockheed T-33 Windstar YF-80

The Stargate YT-33 is an American turbine powered prototype^[5] homebuilt aircraft that was designed and intended to be produced by Stargate, Inc., of McMinnville, Oregon. It was introduced in 1994. The aircraft is a 2/3 scale replica of the Lockheed T-33 jet trainer.^[6] Listed as "under development" in 1998, the YT-33 was planned to be supplied as a kit for amateur construction, but it is unlikely any kits were ever shipped.^[6]

Design and development

The YT-33 features a cantilever low wing, a two-seats-in-tandem enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, retractable tricycle landing gear, and a single jet engine.^[6]

The aircraft is made from composite material. Its 26.67 ft (8.1 m) span wing has a wing area of 110.0 sq ft (10.22 m²). The prototype uses a 880 lbf (3.9 kN) thrust Turbomeca Marboré IIC jet powerplant.^[6][7]

The aircraft has a typical empty weight of 2,205 lb (1,000 kg) and a gross weight of 2,920 lb (1,320 kg), giving a useful load of 715 lb (324 kg). The aircraft has a fuel capacity of 200 U.S. gallons (760 L; 170 imp gal) or 1,358 lb (616 kg) of Jet-A.^[6]

The ISA standard temperature, sea-level, no-wind, take-off distance is 2,000 ft (610 m), and the landing roll is 3,000 ft (914 m).^[6]

The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the proposed kit to be 3000 hours.^[6]

Operational history

By 1998, the company reported that one YT-33 had been completed and was flying.^[6] On April 18, 2018 the one example that had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration was de-registered; the aircraft may not exist any longer.^[7]

Specifications

YF-80

Data from Jane's all the world's aircraft, 1978-79^[8]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 17 ft 3 in (5.26 m)
• Wingspan: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
• Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
• Empty weight: 899 lb (408 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,301 lb (590 kg) with internal fuel only
• Fuel capacity: 132.5 liters (35 US gallons)
• Powerplant: 1 × Davis Cold Jet hybrid piston turbine, 220 lbf (0.98 kN) thrust @ 75% power

Performance

• Maximum speed: 261 kn (300 mph, 483 km/h)
• Stall speed: 70 kn (80 mph, 129 km/h) with flaps down
• Range: 425 nmi (490 mi, 788 km) with internal fuel only
• Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
• g limits: +6/-3
• Rate of climb: 2,600 ft/min (13 m/s) with internal fuel only

YT-33

Data from AeroCrafter^[6]

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Capacity: one passenger
• Length: 25 ft 10 in (7.87 m)
• Wingspan: 26 ft 8 in (8.13 m)
• Wing area: 110.0 sq ft (10.22 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 6.6:1
• Empty weight: 2,205 lb (1,000 kg)
• Gross weight: 2,920 lb (1,324 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 200 U.S. gallons (760 L; 170 imp gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca Marboré IIC jet aircraft engine, 880 lbf (3.9 kN) thrust

Performance

• Maximum speed: 325 mph (523 km/h, 282 kn)
• Cruise speed: 300 mph (480 km/h, 260 kn)
• Stall speed: 75 mph (121 km/h, 65 kn)
• Range: 1,200 mi (1,900 km, 1,000 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 30,000 ft (9,100 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,500 ft/min (7.6 m/s)