Cutaway Cockpit-Cooling Turbine from the Lockheed XP-80

[RE3857]

Title: Cutaway Cockpit-Cooling Turbine from the Lockheed XP-80 (with tag likely in Clarence “Kelly” Johnson’s hand) — Seeking insights & handwriting comparisons


Hi all—sharing a piece that I think will interest the Skunk Works and early-jet crowd.

What I have​

• Object: Cockpit-cooling turbine/air-cycle unit component attributed to the Lockheed XP-80 program.
• Form: Factory/engineering cutaway showing the impeller, diffuser passages, and bearing cartridge.
• Size: ~8½" L × 6" H × 5½" D.
• Provenance note: Attached to the housing is a handwritten tag that reads:

“COCKPIT COOL-ING TURBINE FOR XP80 JET 1947 INITIATE MY WORK WITH BALL BEARINGS @ AIRESEARCH.”

(“AiResearch” here refers to the Garrett/AiResearch division that supplied environmental-control hardware to early U.S. jets.)

Why it matters​

• The XP-80 was America’s first successful operational jet fighter lineage (leading to the P-80/F-80, then T-33/F-94).
• Early cockpits ran hot and pressurized; turbine-type air-cycle machines from AiResearch were the bleeding edge of thermal management.
• A period cutaway is the kind of teaching/briefing aid that lived in engineering offices and test hangars—rare to see outside museums.

The tag & why I think it’s Kelly Johnson’s handwriting (inviting critique!)​

I’m not presenting this as definitive authentication, but after comparing the tag to a period flight log page attributed to Johnson (image attached in the thread), a few things line up. Here’s what I’m seeing:

1. All-caps habit with mixed word spacing. Both samples use mostly capitals with slightly irregular, open spacing—e.g., “COOL-ING TURBINE” and “REPUBLICAN…” style block words vs. the log’s aircraft types and locations.
2. Slant & line rhythm. The letters have a subtle rightward slant with a light start/firm downstroke cadence; the log entries show that same “lean and release.”
3. Characteristic letterforms.
   • R: Open leg with a small, high “belly” before the diagonal—very similar in both.
   • G: The G in “AIRESEARCH” has a tight inner radius with a short horizontal terminal, which tracks with G forms in the log.
   • N/M: Narrow verticals with minimal outer spread; the tag’s “INITIATE MY WORK” shows the same tight N/M geometry I see in the log.
4. Numerals. The “1947” on the tag uses a closed 4 with a sharp apex and a flat top stroke, close to the 4 in the logbook dates; the 7 has a slight down-hook.
5. Punctuation quirks. The use of the @ sign in “@ AIRESEARCH” is fascinating—Johnson occasionally annotated quickly with shorthand in internal notes; the form here is quick, single-line, not a careful calligraphic @.

Again: I’m not a forensic examiner. I’m posting this to collect opinions from folks who have seen more of Johnson’s handwritten shop notes, memos, or log pages from the mid-1940s.

What I’m hoping to learn​

• Handwriting comparisons: If anyone has scans of Johnson’s engineering notes or informal tags/labels from the XP-80/P-80 era, I’d love to compare letterforms—especially R, G, 4, and 7.
• AiResearch documentation: Part numbers, cutaway drawings, or brochure sheets for cockpit cooling turbines/air-cycle units supplied to Lockheed around 1944–47.
• Use context: Were cutaways like this kept in the Burbank engineering offices or at Muroc during flight test? Any photos showing similar units on desks or briefings?
• Bearings note: The tag mentions “INITIATE MY WORK WITH BALL BEARINGS @ AIRESEARCH.” If anyone knows a Johnson anecdote about bearing selection/testing for environmental-control turbines on the XP-80, I’d love a pointer.

Photos attached​

1. Overall cutaway, impeller/diffuser visible
2. Opposite side, bearing cartridge detail
3. Exterior housing (wrinkle-finish paint)
4. Inlet view across the wheel
5. Handwritten tag close-up
6. Comparison image: Johnson flight-log page (for letterform discussion)

Happy to provide more dimensions, weights, or higher-res macros of the stampings and bearing cartridge if helpful. Appreciate any leads, corrections, or handwriting exemplars you’re willing to share!

 

[Nicknick]

I do understand the fundamental working princip, however it is not clear to me what the compressed air of the compressor is used for. It could be, that this small compressor provides the cabin air whereas the air outlet from the cooling turbine is on atmospheric pressure (plus a bit back pressure from the heat exchanger). However, this wouldn't work very well on sea level, so that throtteling of the compressor outflow would become necessary. In this case, the compressor would just act as a breaking device, not very efficient...

 

[Halcyon66]

Sounds like you are trying to find out what it is to sell it?

Regards,