But when the Shuttle begins to get lift, it becomes an airplane (lifting body).
I would suggest that the lifting body comes into play after reentry. Prior to that, it's either an attachment to a couple of Solid Rocket Boosters sucking a Gas Tank the size of a grain silo dry or a falling object for 10-14 days (Orbit). After reentry though, a perfect lifting body glider.
No touch an go's in that baby. Well, not touch and go very far anyway.