CAEA : Lockheed T-33AN T-Bird

Collection

Lockheed T-33AN (CT-133) T-Bird

Fighter trainer

History

With 6557 built specimens, Lockheed T-33 is by far the trainer aircraft which was the most used in the whole world.
T-33 is a logical development of F-80 " Shooting Star ", first single-seat jet fighter to have been operational in the US Air Force. It began its career at the end of the Forties as TF-80, lengthened version of F-80 in order to make a two-seater trainer.
The " Shooting Star " was derived from prototype XP-80, designed around the De-Havilland H-1B turbojet of 1116 kg thrust. Work on the XP-80 began on June 23, 1943 and the 1st flight took place on January 8, 1944. During flight tests, it reached 808 km/h at 6240 m, but the engine H.1B not being available, it was necessary to re-examine the design of the aircraft in order to place a General Electric I.40 turbojet of 1746 kg thrust. Dimensions were increased and the weight passed from 4044 kg to 6250 kg. Of this aircraft (F-80) was resulting the all-weather two-seater F.94 fighter. The new aircraft, charged with electronics components and additional armaments, was motorized with a General Electric J33-A-33 turbojet, offering a 2722 kg thrust with afterburning. The forward part of the fuselage was prolongated to place an APG-32 radar and four 12,7mm machine-guns. Two TF-80C were modified to become YF.94 prototypes; their flight test began on April 16, 1949, to give birth later to the T-33A.
Basically conceived to be a trainer, T-33 however sometimes achieved other missions. Some T-33 equipped with a camera in the nose and electronic materials in the cockpit, achieved recognition missions. Named RT-33A, these single-seat fighters were primarily delivered to France (6), Italy, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Thailand and Turkey as part of Military Assistance Program (MAP).
In the French Armée de l'Air, there were 3 types of T-33 in service:

- The " US ", from the origin (October 4, 1951) to its withdrawal in 1983
- The Canadian, produced by CANADAIR, from 1959
- The " SF ", Standard Français (French standard), derived from the Canadian with modified cabin (instrument panel) and different motorization, the original Allison being replaced by the Nene, whose many specimens were available in France, either in replacement or released by the withdrawal of the Ouragan. First "french" T-33 comes out of the SFERMA workshops in Mérignac (now SOGERMA) on April 7, 1964.

Production

Lockheed built 5691 T-33A; between 1949 and 1959 and also provided the necessary parts to the assembly of 210 aircrafts by Kawasaki in Japan. Canadair also built 656 under CT-33 "Silver Star" denomination.

Career

It is on October 4, 1951, the Armée de l'Air receive its first T-33, within the Ecole de Chasse (GE.314) at the School Base 708 "Christian Martell" in Meknés in Morocco, which will be transferred to the BA 705 in Tours in 1961.
T-33 will remain there until their withdrawal in 1981, when the Alpha-Jet arrived. From 1954, T-33 equipped the Centre d'Entraînement au Vol Sans Visibilité first in Lahr (BA 139) in German Federal Republic, then in Nancy-Ochey (BA 133).
It is within this unit that in 1982 the T-33 took last flight, thus marking 31 years of activities.
It was a total of 203 T-33A; and 6 RT-33 which were useful in the Armée de l'Air.

Export

Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Nationalist China, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Portugal, Saudi-Arabia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, the United States, Venezuela and Yugoslavia; such is the impressive list of almost thirty countries whose air forces used the T-33A

Technical features
Wingspan	11,87 m
Length	11,49 m
Height	3,55 m
Wingarea	22 m2
Empty weight	3810 kg
Gross weight	5900 kg
Max. speed	965 km/h
Climb speed	27 m/s
Ceiling	14700 m
Range	2150 km
Turbojet	1 Allison J33-A-35 2450 kg thrust, replaced later for French versions by one Hispano Suiza of 2300 kg thrust

CAEA's specimen

Conservatoire T-33 (CT-133) is canadian built n 21049. It was delivered by Royal Canadian Air Force on July 30, 1962 with 1793 flight hours. All its career will proceed at Ecole de Chasse in Tours (BA 705) within the squadron GE 314. It is put at the French standard by the SFERMA from December 29, 1965 to June 17, 1966, transformation consisting primarily with the replacement of the Allison engine by French Nene, as well as with the cockpit refitting. At the end of its career it steals a few times with the postpone part of # 21031, before being reformed on August 3, 1980 with 6736 flight hours. It will spend then a few years as " ornament " at the transmission base in Cenon (BA 203) before integrating our collection in November 1997.

Visible in the hangar

Restoration

Contact : Pierre Dumollard

Photos of restoration.
Aircraft condition in 2003.

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