[b]Lockheed T-33[/span][p]

In the years just after the Second World War it occurred such a large and
continuous progress in aeronautical technology that many of the aircraft developed
then had a very short lifespan; such was

the case of the F-80 Shooting Star. In 1945 its presence in the European or
Japanese skies would have given this aircraft a hardly disputed aerial superiority;
in 1948, few months after entering

service, the F-80 started to face obsolescency. Lockheed tried to take advantage of
the effort made and by means of a very simple modification - essentially elongating
by a meter the fuselage to

accommodate a second pilot with the corresponding duplicated controls - it started

the production of the T-33, first turbojet training aircraft in the world. The
excellent conditions of the "T-

Bird" - as it was called by the crews - granted a success in sales and a service
life out of the ordinary. Lockheed produced 5871 units, to which were added 210
units built by Kawasaki under

license and another 656 built by Canadair, named Silver Star and equipped with the
engine Rolls-Royce Nene 10, with similar prestations than the American counterpart.
[p]
It happens often that the prestations of two-seater versions are unworthy of the
ones from the original single-seater fighters, but surprisingly, in this case it
happened otherwise, for the T-33

became faster than the F-80. A large number of exemplars were built for the US Navy
or transferred to it with the designation TV-2 (later T33B); later the US Navy
would purchase the modified

version T2V Sea Star, later named T-1A. Additional versions included the AT-33 for
light tactical support, the single-seater RT-33 for reconnaissance, with electronic
equipment installed in the

rear cockpit, and the DT-33 for directing drones. In 1980 Lockheed had registered
the existence of about 800 units of the T-33 in service in numerous countries,
albeit the descent was already very

pronounced. The T-33 however reached longevity in very good condition and in many
air forces it was replaced more due to availability of a more updated aircraft than
to operation problems. This was

the case of Spain, where the T-33 served during 30 years, from March 1954 to the
early 1984, when they were totally replaced by the C-101BB Aviojet.[p]
[aimg96]high_res/aircraft_united_states/lockheed_t-
33_shooting_star_trainer_aircraft.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/aircraft_united_states/
lockheed_t-33_shooting_star_trainer_aircraft.jpg[/aimg96][br]
[fs]Lockheed T-33A from the Japanese Air Force. This aircraft was built under
license by Kawasaki. The last deliveries to Japan were effectuted in 1959.[/span]
[p]
[b]Specifications for T-33A[/span][p]
[box]
Type: Two-seater dual-control trainer[p]
Engine: One Allison J33-A-35 with 2360 kilograms of thrust[p]
Wingspan: 11.85 meters (excluding tiptanks)[p]
Length: 11.48 meters[p]
Height: 3.55 meters[p]
Weight (empty): 3667 kilograms[p]
Weight (full load): 6551 kilograms[p]
Maximum speed: 950 kilometers/hour[p]
Maximum range: 2165 kilometers[p]
Service ceiling: 14500 meters[p]
Armament: When armament is installed, it usually consists of two Browning M3 12.7-
millimeter machine guns and a weapons load of up to 454 kilograms under each
wing[p]
[/div][p]
[b]Lockheed F-94 Starfire[/span][p]
The Lockheed F-94 Starfire night and all-weather fighter was developed from the T-
33A trainer, starting by the reconversion of two of these aircraft into the
prototypes YF-94. The first of them

flew for the first time the 16th April 1949 and, four months later, the USAAF
signed a contract for 17 aircraft type F-94A-1-LO and 92 of the type F-94A5-LO,
along with one YF-94B, carrying this

one fuel tanks in the wing tips, instead of the ones mounted under the wings. The
F-94A, which incorporated the 75 percent of the components used in the T-33 and the
F-80, carried 426 kilograms of

radar equipment in the nose and an armament of four Colt-Browning 12.7-millimeter

machine guns. The engine was an Allison J33-A-33 of centrifugal flow with post-
combustion, allowing for increased

power in comparison with the Allison J33-A-35 installed in the T-33, which lacked
afterburner. The F-94A entered production in 1949, being produced 200 units; the
first of them entered service in

June 1950 with the 319th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. The YF-94B was a
reconversion started in 1950 from the aircraft number 19 of the F-94A; 357 F-94B
were produced. The F-94B was fitted with

Fletcher tiptanks with a capacity of 886 liters each. Apart from this, it differed
from the F-94A in the modified hydraulic system and the avionics, including a
flight recorder Sperry Zero Reader.
The rear cockpit, which housed the flight instructor in the T-33, was occupied by
the radar operator. Both cockpits were fitted with ejection seats; however, the F-
94A and F-94B had their cockpits

widened due to the injuries suffered by a number of pilots during ejection.[p]

[aimg96]high_res/aircraft_united_states/lockheed_f-
94b_starfire_fighter_aircraft_01.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/aircraft_united_states/
lockheed_f-94b_starfire_fighter_aircraft_01.jpg[/aimg96][br]
[fs]Lockheed F-94B Starfire FA-408 (number 51-5408) operated by the 319th Fighter
Interceptor Squadron in Korea.[/span][p]
The next version, F-94C, differed so much from its predecessors that it was named
originally as YF-97A. Such designation continued being valid after the inaugural
flight, the 16th January 1950,

until the 12th September, when it was officially adopted the designation F-94C.
This version was fitted with the turbojet engine Pratt & Whitney J48P-5 provided
with afterburner, which was a

licensed version of the engine Rolls-Royce Tay. To accommodate this larger engine
the F-94C was built with an enlarged tailpipe. Fuel tanks in the wings and fuselage
held 1385 liters while the
long-range wingtip fuel tanks added 1893 liters to the fuel load, with total
capacity being greatly improved from the previous versions. Another modifications
were the increased dihedral angle in

the wings, a reduction in the width/thickness ratio of the wings - from 13 to 10

percent -, tail planes with redesigned shape and a peculiar feature: the
suppression of the cannons to be replaced

by an "annular" rocket launcher installed around the nose, housing 24 Mk 4 70-

millimeter folding-fin air-to-air rockets; these were actually installed in groups
of six, behind four snap-action

doors. Later - from the 100th aircraft built and retrofitted to earlier machines -
it was added capability for another 24 rockets carried under the wings, effectively
doubling the firepower

carried. The F-94C carried 543 kilograms of electronic equipment and two 453-
kilogram RATOG (Rocket Assisted Take-Off Gear) propellers could be installed under
the fuselage to assist in takeoff

maneuvers with heavy payloads. The weight of the nose radar and armament
compensated for the additional weight of the larger engine and its afterburner,
thus preventing a major change in the center

of gravity. Total production for the F-94C reached 387 exemplars before being
completed the series in 1954.[p]
[aimg96]high_res/aircraft_united_states/lockheed_f-
94c_starfire_fighter_aircraft.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/aircraft_united_states/
lockheed_f-94c_starfire_fighter_aircraft.jpg[/aimg96][br]
[fs]Lockheed F-94C Starfire FA-641 (number 51-5641) operated by the 84th Fighter
Interceptor Squadron from the Air Defense Command, as it was seen in 1954 in Yuma,
Arizona.[/span][p]
Operating in Korea in the role of escorting bombers, the F-94C effectuated barrier
patrols flying in squadrons with four or six aircraft about 50 kilometers ahead the
bomber formation, while the

F3D Skynight would fly from 600 to 900 meters above the bombers. These tactics soon
gave results, registering two downings the Skynight under the light of the moon, on
the nights of the 28th and

31st January 1953. In the night of the 30th January, Captain Ben Fithian and
Lieutenant Sam R. Lyons registered the first downing in Korea with the F-94: a
piston-engine fighter Lavochkin La-9. The

Skynight and Starfire shot down 15 enemy aircraft in the first half of 1953. It was
a relatively small contribution in terms of number of destroyed aircraft, but it
helped the B-29 to survive

during the last months of the conflict.[p]

[aimg96]high_res/aircraft_united_states/lockheed_f-
94_starfire_fighter_aircraft_photo_01.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/aircraft_united_states/
lockheed_f-94_starfire_fighter_aircraft_photo_01.jpg[/aimg96][br]
[fs]The F-94 Starfire was initially deployed in Korea to fight against piston-
engine night fighters, which were very hard to hunt. The percentage of F-94
aircraft in flight was very low.[/span][p]
[b]Specifications for F-94A[/span][p]
[box]
Type: Two-seater all-weather interceptor[p]
Engine: One Allison J33-A-33 with 2724 kilograms of thrust[p]
Wingspan: 11.85 meters (excluding tiptanks)[p]
Length: 12.20 meters[p]
Height: 3.89 meters[p]
Weight (empty): 5030 kilograms[p]
Weight (full load): 7125 kilograms[p]
Maximum speed: 933 kilometers/hour[p]
Maximum range: 2050 kilometers[p]
Service ceiling: 15700 meters[p]
Armament: Four Browning M3 12.7-millimeter machine guns[p]
[/div][p]