Lockheed T33 single engine military training aircraft. GAVM 2029-70
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Contributor:
David Gowans / Alamy Stock PhotoImage ID:
AKH51AFile size:
69.9 MB (2.5 MB Compressed download)Releases:
Model - no | Property - noDo I need a release?Dimensions:
5518 x 4425 px | 46.7 x 37.5 cm | 18.4 x 14.8 inches | 300dpiLocation:
RAF Fairford, Glouscestershire. England. United Kingdom.More information:
The T-33 (aka "T-Bird" or "Converter, " since it converted fuel into noise) was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 by lengthening the fuselage by slightly over three feet and adding a second seat, instrumentation and flight controls. It was initially designated as a variant of the P-80/F-80, the TP-80C/TF-80C. Design work for the Lockheed P-80 began in 1943 with the first flight on 8 January 1944. Following on the Bell P-59, the P-80 became the first jet fighter to enter full squadron service in the United States Army Air Forces. As more advanced jets entered service, the F-80 took on another role - training jet pilots. The two-place T-33 jet was designed for training pilots already qualified to fly propeller-driven aircraft. Originally designated the TF-80C, the T-33 made its first flight on 22 March 1948 with US production taking place from 1948 to 1959. The US Navy used the T-33 as a land-based trainer starting in 1949. It was designated the TV-2, but was redesignated the T-33B in 1962. The Navy operated some ex-USAF P-80Cs as the TO-1, changed to the TV-1 about a year later. A carrier-capable version of the P-80/T-33 family was subsequently developed by Lockheed, eventually leading to the late 1950s to 1970s T2V-1/T-1A SeaStar. A total of 6, 557 Shooting Stars were produced, 5, 691 by Lockheed.