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The Lockheed T-33A is a single-engined, low wing, tandem two-seat advanced trainer aircraft with a retractable tricycle landing gear.
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star (or T-Bird) is an American subsonic jet trainer. It was produced by Lockheed. The prototype flew for
the first time on 22 March 1948. The most widely-used tandem two-seat advanced trainer; the T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80
starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. The T-33A has been supplied to the air arms of some twenty-five countries,
has been manufactured under licence in Japan by Kawasaki, which company produced 210 machines, and in Canada by Canadair as the CL-30
Silver Star (T-33A-N), 656 examples of which were built. The Siver Star Mks.2 and 3 differed from the US-manufactured T-33A in being powered
by a 5,000 lb Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turbojet; the Lockheed built T-33A is powered by a 4,600 lb (5,400 lb with water/alcohol injection) Allison
J-33A 35 turbojet. Lockheed has manufactured a total of 5,691 T-33A an T-33B trainers when the last was delivered in 1959, the latter being a
version for the U.S. Navy. The RT-33A is a single-seat photo-reconnaissance model, and the DT-33A and WT-33A are respectively drone director
and weather reconnaissance models.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the Lockheed T-33A is T33.
T-Bird FT-22 was one of thirthy eight
aircraft that were delivered to the Belgian Air Force (Belgische Luchtmacht / Force aérienne belge). The Lockheed T-33A's were delivered to the
Belgian from 10 March 1952 (12 in 1952; 10 in 1953; 2 in 1954; 6 in 1955 and 8 in 1956).
Lockheed T-33A FT-22 s/n 7584 (ex USAF 51-17524) was
delivered to the Belgian Air Force on 2 November 1953. The aircraft was operated by 11 smaldeel at Brustum. In 1979, T-33A FT-22 was withdrawn
from Belgian military service; returned to the USAF and on 3 December 1979 flown to Sculthorpe AF. In September 1981, the Lockheed T-33A was
registered N1180D in the USA with AG Central Aircraft Inc., Texas. Over the years, Lockheed T-33A N1180D was registered with a number of owners,
until registration N1180D was cancelled as experation on 31 October 2013. During a number of years, the Lockheed T-33A N1180D (51-17524) has
flown in U.S.Air Force markings 'TR-524'.
On 14 August 1980, seven former Belgian Air Force Lockheed T-33A aircraft were seen stored at at
the USAF Sculthorpe AFB in the UK, including Lockheed T-33A FT-22. |
