Canadair CT-133 Silver Star

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CT-133 Silver Star
Canadair CT-133 (cropped).jpg
CT-133 Silver Star
General information
Type Military trainer aircraft
National originCanada
Manufacturer Canadair / Lockheed
Primary users Royal Canadian Air Force
Number built656
History
First flightDecember 1952
Retired2005 (Canadian Forces) [1]
Developed from Lockheed T-33

The Canadair CT-133 Silver Star (company model number CL-30) is the Canadian license-built version of the Lockheed T-33 jet trainer aircraft, in service from the 1950s to 2005. The Canadian version was powered by the Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turbojet, instead of the original Allison J33.

Contents

Design and development

The Canadair CT-133 was the result of a 1951 contract to build T-33 Shooting Star trainers for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with a Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turbojet. A project designation of CL-30 was given by Canadair and the name was changed to Silver Star. The CT-133's appearance is distinctive due to the large fuel tanks usually carried on the wingtips. Canadair built 656 CT-133 aircraft. [2]

Operational history

Two CT-133s of the Royal Canadian Navy over Halifax in 1957 T-33A RCN over Halifax 1957.jpeg
Two CT-133s of the Royal Canadian Navy over Halifax in 1957

The CT-133 entered service in the RCAF as its training aircraft for fighters. The designation of the Silver Star in the Canadian Forces was CT-133.

The CT-133's service career in the RCAF (and later the Canadian Forces) was extremely long. One of the more unusual roles it played was as an aerobatic demonstration aircraft, the RCAF's Red Knight. Although the aircraft stopped being used as a trainer in 1976, there were still over 50 aircraft in Canadian Forces inventory in 1995. The newest of these was then 37 years old and had exceeded its expected life by a factor of 2.5. During this period, the Canadair T-33 was employed in communication, target towing, and enemy simulation.

A Canadair CT-133 Silver Star at RAF Elvington Canadair Silver Star - Elvington - BB.jpg
A Canadair CT-133 Silver Star at RAF Elvington
A line of Canadair CT-133 Silver Stars of 417 Combat Support Squadron at CFB Cold Lake CanadairCT133Line.JPG
A line of Canadair CT-133 Silver Stars of 417 Combat Support Squadron at CFB Cold Lake
Canadair CT-133 Silver Star without wingtip tanks, in RCAF markings at the Canadian Museum of Flight, July 1988 CanadairCT133SilverStar07A.JPG
Canadair CT-133 Silver Star without wingtip tanks, in RCAF markings at the Canadian Museum of Flight, July 1988

The final Silver Star Mk. 3 was retired from the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, where it was used as an ejection seat testbed for 46 years, [3] when it was sold as surplus on the civil market, with fifteen other CT-133s to join fifty others on the US Civil Register.[ citation needed ]

Variants

Operators

Flag of Bolivia.svg  Bolivia
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Flag of France.svg  France
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey

Aircraft on display

The following locations have CT-133 Silver Stars on display or in flyable condition:

T-33 at London International Airport Canadair T-33 YXU.jpg
T-33 at London International Airport
CT-133 Silver Star displayed in St. Albert, Alberta Millennium-Park-St-Albert-Alberta-Canada-01A.jpg
CT-133 Silver Star displayed in St. Albert, Alberta
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Quebec

Saskatchewan

United Kingdom

Surviving aircraft

Canada

United States

Airworthy
CT-133
Under restoration
CT-133

Specifications (CT-133)

Data from[ citation needed ]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Related lists

References

Notes

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  2. Joe Baugher. "Lockheed TP-80C/TF-80C/T-33A". att.net. Archived from the original on 19 May 2008. Retrieved 11 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. see also "Canada's Fab Four", Air Forces Monthly
  4. Upton, Bill. "Canadair CL-30 / T-33AN Silver Star Mk 3 RCAF Red Knight Serial 21574" (PDF). Canadian Aviation Museum Aircraft. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  5. Andrade 1982, p. 27
  6. 1 2 3 Aeroware (n.d.). "Canadair CT-133 Silver Star" . Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  7. National Research Council (13 February 2009). "T-33". Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  8. Jackson, Paul A. (1975). French Military Aviation. Hinckley, England: Midland Counties Publications. ISBN   0-904597-01-6.
  9. Andrade 1982, p. 92
  10. Andrade 1982, p. 185
  11. Andrade 1982, p. 228
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  41. "FAA Registry: N84TB." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
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  46. "FAA Registry: N133C." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  47. "FAA Registry: N109X." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
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  49. "FAA Registry: N416X." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  50. "FAA Registry: N33HW." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
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  52. "FAA Registry: N377JP." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  53. "FAA Registry: N12417." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  54. "FAA Registry: N333MJ." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  55. "FAA Registry: N467AV." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  56. "FAA Registry: N479KK." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  57. "FAA Registry: N993SC." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  58. "FAA Registry: N133KK." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  59. "FAA Registry: N99175." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  60. "FAA Registry: N83TB." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  61. "Canadair CT-133 Silver Star/21566." Tennessee Museum of Aviation. Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  62. "FAA Registry: N307FS." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  63. "FAA Registry: N433RD." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  64. "Canadair CT-133 Silver Star/21582." War Eagles Air Museum. Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  65. "FAA Registry: N92JB." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  66. "FAA Registry: N590RC." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  67. "FAA Registry: N604KK." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  68. "FAA Registry: N133HH." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  69. "FAA Registry: N133DV." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  70. "FAA Registry: N134EM." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  71. "FAA Registry: N483KK." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  72. "FAA Registry: N560KK." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  73. "FAA Registry: N571KK." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  74. "FAA Registry: N613RC." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  75. "FAA Registry: N615RC." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.
  76. "FAA Registry: N84KK." faa.gov Retrieved: 23 August 2021.

Bibliography

  • "Canada's Fab Four". Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK: Key Publishing Limited, August 2003. ISSN 0955-7091.
  • Flight Comment: The Canadian Forces Flight Safety Magazine. Ottawa: Publishing and Depository Services, Summer 2005. ISSN 0015-3702, .
  • Andrade, John: Militair 1982. London: 1982. ISBN   0907898017
  • Francillon, René. Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913. London: Putnam, 1982. ISBN   0370303296.
  • Pickler, Ron and Larry Milberry. Canadair: The First 50 Years. Toronto: Canav Books, 1995. ISBN   0921022077.
  • "Silver Star Stand Down". Air Classics April 2006, Canoga Park, California: Challenge Publications. ISSN 0002-2241.