Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
 Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star. Photo: Alejandro Pena Edited by: FOX 52 and Bammesk, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Lockheed |
|---|---|
| Model | Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star |
| Type | Training aircraft |
| Country |  United States
|
| First flight | 22 March 1948 |
| Built | 1948–1959 |
| Number built | 6,557 |
| Registered in the US | 54 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | 2 |
| Engine | Allison J33-A-35, 5,400 lbf thrust |
| Cruise speed | 455 mph (T-33A) |
| Range | 1,275 mi (T-33A) |
| Service ceiling | 48,000 ft (T-33A) |
| Max weight | 15,061 lb (T-33A) |
| Developed from | Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star |
| More aircraft · For sale | |
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star, or T-Bird, is an American jet trainer made by stretching the P-80 fighter and adding a second seat.[1] In all, 6,557 were built: 5,691 by Lockheed, 656 by Canadair and 210 by Kawasaki.[1] In the U.S. there are 54 with a valid registration, including Canadian-built CT-133s.[2]
History
The T-33A first flew on March 22, 1948, and soon became the U.S. Air Force's advanced trainer.[1] The Navy flew versions too, and Canada built its own as the CT-133 Silver Star.[1] Most were unarmed, though some carried two machine guns for gunnery training. A few air forces used them in combat; Cuba flew them during the Bay of Pigs invasion.[1]
Boeing often used a pair of T-33s as chase planes for test flights.[1] The last military operator, the Bolivian Air Force, retired its T-33s in July 2017 after 44 years of service.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 54 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| T-33 | 28 |
| T-33A | 12 |
| T33-AN MK3 | 5 |
| T33-MK3 | 4 |
| CT-133 | 2 |
| T-33A-1-LO | 1 |
| T33A | 1 |
| TV-2 | 1 |
Specifications (T-33A)
| Item | T-33A |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
| Length | 37 ft 9 in |
| Wingspan | 38 ft 10.5 in |
| Height | 11 ft 8 in |
| Wing area | 234.8 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 8,365 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 15,061 lb |
| Engine | Allison J33-A-35, 5,400 lbf thrust (centrifugal flow turbojet engine) |
| Maximum speed | 600 mph |
| Cruise speed | 455 mph |
| Range | 1,275 mi |
| Service ceiling | 48,000 ft |
| Rate of climb | 4,870 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Spanish Air Force Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star in the Festa del Cel, in Barcelona (Spain). Photo: Darz Mol, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star. Photo: USAF, Public domain -
Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star. Photo: Marc Morell, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star. Photo: Marcelloo, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star. Photo: 玄史生, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
023 a T-33A of RoKAF. Photo: Jerry Gunner from Lincoln, UK, CC BY 2.0 -
Lockheed RT-33A at the Royal Thai Air Force Museum,Don Mueang,Bangkok,24/07/14. Photo: Alec Wilson from Khon Kaen, Thailand, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star. Photo: F-5 Reporter, CC BY-SA 4.0
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All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Wikipedia, "Lockheed T-33", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.