LOCKHEED T-33

1946’€“1959

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The T-33 'T-Bird' was the pioneering and most widely used jet trainer, with nearly 7,000 units produced in the U.S., Japan, and Canada, and remaining in service with multiple nations until at least 2000.
  • Derived from the P-80 Shooting Star and powered primarily by Allison J-33 turbojet engines, the T-33A variant achieved a top speed of 525 mph and a range of 1,000 nautical miles.
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STANDARD DATA: T-33A Seats (ejection) 2. Gross wt. 16,800. Empty wt. 8,440. Engine one 5,400-lb. Allison J-33-A/4 turbojet with w/water-alcohol injection. PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 525 mph. Long range cruise 455 mph. Range 1,000 nm. Ceiling 47,000′.

The ’T-Bird’ was the first widely used jet trainer, a design evolved from the P-80 Shooting Star that flew briefly at the end of World War II. Original engines were Allison J33-35 single-shaft turbojet engines with a thrust rating of 5,200 lbs. Almost 6,000 T-33s were built in the United States, 210 in Japan (by Kawasaki) and 656 in Canada featuring the Rolls-Royce Nene engines. By the end of 2000, 7 nations in the world still listed the T-33 as “in service.”

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