Canadair CT-133 Silver Star
The Canadair CT-133 Silver Star 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, whereas the Lockheed production used the Allison J33.
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. The powerplant is a Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turbojet instead of the Allison J33 used by Lockheed in the production of the original T-33. A project designation of CL-30 was given by Canadair and the name was changed to Silver Star. The appearance of the CT-133 is very distinctive due to the large fuel tanks usually carried on each wingtip.A total of 656 CT-133 aircraft were built by Canadair.
Operational history
The CT-133 entered service in the RCAF as its primary training aircraft for fighter/interceptors. The designation of the Silver Star in the Canadian Forces was CT-133.The CT-133's service life in the RCAF 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 youngest of these airframes 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.
, July 1988
The final Canadair Silver Star Mk. 3 was retired from the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada, where it was used as an ejection seat testbed after 46 years of service. CT-133 number 133648 was delivered to CFD Mountain View on 26 April 2005. Having been built in March 1959 as a CT-133 with original RCAF serial number 21648, it had reached a total of flight hours at the time of its retirement from military use. It has been sold on the civil market, along with fifteen other CT-133s. These aircraft will join the fifty others on the United States Civil Register and continue to fly as a part of the living legacy of the early jet age.
Variants
- T-33A Silver Star Mk 1: Two-seat jet training aircraft for the RCAF. Built by Lockheed in the United States, 30 on loan to the RCAF.
- CT-133ANX Silver Star Mk 2: The first Canadian prototype. One built.
- : Two-seat jet training aircraft for the RCAF.
- *Silver Star Mk 3PT: Unarmed version.
- *Silver Star Mk 3AT: Armed version.
- *Silver Star Mk 3PR: Photo-reconnaissance version.
- CE-133: Upgraded electronic warfare training aircraft.
- CX-133: Ejection seat testbed.
- ET-133: Aerial threat simulator aircraft.
- TE-133: Anti-ship threat simulator aircraft.
Operators
- Bolivian Air Force – 20 AT-33A-Ns
- Royal Canadian Air Force
- * Red Knight
- Royal Canadian Navy
- Canadian Forces
- National Research Council
- French Air Force delivered between 1959 and 1962
- Hellenic Air Force
- Portuguese Air Force
- Turkish Air Force
Aircraft on display
;Alberta
- 21081 is near Airdrie, Alberta, in the yard of a private owner.
- There are approximately 7 CT-133's either on display or in storage at CFB Cold Lake.
- 21072 is displayed at CFB Edmonton.
- 21506 and 21533 are in possession of the Alberta Aviation Museum in Edmonton, Alberta.
- 21097 is mounted on a pylon in Edson, Alberta.
- 21518 is on display in Leduc, Alberta.
- 21578 is outside the Royal Canadian Legion in Lethbridge, Alberta.
- 21272 is on a pylon outside the building of the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta.
- 21437 resides on a pedestal at Rocky Mountain House, Alberta.
- 21271 is outside the Royal Canadian Legion in St. Albert, Alberta.
- CT-133 given serial number 133419 is located in Warner, Alberta.
- 21089 and 21351 are at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.
- Canadian Museum of Flight
- Comox Air Force Museum
- Gimli
- Winnipeg Air Force Heritage Museum and Park
- Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum
- Greenwood Military Aviation Museum Greenwood, Nova Scotia
- Shearwater Aviation Museum
- Canadian Air and Space Museum
- Canada Aviation Museum
- Canadian Historical Aircraft Association
- Fort Erie - Sugarbowl Park
- Jet Aircraft Museum – two operational examples
- London International Airport
- National Air Force Museum of Canada
- Canadian Forces Base Bagotville
- Val-d'Or
- RAF Manston History Museum, at RAF Manston, Kent, England
- Yorkshire Air Museum, at RAF Elvington, England
Surviving aircraft
Canada
- Jet Aircraft Museum – two operational examples
United States
;;CT-133
- RCAF s/n 21024 - privately owned in Wellington, Florida.
- RCAF s/n 21052 - privately owned in Mobile, Alabama.
- RCAF s/n 21129 - privately owned in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- RCAF s/n 21157 - privately owned in Houston, Texas.
- RCAF s/n 21159 - privately owned in Belgrade, Montana.
- RCAF s/n 21165 - Vintage Flying Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.
- RCAF s/n 21298 - privately owned in Seattle, Washington.
- RCAF s/n 21306 - privately owned in San Rafael, California.
- RCAF s/n 21369 - privately owned in Seattle, Washington.
- RCAF s/n 21375 - privately owned in Fort Collins, Colorado.
- RCAF s/n 21377 - Planes of Fame in Chino, California.
- RCAF s/n 21440 - privately owned in Delanson, New York.
- RCAF s/n 21456 - privately owned in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- RCAF s/n 21467 - privately owned in Wilmington, Delaware.
- RCAF s/n 21479 - privately owned in Bulverde, Texas.
- RCAF s/n 21504 - privately owned in Scottsdale, Arizona.
- RCAF s/n 21556 - privately owned in Chicago, Illinois.
- RCAF s/n 21557 - privately owned in Mesa, Arizona.
- RCAF s/n 21559 - privately owned in Enoch, Utah.
- RCAF s/n 21566 - Tennessee Museum of Aviation in Luttrell, Tennessee.
- RCAF s/n 21579 - privately owned in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
- RCAF s/n 21582 - War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
- RCAF s/n 21590 - privately owned in Carson City, Nevada.
- RCAF s/n 21604 - privately owned in Jurupa Valley, California.
- CF s/n 133452 - privately owned in San Rafael, California.
- CF s/n 133610 - privately owned in San Rafael, California.
- CF s/n 133564 - privately owned in San Antonio, Texas.
;;CT-133
- RCAF s/n 21483 - to airworthiness by private owner in Houston, Texas.
- RCAF s/n 21560 - to airworthiness by private owner in Houston, Texas.
- RCAF s/n 21571 - to airworthiness by private owner in Houston, Texas.
- RCAF s/n 21613 - to airworthiness by private owner in Carson City, Nevada.
- RCAF s/n 21615 - to airworthiness by private owner in Carson City, Nevada.
- CF s/n 133083 - to airworthiness the Military Aircraft Restoration Corporation in Anaheim, California.
Specifications (CT-133)