Lockheed CT-133 Silver Star Shooting Star T-33 T-33A CT-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 Canadair CT-133 was the result of a 1951 contract to build T-33 Shooting Star trainers for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). 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.
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 (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 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. Wikipedia
Wikipedia Canadair CT-133 Silver Star
CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF Owned (687) RCAF Leased (10) RCAF 400 Squadrons (149) Canadian Crewed (195) RCN (6) Canadian Museum (2)Silver Star 3PT 21639
Stored Reserve RCAF Station Lincoln Park (Calgary). To 3 Fighter Wing RCAF Station Zweibruken 29 May 1959. Used in Europe, in natural metal finish. Seen at Wethersfield, UK in September 1965. Stored Reserve 6 Repair Depot Detachment Mountain View 31 July 1967. To Canadian Forces Navigation School CFB Winnipeg 29 Apr 1968. Canadian Forces Flight Training Support Unit CFB Winnipeg 8 Jan 1969. To 1 Flying Training School CFB Gimli 19 May 1970. Renamed 1 Canadian Forces Flying Training School CFB Gimli 30 July 1970. Authorized for renumbering 10 Nov 1970. School moved to CFB Cold Lake 2 June 1971. Transferred to VU-32 CFB Shearwater 11 June 1974. Cat A crash 26 May 1982. Strike off. 1 fatal.1958-11-20 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1983-09-16 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07