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Canadair CT-133 Silver Star

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CT-133 Silver Star
Canadair T-33
CT-133 Silver Star Mk.3
Role Military trainer aircraft
National origin Canada
Manufacturer Canadair / Lockheed
Retired 2005 (Canadian Forces)[1]
Still in service with Bolivian Air Force[citation needed]
Primary users Royal Canadian Air Force
Canadian Forces
Number built 656
Developed from Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star

The Canadair CT-133 Silver Star (company model number CL-30) was the Canadian license-built version of the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star 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 is the result of a 1951 contract to build T-33 Shooting Star Trainers for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The powerplant would be 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.[2]

Operational history[]

T-33A RCN over Halifax 1957

Two CT-133s of the Royal Canadian Navy over Halifax in 1957.

The CT-133 entered service in the RCAF as its primary training aircraft for fighter/interceptors. The RCAF named it the "Silver Star" in honour of Canada's (and the British Empire's) first flight of a heavier-than-air craft, the AEA Silver Dart.[citation needed] The designation of the Silver Star in the Canadian Forces was CT-133.

The CT-133 was reliable and had forgiving flight properties.[citation needed] Its 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.

Canadair Silver Star - Elvington - BB

A Canadair CT-133 Silver Star at RAF Elvington

CanadairCT133Line

A line of Canadair CT-133 Silver Stars of 417 Combat Support Squadron at CFB Cold Lake

CanadairCT133SilverStar07A

Canadair CT-133 Silver Star without wingtip tanks, in RCAF markings at the Canadian Museum of Flight, 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.[3] CT-133 number 133648 was delivered to CFD Mountain View on 26 April 2005. Having been built in March 1959 as CT-133 21648,[Clarification needed] and had 11394.6 flight hours at the time of retirement. 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[]

Question book-new

This article does not contain any citations or references. Please improve this article by adding a reference. For information about how to add references, see Template:Citation.

  • 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.
  • Silver Star Mk 3: 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[]

Flag of Bolivia Bolivia
Canadian Red Ensign 1957-1965 Canada
Flag of France France
Flag of Greece (1828-1978) Greece
Flag of Portugal Portugal
Flag of Turkey Turkey

Aircraft on display[]

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

Canadair T-33 YXU

T-33 at London International Airport

Specifications (CT-133)[]

Data from[citation needed]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1–2
  • Length: 11.48 m (37 ft 8 in)
  • Wingspan: 12.93 m (42 ft 5 in)
  • Height: 3.55 m (11 ft 8 in)
  • Empty weight: 3830 kg (8440 lb)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 7630 kg (16800 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turbojet, 22 kN (5000 lb)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 920 km/h (500 kn, 570 mi/h)
  • Service ceiling: 14000 m (47000 ft)

See also[]

References[]

Notes
  1. ↑ Canadian Forces (April 2004). "CT-133 Silver Star". http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/site/equip/historical/silverstarlst_e.asp. Retrieved 2009-01-31. 
  2. ↑ Lockheed P-80/F-80
  3. ↑ see also "Canada's Fab Four", Air Forces Monthly
  4. ↑ Andrade 1982, p. 27
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Aeroware (undated). "Canadair CT-133 Silver Star". http://www.canadianwings.com/Aircraft/aircraftDetail.php?SILVERSTAR-198. Retrieved 8 January 2012. 
  6. ↑ National Research Council (13 February 2009). "T-33". http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/facilities/iar/t-33.html. Retrieved 8 January 2012. 
  7. ↑ Jackson, Paul A. (1975). French Military Aviation. Hinckley, England: Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 0-904597-01-6. 
  8. ↑ Andrade 1982, p. 92
  9. ↑ Andrade 1982, p. 185
  10. ↑ Andrade 1982, p. 228
  11. ↑ "Canadair CT-133 Silver Star (1952)". Albertaaviationmuseum.com. http://albertaaviationmuseum.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=45&Itemid=41. Retrieved 2013-02-13. 
  12. ↑ "Lockheed / Canadair CT-133 Silver Star « Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum". Atlanticcanadaaviationmuseum.com. 22 March 1948. http://atlanticcanadaaviationmuseum.com/museum-collections/lockheed-canadair-ct-133-silver-star/. Retrieved 2013-02-13. 
  13. ↑ "Canadian Air & Space Museum | Canadair CT-133 Silver Star". Casmuseum.org. 18 September 2003. http://www.casmuseum.org/canadair_ct133_silver_star.php. Retrieved 2013-02-13. 
  14. ↑ "Canadair T-33AN Silver Star 3 – Canada Aviation and Space Museum". Aviation.technomuses.ca. http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/collections/artifacts/aircraft/CanadairT-33ANSilverStar/. Retrieved 2013-02-13. 
  15. ↑ "Canadian Historical Aircraft Association". Ch2a.ca. http://www.ch2a.ca/MainWelcome.html. Retrieved 2013-02-13. 
  16. ↑ "Lockheed T-33 Silver Star | The Canadian Museum of Flight". Canadianflight.org. http://www.canadianflight.org/content/lockheed-t-33-silver-star. Retrieved 2013-02-13. 
  17. ↑ "Comox Air Force Museum Silver Star". Comoxairforcemuseum.ca. 13 September 1951. http://www.comoxairforcemuseum.ca/AirPark/silverstar.html. Retrieved 2013-02-13. 
  18. ↑ "Jet Aircraft Museum > Hangar > Our Aircraft". Jetaircraftmuseum.ca. http://www.jetaircraftmuseum.ca/Hangar/OurAircraft.aspx. Retrieved 2013-02-13. 
  19. ↑ London International Airport (2011). "Historical Display". http://www.londonairport.on.ca/hisdisplay.html. Retrieved 11 November 2011. 
  20. ↑ "Aircraft « National Air Force Museum of Canada". Airforcemuseum.ca. http://airforcemuseum.ca/en/aircraft-2#S. Retrieved 2013-02-13. 
  21. ↑ "Shearwater Aviation Museum". Shearwater Aviation Museum. http://www.shearwateraviationmuseum.ns.ca/exhibits/silverstar.htm. Retrieved 2013-02-13. 
  22. ↑ Aircraft 21417 Photo
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 0-907898-01-7
  • Francillon, René. Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913. London: Putnam, 1982. ISBN 0-370-30329-6.
  • Pickler, Ron and Larry Milberry. Canadair: The First 50 Years. Toronto: Canav Books, 1995. ISBN 0-921022-07-7.
  • "Silver Star Stand Down". Air Classics April 2006, Canoga Park, California: Challenge Publications. ISSN 0002-2241.

External links[]

 
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