Canadair CT-133 Silver Star

CT-133 Silver Star
CT-133 Silver Star
Role	Military trainer aircraft
National origin	Canada
Manufacturer	Canadair / Lockheed
First flight	December 1952
Retired	2005 (Canadian Forces)[1]
Primary users	Royal Canadian Air Force Canadian Forces
Number built	656
Developed from	Lockheed T-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 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 (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.^[2]

Operational history[]

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 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.

A Canadair CT-133 Silver Star at RAF Elvington

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

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 a CT-133 with original RCAF serial number 21648, it had reached a total of 11394.6 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[]

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• 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[]

Bolivia

• Bolivian Air Force – 20 AT-33A-Ns (former Canadian Forces)^[4]

Canada

• Royal Canadian Air Force^[5]
  • Red Knight (aerobatic team)
• Royal Canadian Navy^[5]
• Canadian Forces^[5]
• National Research Council^[6]

France

• French Air Force delivered between 1959 and 1962^[7]

Greece

• Hellenic Air Force (former RCAF aircraft)^[8]

Portugal

• Portuguese Air Force^[9]

Turkey

• Turkish Air Force^[10]

Aircraft on display[]

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

T-33 at London International Airport

CT-133 Silver Star displayed in St. Albert, Alberta

Alberta

• 21081 is near Airdrie, Alberta, in the yard of a private owner.^[11]
• There are approximately 7 CT-133's either on display or in storage at CFB Cold Lake.^[11]
• 21072 is displayed at CFB Edmonton.^[11]
• 21506 and 21533 are in possession of the Alberta Aviation Museum in Edmonton, Alberta.^[12]
• 21097 is mounted on a pylon in Edson, Alberta.^[11]
• 21518 is on display in Leduc, Alberta.^[11]
• 21578 is outside the Royal Canadian Legion in Lethbridge, Alberta.^[11]
• 21272 is on a pylon outside the building of the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta.^[13]
• 21437 resides on a pedestal at Rocky Mountain House, Alberta.^[11]
• 21271 is outside the Royal Canadian Legion in St. Albert, Alberta.^[11]
• CT-133 given serial number 133419 is located in Warner, Alberta.^[11]
• 21089 and 21351 are at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.^[14]

British Columbia

• Canadian Museum of Flight^[15]
• Comox Air Force Museum^[16]

Manitoba

• Gimli^[17]
• Winnipeg Air Force Heritage Museum and Park^[18]

Nova Scotia

• Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum^[19]
• Greenwood Military Aviation Museum Greenwood, Nova Scotia^[20]
• Shearwater Aviation Museum^[21]

Ontario

• Canadian Air and Space Museum^[22]
• Canada Aviation Museum^[23]
• Canadian Historical Aircraft Association^[24]
• Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum^[25]
• Fort Erie - Sugarbowl Park^{[citation needed]}
• Jet Aircraft Museum – two operational examples^[26]
• London International Airport^[27]
• National Air Force Museum of Canada^[28]

Quebec

• Canadian Forces Base Bagotville^[29]
• Val-d'Or^[30]

United Kingdom

• , at RAF Manston, Kent, England^[31]
• Yorkshire Air Museum, at RAF Elvington, England^[32]

Surviving aircraft[]

Canada[]

• Jet Aircraft Museum – two operational examples^[26]

United States[]

Airworthy

CT-133

• RCAF s/n 21024 - privately owned in Scottsdale, Arizona.^[33]
• RCAF s/n 21052 (CF s/n 133052) - privately owned in Mobile, Alabama.^[34]
• RCAF s/n 21098 - privately owned in Waller, Texas.^[35]
• RCAF s/n 21129 - privately owned in Salt Lake City, Utah.^[36]
• RCAF s/n 21157 - privately owned in Houston, Texas.^[37]
• RCAF s/n 21159 - privately owned in Belgrade, Montana.^[38]
• RCAF s/n 21165 (CF s/n 133165) - Vintage Flying Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.^[39][40]
• RCAF s/n 21192 - privately owned in Guthrie, Oklahoma.^[41]
• RCAF s/n 21298 - operated by Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, Washington.^[42]
• RCAF s/n 21306 - privately owned in San Rafael, California.^[43]
• RCAF s/n 21369 - operated by Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, Washington.^[44]
• RCAF s/n 21375 - privately owned in Fort Collins, Colorado.^[45]
• RCAF s/n 21377 (CF s/n 133377) - Planes of Fame in Chino, California.^[46][47]
• RCAF s/n 21440 - privately owned in Delanson, New York.^[48]
• RCAF s/n 21456 - privately owned in Brigham City, Utah.^[49]
• RCAF s/n 21467 (CF s/n 133467) - privately owned in Litchfield Park, Arizona.^[50]
• RCAF s/n 21479 (CF s/n 133479) - privately owned in Bulverde, Texas.^[51]
• RCAF s/n 21504 (CF s/n 133504) - privately owned in Scottsdale, Arizona.^[52]
• RCAF s/n 21556 - privately owned in Chicago, Illinois.^[53]
• RCAF s/n 21557 (CF s/n 133557) - privately owned in Mesa, Arizona.^[54]
• RCAF s/n 21559 - privately owned in Parowan, Utah.^[55]
• RCAF s/n 21566 - Tennessee Museum of Aviation in Luttrell, Tennessee.^[56][57]
• RCAF s/n 21579 (CF s/n 133579) - privately owned in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.^[58]
• RCAF s/n 21582 - War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.^[59][60]
• RCAF s/n 21590 (CF s/n 133590) - privately owned in Carson City, Nevada.^[61]
• RCAF s/n 21604 (CF s/n 133604) - privately owned in Jurupa Valley, California.^[62]
• CF s/n 133452 - privately owned in San Rafael, California.^[63]
• CF s/n 133610 - privately owned in San Rafael, California.^[64]
• CF s/n 133564 - privately owned in San Antonio, Texas.^[65]

Under restoration

CT-133

• RCAF s/n 21483 (CF s/n 133483) - to airworthiness by private owner in Houston, Texas.^[66]
• RCAF s/n 21560 (CF s/n 133560) - to airworthiness by private owner in Houston, Texas.^[67]
• RCAF s/n 21571 (CF s/n 133571) - to airworthiness by private owner in Houston, Texas.^[68]
• RCAF s/n 21613 (CF s/n 133613) - to airworthiness by private owner in Ione, California.^[69]
• RCAF s/n 21615 (CF s/n 133615) - to airworthiness by private owner in Jordan Valley, Oregon.^[70]
• CF s/n 133083 - to airworthiness the Military Aircraft Restoration Corporation in Anaheim, California.^[71]

Specifications (CT-133)[]

Data from^{[citation needed]}

General characteristics

• Crew: one–two
• 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: 3,830 kg (8,444 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 7,630 kg (16,800 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turbojet, 22 kN (5,000 lbf) thrust

Performance

• Maximum speed: 920 km/h (570 mph, 500 kn)
• Service ceiling: 14,000 m (46,000 ft)

See also[]

Related development

• Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
• Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
• Lockheed T2V SeaStar
• Boeing Skyfox

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of Canada

References[]

Notes

Bibliography

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Canadair CT-133.

• Canadian Forces CT-133 Silver Star page