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Lockheed T-33 facts for kids

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T-33 Shooting Star
Arctic Thunder 160729-F-YH552-021.jpg
A demonstration T-33 in flight, 2016
Role Training aircraft
Manufacturer Lockheed
Designer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson
First flight 22 March 1948
Retired 31 July 2017 (Bolivian Air Force)
Primary users United States Air Force
United States Navy
Japan Air Self Defense Force
German Air Force
Produced 1948–1959
Number built 6,557
Developed from Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
Variants Lockheed T2V SeaStar
Canadair CT-133 Silver Star
Developed into Lockheed F-94 Starfire
Boeing Skyfox

The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is a famous US military jet aircraft. It was mainly used as a training aircraft for pilots. This plane was designed by adding a second seat to the P-80 Shooting Star jet. Many countries around the world used the T-33. It was even built in other places like Canada and Japan under a special agreement. The very last T-33 in active service retired in 2017. Today, more than a hundred of these historic planes are on display in museums worldwide.

What is the T-33 Shooting Star?

The T-33 Shooting Star is a jet airplane built by the Lockheed company. Its main job was to help new pilots learn how to fly jet aircraft. It was a two-seat version of an earlier jet fighter, the P-80 Shooting Star.

How the T-33 Was Made

The T-33 was created by a famous aircraft designer named Clarence "Kelly" Johnson. He worked for Lockheed. His team took the single-seat P-80 fighter jet and made it longer. They added a second seat for an instructor pilot. The first T-33 took its first flight on March 22, 1948.

Who Used the T-33?

The T-33 became one of the most popular training jets ever. It was used by the United States Air Force and the United States Navy. Many other air forces around the globe also flew the T-33. Countries like Japan, Germany, Canada, and Mexico used it to train their pilots. Some T-33s were even built in Canada and Japan. The last T-33 in military service retired from the Bolivian Air Force on July 31, 2017.

T-33s in Museums

Because so many T-33s were built and used for a long time, many have been saved. You can find more than 100 of these planes in museums. They are displayed in different countries, showing their history and importance.

Images for kids

  • Gjirokastra US airplane

    United States Air Force Lockheed RT-33 reconnaissance plane forced down by Albanian MiG-15 in December 1957, on display in Gjirokastër, Albania

  • Lockheed NT-33A USAF

    USAF Lockheed NT-33A

  • Royal Military Museum Brussels 2007 144

    T-33 of the Belgian Air Force

  • ROCAF T-33 in Hsinchu AFB Front View 20120602

    T-33 of the Taiwan Air Force at Hsinchu Air Base 2012.

  • Greek T-33 Shooting Star 4

    A T-33 Shooting Star of the Hellenic Air Force

  • Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star, Mexico - Air Force JP6054232

    T-33A of the Mexican Air Force

  • T-33

    T-33 Portuguese Air Force

  • 023 a T-33A of RoKAF (3223333726)

    T-33 of the Republic of Korea Air Force

  • Spanish Air Force Lockheed T-33

    T-33 of the Spanish Air Force

  • T-33 Shooting Star PAF

    T-33 of the Philippine Air Force

  • T-33A-10-T-Bird

    Indonesian Air Force T-33A

  • T 33 Shooting Star-IIAF

    T-33 belonging to the former Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF)

  • T-33-ToursAB

    T-33 of French Air Force in 1980 on the Air Base 705 of Tours

  • RSAF T-33

    T-33 in Saudi Arabia

  • T-33A（51-5663）

    T-33A of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star para niños

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