Canadair CT-133 Silver Star
| CT-133 Silver Star | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| CT-133 Silver Star Mk.3 | |
| Role | Military trainer aircraft |
| National origin | Canada |
| Manufacturer | Canadair / Lockheed |
| First flight | December 1952 |
| Retired | 2005 (Canadian Forces) Still in service with Bolivian Air Force |
| 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.
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 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. The designation of the Silver Star in the Canadian Forces was CT-133.
The CT-133 was reliable and had forgiving flight properties. 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.
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