Lockheed T-33A-5-LO Shooting Star

The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star was a jet trainer aircraft developed from the P-80 fighter in the late 1940s. Lockheed created the T-33 by stretching the P-80 fuselage to accommodate a second cockpit for an instructor. The first T-33 flew in March 1948, and production began that same year. The T-33A-5-LO variant was part of the early production run manufactured at Lockheed's Burbank facility. The U.S. Air Force adopted the T-33 as its primary jet trainer to transition pilots from propeller aircraft to jets.

The T-33A-5-LO was powered by a single Allison J33-A-35 turbojet engine producing 5,400 pounds of thrust, giving it a maximum speed of 580 mph and a service ceiling of 48,000 feet. The aircraft featured tandem seating with full dual controls and retained two .50 caliber machine guns for gunnery training. The T-33 served as the primary jet trainer for multiple air forces worldwide, with over 6,500 units produced.