Lockheed QT-33A

The Lockheed QT‑33A was a naval‑service variant of the company’s famous T‑33 Shooting Star jet trainer. Developed shortly after World War II, the aircraft entered US Navy service in 1948, when the post‑war Air Force handed over surplus AT‑33s and T‑33A trainers for evaluation. Lockheed equipped the QT‑33A with a single Allison J33‑AA‑35 centrifugal‑flow turbo‑jet, delivering 4 600 lbf of thrust, and retained the T‑33’s straight‑through fuselage, low‑wing layout, and tandem cockpit. Modifications for carrier‑compatible operations included strengthened undercarriage, reinforced rear fuselage, and provision for catapult launches and arrested landings, although the Navy primarily employed the type for land‑based jet transition, weapons‑delivery drills, and as a radar‑target simulator. Production comprised just 120 airframes, making the QT‑33A one of the smallest sub‑series of the Shooting Star family. Its significance lies in bridging the gap between piston‑engine trainers and the first generation of naval jet fighters, familiarising pilots with high‑speed aerodynamics, jet‑engine management, and basic fighter tactics. The QT‑33A’s service helped accelerate the Navy’s jet‑age adoption and set the operational standards later applied to aircraft such as the F9F Panther and F2H Banshee. Today a few preserved examples can be seen in aviation museums, illustrating the post‑war transition to jet power.