Model Airplane News November, 1952 ![]() ![]() Lockheed F-94 "Starfire" Model Airplane News Cover Art for February, 1951 and November, 1952 by Jo Kotula Click to Enlarge The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was the United States Air Force's first operational jet-powered all-weather interceptor aircraft. It was a development by Lockheed of the twin-seat T-33 Shooting Star trainer aircraft.
![]() ![]() ![]() Lockheed F-94"Starfire" .. loading the cannon illustrated on the cover Click to Enlarge Built to a 1948 USAF specification for a radar equipped interceptor to replace the aging Northrop F-61 Black Widow and North American F-82 Twin Mustang, it was specifically designed to counter the threat of the USSR's new Tupolev Tu-4 bombers (reverse-engineered Boeing B-29). The Curtiss-Wright XF-87A Blackhawk had been designated to be the USAF first jet night fighter, but its performance was sub par and Lockheed was asked to design a jet night fighter on a crash program basis. The F-94 was derived from the TF-80C (later T-33A Shooting Star) which was a two-seat trainer version of the F-80 Shooting Star. A lengthened nose area with guns, radar and automatic fire control system was added. Since the conversion seemed so simple, a contract was awarded to Lockheed in early 1949, with the first flight in A1949. The early test YF-94s used seventy-five percent of the parts used in the earlier F-80 and T-33As. Here is a video of the Lockheed F-94 "Starfire" in action: In addition to the cover of Model Airplane News, this airplane was also featured in the WINGS "Friend or Foe" trading card series of the early 1950s ![]() Trading card representation of the Lockheed F-94 "Starfire" Click Here to see all 200 cards in the series Click to Enlarge Click Here for more information about the Lockheed F-94 "Starfire". ![]() Click to go back and select another cover. | |||||||
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