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Some USAF T-33 color questions


KRK4m

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Using any viewpoint you choose the T-33 is one of the most important planes in whole aviation history. Being the most numerous variant of the most advanced WW2 jet (P-80) and the most numerous jet trainer of the Western World it is the "must have" in any aircraft model collection. Nevertheless I cannot find the answers for several questions that have arisen during the preparations to build a USAF machine:

  1. Did any T-33s used in the Korean War sport OD uppersurfaces (like the RF-80) and yellow lettering or overall pale grey camo (like early P-80A/Bs) ?
  2. Were there any USAF T-33s used in the South East Asian (Vietnam/Thailand/Laos/Cambodia) war ? If so were they flying in NMF, ADC gray or TAC SEA camo of two greens and tan over whitish grey?
  3. Was  the well-publicised "Jaws" 58-0540 the only USAF T-33A flown in the TAC SEA camo or was this the standard scheme for some period/area? Should it feature the large USAF letters on the wings?

As you probably see I'm trying to avoid building the Korean War NMF T-33 with yellow bands across the wings and fuselage 😋

Cheers

Michael

 

 

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I may be wrong but I don't think the SEA scheme was ever used as standard on USAF T-33s, that of course doesn't mean that there weren't in some units, just that off the top of my mind I can't think of them.

However if you want a USAF T-33 several of these carried interesting markings on top of their NM or ADC grey finishes. ANG interceptor units for example always had a T-33 and these often carried the same markings seen on the fighters of the same unit. The black tail of the Pennsylvania ANG is maybe my favourite.Another interesting aircraft was used by 48th FIS in the '80s and had a scheme with white upper sirfaces and ADC grey lowers.

Going back in time, a number of regular units also marked their T-33s with some colourful markings, for example 69th Training Sqn used large blue bands with yellow stars. Target tugs also sometime had unusual colour schemes

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1 hour ago, Giorgio N said:

I may be wrong but I don't think the SEA scheme was ever used as standard on USAF T-33s, that of course doesn't mean that there weren't in some units, just that off the top of my mind I can't think of them.

I'm pretty sure the SEA markings were a one off version done by some bored maintainers in Iceland.  The two standard USAF schemes I know of were natural metal and ADC Gray.

 

Regards,

Murph

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According to Doug Barbier, whose name was painted on the SEA camouflaged T-33 at Keflavik, that was the one and only USAF T-bird that had that camouflage.

 

I don't recall ever seeing a photo of a USAF T-33 in-theater in SEA.  There would have been little or no use for one.  There were plenty of other utility types that could get you from here to there in the RVN, and the T-bird didn't have the range to venture very far off shore.

 

Also never remember seeing a camouflaged T-33 in Korea.

Edited by Sonoran
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  • 7 months later...
On 9/16/2018 at 9:34 PM, Giorgio N said:

However if you want a USAF T-33 several of these carried interesting markings on top of their NM or ADC grey finishes. ANG interceptor units for example always had a T-33 and these often carried the same markings seen on the fighters of the same unit. The black tail of the Pennsylvania ANG is maybe my favourite.Another interesting aircraft was used by 48th FIS in the '80s and had a scheme with white upper sirfaces and ADC grey lowers.

 

On 9/16/2018 at 10:57 PM, Murph said:

The two standard USAF schemes I know of were natural metal and ADC Gray.

 

OK, Gentlemen, thank you for all the answers. So I'm almost decided to build the ADC gray-finished one.

The only question remaining is WHEN was this scheme introduced? 1954? 1956? Or later?

Cheers

Michael

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If you look through the link @Gmat posted there are several photo’s of German, Canadian, Belgian, Paraguayan and Bolivian camouflaged T-birds. The Belgian one is almost the same as SEA camouflage. The Bolivian is a lighter set of colors to SEA but similar patterns. The German and Canadians have multiple camouflages to go through ranging from Green/Grey to all grey. Food for thought at least.  

 

Dennis

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17 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

If you look through the link @Gmat posted there are several photo’s of German, Canadian, Belgian, Paraguayan and Bolivian camouflaged T-birds. The Belgian one is almost the same as SEA camouflage. The Bolivian is a lighter set of colors to SEA but similar patterns. The German and Canadians have multiple camouflages to go through ranging from Green/Grey to all grey. Food for thought at least.  

 

Dennis

 

Hi Dennis, 

 

The only t-33s in SEA camouflage were Belgian, Ecuadorean (later) and Uruguayan (later). The other camo machines were in a variety of schemes, with the Bolivian and Sandinita machines having pretty wacky schemes. 

 

 

Martin 

Edited by RidgeRunner
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On 5/11/2019 at 10:58 PM, KRK4m said:

 

OK, Gentlemen, thank you for all the answers. So I'm almost decided to build the ADC gray-finished one.

The only question remaining is WHEN was this scheme introduced? 1954? 1956? Or later?

Cheers

Michael

Much later. FS 16473 was introduced by the USAF as the "standard" finish for all aircraft in the mid-late '70s, replacing aluminum lacquer.

Mind, the term standard means standard unless otherwise required, meaning that of course aircraft required to wear other schemes had these. FS 16473 was used for all other aircraft and the T-33 at that point was one of them.

This paint had been introduced earlier as part of specific schemes, for example on ADC interceptors but on other types as well.

 

Back to the T-33, I should revise my post and add that overall aluminum paint was also used in the '60 and early '70, following standard USAF practice.

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On 5/13/2019 at 9:00 PM, Jordi said:

There were still natural metal (and arctic red) T-33s stationed at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska with the 5021st Tactical Operations Squadron as late as 1985.  They were in the process of painting all of them into overall 16473 while I was stationed in Alaska at that time. 

Makes sense as the change in colour would have likely been introduced on a certain aircraft at whatever time this was subject to major maintenance.

Do you remember if they were actual natural metal or did they carry aluminum lacquer ? I've seen many pictures of NM T-33s and many of machines painted in 16473 but comparatively few that clearly show aluminum lacquer

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