NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Boeing Skyfox

The Boeing Skyfox was a program to modify aging Lockheed T-33 jet trainers into a moderized, twin-engine aircraft. Besides its primary role as a trainer, the aircraft was envisioned to have other roles as well, including ground attack. The program was started by the Skyfox Corporation in 1983, and was acquired by Boeing in 1986. Only one prototype aircraft was built, and the program was later cancelled due to lack of customers. The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star (also designated the TO-1) is an American-built jet trainer. ...

History

Over 6,500 Lockheed T-33 trainers were built, making it one of the most successful jet trainer programs in history. However, technology passed the "T-Bird" by, and by the 1980s, it was clear that the world's air forces needed a more modern training aircraft. T-33 designer Irvin Culver and a number of other former Lockheed employees formed Flight Concepts Incorporated in 1982, with the intent of modernizing the T-33 design. The company's name was later changed to Skyfox Corporation.

The highly modified and modernized aircraft was expected to cost about half of a new comparable trainer, such as the British Aerospace BAE Hawk and the Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet. With the design work done, Skyfox purchased 80 surplus T-33s. The first one converted was ex-Canadian Armed Forces CT-133 (the Canadian license-built equivalent of the T-33), serial 21160. It carried the U.S. civilian registration number of N221SF. After conversion to the Skyfox configuration, first flight was performed on August 23, 1983 by renown race pilot Skip Holm at the Mojave Airport. British Aerospace (BAe) was a UK aircraft manufacturer, now part of BAE Systems. ... The BAE Hawk is an advanced jet trainer which first flew in 1974 as the Hawker-Siddeley Hawk. ... Alpha Jet owned by Red Bull The Alpha Jet is a light attack and advanced trainer aircraft manufactured by Dornier of Germany and Dassault-Breguet of France. ... The Canadian Forces (CF) (Fr: Forces canadiennes (FC)) are the combined branches of the military of Canada. ... August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1983: Events January January 31 - the Ayres Turbo Thrush NEEDS cropduster plane officially joins the United States war on drugs. February February 1 - Boeing announces it will stop producing Boeing 727 airliners. ... Mojave Airport, storage location for commercial airliners. ...

Skyfox Corp was not able to find any buyers for the aircraft, despite its price and capability. However, in 1986, Boeing Military Aircraft Company saw potential, and purchased the marketing and production rights. Even though Portugal signed a letter of intent for 20 conversion kits, no other nation signed on, and with a lack of customers, Boeing cancelled the project. The prototype aircraft remains the only Skyfox built. The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661 ) is an aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. ...

Configuation

The Skyfox was marketed either as a complete converted aircraft from Boeing, or as a conversion kit, with the customer providing the T-33 airframe. The conversion incorporated about 70% of the existing T-33 airframe, but replaced the existing internal single Allison J33 turbojet engine with two Garrett TFE731 turbofan engines mounted externally. Together, the two TFE731s weighed 17% less than the single original engine, provided 60% more thrust on 45% less fuel. Allison J33-A-35, photo USAF Museum The J33 was a US-produced development of Frank Whittles early Rolls-Royce Derwent, enlarged to produce dramatically more thrust, starting at 4,000 lbf and ending at 4,600 lbf with an additional low-altitude boost to 5,400 lbf with... Turbojets are the simplest and oldest kind of general purpose jet engine. ... CFM56-3 turbofan, lower half, side view. ...

The engine change provided a large internal volume for fuel storage, eliminating the need for the T-33's tip tanks (although the tip mountings were retained to provide for optional auxiliary fuel tanks if desired).

The Skyfox used an aerodynamically improved nose and tail, although the original wings were retained.

Specifications

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

2700kg The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... An aircrafts Vne is the velocity that should never be exceeded. ... VNO of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of normal operation. ... VC may stand for: vehicular cycling Venture capital Vice-county Victoria Cross Viet Cong Vinyl chloride Virginia Central Railway (AAR reporting mark VC) virtual circuit Visual C++ Volkov Commander (file manager) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: ISO country code This is a disambiguation page â€” a navigational aid which lists pages... Stall speed is an aerodynamic term. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing as limited by its fuel capacity. ... In aeronautics, the service ceiling is the maximum density altitude where the best rate of climb airspeed will produce a 100 feet per minute climb(twin engine) and 50 feet(single engine) at maximum weight while in a clean configuration with maximum continuous power. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... In aerodynamics, wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing. ...

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