BAF : Lockheed T-33

The Belgians received in total 38 Lockheed T-33 jet trainers , which were gradually delivered from 1952 onwards. At first the T-33s that came out of USAF-stocks flew in bare -metal with their TR Buzz-numbers on the nose.

Later on -still in bare metal – they got special Belgian FT-registrations which appeared on tail and nose of the aircraft together with dayglow painting.

From about 1970 the Vietnam-style camouflage was introduced and most pictures in this gallery are from that period.

In 1962 six T-33s went on loan to the Netherlands (K.lu.) , namely FT5,4,6,7,8 and 11 , where they got temporary registrations M-42 to M-47(see gallery KLu T-33)

In 1965/1966 another two , namely FT3 and FT9 followed the others as Dutch M-59 and M-60 .Eventually they were all returned to BAF service in August 1972 , except for FT8 (M-46) which crashed in June 1965 .

The T-33s was phased out of BAF service in 1979 , when 3 aircraft ( FT21, FT28 and FT30) went to the Portuguese Air Force to soldier on and another 14 were returned to USAF stocks in the U.K.

Two BAF T-33s remain in Belgium today : FT24 at Beauvechain Historical Center and FT34 in the Belgian Forces Museum in Brussels.

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2 Comments

  1. Bram Faasse Reply

    Prachtige foto’s en mooi opgezet.
    Zou graag in contact met jullie komen om ook foto’s te mogen delen.
    Bram Faasse, oud spotter van Soesterberg.

    1. Hans Reply

      Hallo Bram !
      Bedankt voor je compliment! De site wordt enkel door ons drieen gemaakt en daarom wordt delen met anderen wat moeilijk . Niettemin bedankt voor je aanbod.
      Groeten ,
      Hans

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