Warplanes of the USA: Lockheed F-94 Starfire

Lockheed F-94 Starfire

(USAF Photo)

317th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Lockheed F-94A-5-LO 49-2577 1951 Stationed at McChord AFB, Washington. Flying over Nevada The 317th FIS was the 1st Squadron with F-94A Starfire.

The Lockheed F-94 Starfire is a first-generation jet powered all-weather day/night interceptor aircraft designed and produced by Lockheed Corporation. It was the first operationalUnited States Air Force (USAF) fighter equipped with an afterburner as well asbeing the first jet-powered all-weather fighter to enter combat during the Korean War.

The F-94 was developed to fulfil a specification issued by the USAF in 1948,seeking a new interceptor capable of day and night operations to replace itspiston-engined types in light of recent military advances made by the SovietUnion. The F-94 was derived from the successful Lockheed T-33 Shooting Startrainer; being a relatively simple conversion from an established aircraft ledto USAF officials viewing it as a low risk option and opting to procure thetype. Maintaining a high level of parts commonality with the precedingaircraft, the majority of the F-94's external changes were related to theadoption of a larger nose that accommodated multiple guns, radar, and anautomatic fire control system. Engine thrust was also bolstered by adding anafterburner to the Allison J33 powerplant used.

On 16 April 1949, the prototype YF-94 conducted its maiden flight. Whileteething problems were encountered, these were overcome relatively quickly.During May 1950, the F-94A reached operational service with Air Defense Command(ADC), its principal operator, where the type soon replaced the piston-enginedNorth American F-82 Twin Mustang in the all-weather interceptor role. It wassoon followed by the F-94B, a refined model that proved to have greater enginereliability and a more spacious cockpit; the F-94C equipped with a thinnerwing, a more powerful Pratt & Whitney J48 engine, and a new Hughes E-5 firecontrol system also followed. Further models, including a dedicated aerialreconnaissance variant, were proposed but ultimately not pursued.

In the interceptor role, the F-94 proved to have less endurance and greaterreliance upon Ground Control Interception methods than some of itspiston-engined predecessors. Beyond its use by ADC, it was also operated by theFar East Air Force, which used the type against various Soviet-suppliedaircraft during the Korean War of the early 1950s. The Alaskan Air Command(AAC) and the Air National Guard (ANG) also operated the F-94. It had arelatively brief operational life, the replacement process commencing in themid-1950s in favor of more advanced fighters such as the Northrop F-89 Scorpionand North American F-86D Sabre. The last aircraft was withdrawn from USAFservice in 1958, while the ANG opted to retire its F-94s only one year later. (Wikipedia)

(USAF Photo)

Lockheed F-94C Starfire, (Serial No. 50-970), while being used as a testbed for Lockheed out of their Burbank, California, facility. This aircraft was painted in standard markings for type, with all lettering in black, a black nose radome, a beige plastic wing leading edge rocket pod nose cap (note that the pod on the left wing is apparently of aluminum construction, thus indicating its possible use as a test instrumentation bay), black wing leading edge de-icing boots, and a light green nose anti-glare pane

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(USAF Photo)

U.S. Air Force Lockheed YF-94A (s/n 48-356) in flight. This was the first one built, converted from a TF-80C. This aircraft later became the F-94B prototype and is today preserved as a gate guard at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

(USAF Photo)

Lockheed YF-94A All Weather Interceptor prototype (Serial No. 48-0356), coded FA-356, April 1949.

(USAF Photo)

Lockheed YF-97 Starfire (Serial No. 50-955).

(USAF Photo)

68th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Lockheed F-94B-5-LO 51-5358 5358 (6160th ABW, 68th FIS) went belly into the sea after engine fire, 20 Dec 1952. Both crew killed. Submerged in salt water for 95 hours. Aircraft SOC.

(USAF Photo)

Lockheed F-94B-5-LO Starfire (s/n 51-5416) from the 319th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in Korea, 1953.

(USAF Photo)

61st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Lockheed F-94B-1-LO Starfire 50-889 1952 Taken at Selfridge Field, Michigan. Squadron received F-94B on 23 March 1951.

(USAF Photo)

Lockheed F-94 Starfire and a North American F-82 Twin Mustang, 325th Fighter Group. Aircraft identified as Lockheed F-94A-5-LO 49-2588 and North American F-82F Twin Mustang 46-418. 46-418 was scrapped at Brooks AFB, Texas in 1951 with only 550 hours total time.

(USAF Photo)

59th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-94B Otis AFB 1952 Two F-94Bs flying over Cape Cod. Lockheed F-94B-1-LO Starfire 50-870 and 50-872 870 marked as commander's aircraft.

(USAF Photo)

Lockheed F-94B-1-LO Starfigher 50-0930.

(USAF Photo)

Three U.S. Air Force Lockheed F-94C Starfire interceptors (Serial Nos. 51-5642, 50-1063, and 51-5549) of the 354th Fighter Interceptor Squadron based at Oxnard Air Force Base, California (USA), in flight on 19 June 1956.

(USAF Photo)

Lockheed F-94C-1-LO Starfire 51-5641, of the 84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.

(USAF Photo)

Lockheed F-94A-5-LO Starfire fighter (s/n 49-2533) from the 178th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 119th Fighter Group, North Dakota Air National Guard, in flight. The North Dakota Air National Guard flew the F-94 from 1954-1958.

(USAF Photo)

449th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Lockheed F-94A-5-LO 49-2531, Ladd AFB, Alaska, 1955.

(USAF Photo)

Robert Groom and Neil Modin, U.S. Air Force personnel assigned to the 178th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 119th Fighter Group "The Happy Hooligans", North Dakota Air National Guard, with their Lockheed F-94C-1-LO Starfire aircraft (s/n 51-13567) at Hector Field, North Dakota (USA). The "Happy Hooligan" pilots flew the F-94A/C from 1954 to 1958.

(USAF Photo)

F-94C serial number 50-963 was experimentally fitted with an enlarged nose in which reconnaissance cameras were mounted in place of the interceptor's radar and rockets. This plane was re-designated EF-94C, the E standing for *Exempt*. E was used rather than the regular R for Reconnaissance because this aircraft was to be used strictly for research purposes.

(USAF Photo)

Lockheed F-94C-1-LO Starfire (Serial No. 50-0980), 109th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Minnesota Air National Guard, 1957.

(USAF Photo)

Lockheed EF-94C Starfire (Serial No. 50-963), the reconnaissance version test aircraft.

(USGOV-PD Photo)

Lockheed F-94C-1-LO Starfire (Serial No. 51-3562), 103rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Pennsylvania Air National Guard, 1958.

(USGOV-PD Photo)

Lockheed T-33A-1-LO Shooting Star (Serial No. 53-5224), 112th Fighter Group, Pennsylvania Air National Guard, ca 1950s.

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Lockheed F-94 Starfire fighters preserved

YF-94A
48-356 – Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Formerly used as a gate guard at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, currently in storage on Edwards AFB awaiting restoration and future display.

F-94A

0-80645 Mountain View Missouri; on view in Veterans Park.

(NMUSAF Photo)
49-2498 – National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. It was transferred from active inventory to the Museum in May 1957.
49-2517 – Burlington Air National Guard Base at Burlington International Airport in Burlington, Vermont. Formerly displayed at the Pima Air and Space Museum adjacent to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.

F-94B

49-2500 - Niagara Falls, Niagara Aerospace Museum, Niagara Falls International Airport, New York.

YF-97C/F-94C

(Hector Vazquez Photo)
50-0877 – Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Syracuse, New York.

(NMUSAF Photo)
50-0980 – National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-PattersonAir Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. It is displayed as 50-1054.

(Author Photos)

(SnailMan1 Photo)
50-1006 – Peterson Air & Space Museum at Peterson Air Force Base inColorado Springs, Colorado.

(BruceS Photos)

51-3560 - Chisholm, Minnesota, mounted on pylons, American Legion Post 247 near the Ironworld Discovery Center.

(Robert Dilley Photo)

51-3580 - St. Paul, Minnesota Air National Guard Museum, Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport
51-5576 – American Legion Post 243 at Bessemer City, North Carolina.
51-5605 – North Dakota Air National Guard at Fargo Air National Guard Base, Hector International Airport, Fargo, North Dakota. Was moved from Duluth, Minnesota Memorial Park in October 1996. In Duluth from May 1960 to October 1996 marked as AF (Serial No. 51-3556).

(Eric Salard Photo)
51-5623 – Pima Air and Space Museum adjacent to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.
51-5671 – Erie County Memorial Gardens cemetery at Erie, Pennsylvania. It wasfirst put on display in 1971. It was refurbished in 2005 and repainted again in2021.
51-13563 – Minnesota Air National Guard Museum at Minneapolis, Minnesota.
51-13570 – American Legion Post 247 at the Iron World Discovery Center in Chisholm, Minnesota.

(Cliff Photo)
51-13575 – Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. It was previously on display at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Connecticut and moved to Evergreen in 2010.

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