T-33

[cooper9411]

Does anyone know of any derelict/neglected T-33's? I am looking for the wings for a T-33. I know there are some around still owned by NMUSAF and they do not want to separate wings from fuselage. Any help/leads are greatly appreciated.

[Clifford Bossie]

Does anyone know of any derelict/neglected T-33's? I am looking for the wings for a T-33. I know there are some around still owned by NMUSAF and they do not want to separate wings from fuselage. Any help/leads are greatly appreciated.

Yeah, this one in Truth or Consequences, NM.

[Chris Brame]

Maybe check with Chicago Vocational High School - they had two of them, 51-4271 and 51-4309, and the latter was dismantled in 1989 to make an electrical and hydraulic systems trainer, according to their '89 yearbook.

[tinbender2]

How soon do you need them?

I've seen several T-33s and a few F-84s scattered across southern New Mexico, often used as lawn ornaments, and privately owned. I'd have to do a lot of searching to track them down. I do recall a neglected T-33 on a post, next to a rural fire dept, that I'll try to locate again.

I know a pilot with two semi-complete T-33s, but he isn't ready to give them up yet.

[cooper9411]

How soon do you need them?

I've seen several T-33s and a few F-84s scattered across southern New Mexico, often used as lawn ornaments, and privately owned. I'd have to do a lot of searching to track them down. I do recall a neglected T-33 on a post, next to a rural fire dept, that I'll try to locate again.

I know a pilot with two semi-complete T-33s, but he isn't ready to give them up yet.

I don't need them right away, just want to make sure I can get a set. Any leads or contact information would help tremendously. Thanks

[Tim Savage]

The City of Huntington, Indiana has a T-33 on display in their park. The fuselage is pretty rough but the wings look okay. They recently purchased the T-33 project that Courtesy had on their website to replace this T-33. They have built a new veterans memorial and moved the Sherman tank that was beside the old T-33. The new T-33 is sitting in the new area of the park where the pedestal is being built.

I am pretty sure the old T-33 will be scrapped soon....

[cooper9411]

The "old" T-33 is owned by NMUSAF, the "new" T-33 was purchased by the city of Huntington. The museum sure is having a lot of aircraft being turned back over!

[Tim Savage]

The "old" T-33 is owned by NMUSAF, the "new" T-33 was purchased by the city of Huntington. The museum sure is having a lot of aircraft being turned back over!

Yes, I am very aware of that. I still think it will be scrapped in place....because old one is pretty rough and highly unlikely the NMUSAF is going to want it back...given their track record of scrapping aircraft much rarer and in better shape.

[Chris Brame]

The City of Huntington, Indiana has a T-33 on display in their park. The fuselage is pretty rough but the wings look okay.

From Forgotten Jets (Edited - information corrected):

T-33A-1-LO s/n 51-6754
*USAF 3550th FTW.
*2/25/1965: Struck off charge at the AMARC bone yard.
*Currently preserved in a park in Huntington, IN. Soon to be salvaged.

Last edited by Chris Brame on Tue Sep 29, 2015 5:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Clifford Bossie]

How soon do you need them?

I've seen several T-33s and a few F-84s scattered across southern New Mexico, often used as lawn ornaments, and privately owned. I'd have to do a lot of searching to track them down. I do recall a neglected T-33 on a post, next to a rural fire dept, that I'll try to locate again.

I know a pilot with two semi-complete T-33s, but he isn't ready to give them up yet.

There are F-84s at Cannon AFB, Holloman AFB, Artesia and ours at War Eagles that I can think of offhand. I surely would like to know of more.

[tinbender2]

How soon do you need them?

I've seen several T-33s and a few F-84s scattered across southern New Mexico, often used as lawn ornaments, and privately owned. I'd have to do a lot of searching to track them down. I do recall a neglected T-33 on a post, next to a rural fire dept, that I'll try to locate again.

I know a pilot with two semi-complete T-33s, but he isn't ready to give them up yet.

There are F-84s at Cannon AFB, Holloman AFB, Artesia and ours at War Eagles that I can think of offhand. I surely would like to know of more.

Years ago I travelled all over the state fixing disabled aircraft, and would take the back roads when possible. I recall one F-84 in south-central NM that was sitting in the middle of nowhere, on it's belly. Nearest house was probably 10 miles away. It had clearly been used for BDR by the USAF. I suspect some govt agency later used it as part of an exercise. It was a late model, with swept wings like the Artesia airframe. I wasn't really interested in these types so didn't give them more than a passing look. There were a number of derelict airframes at an abandoned govt base in SSW NM years ago. It was later cleaned up, and there is a thread on this board about a few airframes that were supposed to be auctioned, but I don't believe they actually made it to auction.

[Chris Brame]

I checked with Nathan Decker on the Huntington T-33; here's his reply:

Well, on that old T-33 in Huntington, Indiana, I can 100% say that it is still there because I drive by it every day on my way to work . And I can confirm that the number on the tail is 6754, which means that I screwed up on the one plane that you'd think I'd get right! I took my two boys down there just this evening before we ran to Taco Bell for dinner. The plane is in terrible shape, no surprise they will scrap it. My oldest boy wanted to climb in the cockpit, but it's full of jagged edges and sharp stuff, can't believe the city still has this thing sitting open like this for the last 20 years, what an insurance liability! The "new T-33" just arrived recently, it's temporary parked in a fenced off parking lot about 30 yards from the old plane. When I was there tonight there was a crew of folks sandblasting the bare metal finish for eventual repainting, so no serials were evident. I'll send an email to the Parks Dept tomorrow, see what I can find out.

Port wing close-up:


And a shot of it in service:


Here's the replacement - someone have an ID?:

[cooper9411]

Spoke with NMUSAF on Monday, I was told that the museum has to see if any other military branches or institutions, or VFW's were interested and if not then the GSA ( government surplus auction) would be contacted to offer it at auction. The last thing would be to have it scrapped. From what I was told, that's the only way an " average Joe " could possibly acquire the plane.

[Yak3]

Surely that new T-33 is far too good to be placed outside as a display piece? Wasn't she being rebuilt to fly?

Afraid I can't help with wings, but we do need a T-33 fin and horizontal stab if anyone knows of any. Probably a tonne of new boxed ones still sitting around somewhere........

[Nathan]

there was a T-33 tail tip for sale on ebay.