Boeing Skyfox - Design and Development

Design and Development

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. The "Skyfox" was conceived and developed by Russell O'Quinn. The modification designs were led by 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/Dornier Alpha Jet. With the design work done, Skyfox purchased 80 surplus T-33s.

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 TFE731-3A turbofan engines mounted externally. Together, the two TFE731s weighed 17% less than the single original engine, provided 60% more thrust on 45% less fuel.

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

Other modifications included inboard wing leading-edge extensions, the replacement of the tip tanks with winglets, new canopy with one-piece windshield, revised nose geometry to improved visibility from the cockpit and to fair into the T-33's lateral intakes, new tail surfaces with a mid-set tailplane, although the original wings were retained, and new avionics.