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Lockheed F-94 Starfire
Lockheed's F-94 Starfire resulted indirectly from the Soviet blockade of Berlin.
Concerned that it lacked a modern jet powered all-weather/night fighter,
and forced to rely on the long-in-the-tooth P-61 Black Widow the Air Force asked Lockheed to look
at a specification for an aircraft capable of the all-weather and night
interception mission. Lockheed used their T-33 (a tandem seat jet trainer
based itself upon the F-80 Shooting Star) as the basis for its conversion.
Forward of the cockpit, the fuselage was stretched to house the AN/APG-33 radar.
Aft, the fuselage was extended to accommodate an afterburning J-33-A-33 engine.
Demonstrating the required performance, the F-94A was quickly placed
into service with the Continental Air Command. As the need for a jet powered
night fighter became apparent in Korea, two squadrons were dispatched for
duty. Flying against enemy piston-engine night intruders proved to be troublesome
for the Starfire. It was out of its element chasing slow moving biplanes
at low altitude. Finally, being utilized as an escort for night-time B-29
raids, the F-94 came into its own to some degree.
The planes and their crews managed to shoot down four enemy fighters,
for the loss of one Starfire in night-time air to air combat.
This F-94B served with the 319th
Fighter Interceptor Squadron. One of this squadron's aircraft gained the
first F-94 air to air night kill of an enemy fighter. Pilot Ben Fithian
and Radar Observer Sam Lyons tracked and shot down a communist Lavochkin
La-9 on the night of January 31, 1953. All in all, the F-94s of the 319th
and 68th Fighter Interceptor Squadrons would fly 4,694 sorties and record
a respectable, if not exceptional combat record in Korea.
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Unless otherwise indicated, all articles Copyright © Corey C. Jordan 2001.
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