| F-94 Starfire | |
|---|---|
.jpg) A U.S. Air Force YF-97 Starfire on test flight; later to be redesignated the F-94C | |
| General information | |
| Type | All-weatherinterceptor |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Corporation |
| Primary users | United States Air Force |
| Number built | 855 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1949–1954 |
| Introduction date | May 1950 |
| First flight | 16 April 1949 |
| Retired | 1958 (USAF) 1959 (ANG) |
| Developed from | Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star |
TheLockheed F-94 Starfire is afirst-generationjet powered all-weather day/nightinterceptor aircraft designed and produced byLockheed Corporation. It was the first operationalUnited States Air Force (USAF) fighter equipped with anafterburner as well as being the first jet-powered all-weather fighter to enter combat during theKorean 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 its piston-engined types in light of recent military advances made by theSoviet Union. The F-94 was derived from the successfulLockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainer; being a relatively simple conversion from an established aircraft led to USAF officials viewing it as a low risk option and opting to procure the type. Maintaining a high level of parts commonality with the preceding aircraft, the majority of the F-94's external changes were related to the adoption of a larger nose that accommodated multiple guns,radar, and an automaticfire control system. Engine thrust was also bolstered by adding an afterburner to theAllison J33 powerplant used.
On 16 April 1949, the prototype YF-94 conducted itsmaiden flight. While teething problems were encountered, these were overcome relatively quickly. During May 1950, the F-94A reached operational service withAir 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 was soon followed by the F-94B, a refined model that proved to have greater engine reliability and a more spacious cockpit; the F-94C equipped with a thinner wing, a more powerfulPratt & Whitney J48 engine, and a new Hughes E-5 fire control system also followed. Further models, including a dedicatedaerial reconnaissance variant, were proposed but ultimately not pursued.
In the interceptor role, the F-94 proved to have less endurance and greater reliance uponGround Control Interception methods than some of its piston-engined predecessors. Beyond its use by ADC, it was also operated by theFar East Air Force, which used the type against various Soviet-supplied aircraft during the Korean War of the early 1950s. TheAlaskan Air Command (AAC) and theAir National Guard (ANG) also operated the F-94. It had a relatively brief operational life, the replacement process commencing in the mid-1950s in favor of more advanced fighters such as theNorthrop F-89 Scorpion andNorth American F-86D Sabre. The last aircraft was withdrawn from USAF service in 1958, while the ANG opted to retire its F-94s only one year later.
On 8 October 1948, theUnited States Air Force (USAF) issued a new general operating requirement that called for aradar-equipped interceptor to replace the agingNorthrop F-61 Black Widow andNorth American F-82 Twin Mustang.[1][2] This new interceptor was specifically designed to counter the emergence of newSoviet aircraft such as theTupolev Tu-4 bomber (reverse engineered from theBoeing B-29 Superfortress). TheCurtiss-Wright XF-87 Blackhawk had been developed with the intention of becoming the USAF's firstjet-powered night fighter, but its performance was subpar. Accordingly, Lockheed was approached by the service with a request to design a jet night fighter on a crash program basis.[3][4]
The resulting aircraft was derived from the TF-80C (later designatedT-33A Shooting Star) which was a two-seat trainer version of theF-80 Shooting Star.[1][4] Designated F-94 Starfire, it was redesigned with a lengthened nose area to accommodate the addition of guns, radar, and an automaticfire control system. In November 1948, the P-94 was met with the approval ofJames Forrestal,United States Secretary of Defense.[1] Having observed the conversion to be relatively straightforward, USAF officials chose to issue a letter contract to Lockheed during January 1949. Months later, a definitive contract for 150 production aircraft was received.[1] By December 1949, the number on order had risen to 368 aircraft.[5]
On 16 April 1949, the first YF-94 prototype performed itsmaiden flight.[6] To accelerate development, these early test aircraft were converted from existing T-33s; they maintained roughly 75% commonality in terms of components with those used in the earlier F-80 and T-33As.[7][4] Flight testing determined the test aircraft to possess adequate performance.[8] By the end of 1949, the program had been restructured to fulfil pressure from the USAF for more capable fighters; an more austere model, the F-94A, would be delivered quickest while a more capable and ambitious model, the F-94C, was produced.[5][9]
The fire control system selected for the F-94 was the Hughes E-1; this unit incorporated an AN/APG-33 radar (derived from the AN/APG-3, which directed theConvair B-36 Peacemaker'stail guns) and a Sperry A-1C computinggunsight.[10] Due to the short range of this onboard radar system, it was useful only during the terminal phases of the interception mission; instead, the F-94 would largely be directed through traditionalground-controlled interception, akin to the preceding aircraft that it would replace.
The additional electronic equipment increased the weight of the aircraft, thus it required a more powerful engine. TheAllison J33A-35centrifugalturbojet engine, which had been installed as standard on the T-33A, was replaced with a more powerfulafterburner-equipped model, the J-33-A-33. The F-94 was to be the first US production jet with anafterburner. The J33-A-33 had standard thrust of 4,000 pounds-force (18 kN), and with water injection this was increased to 5,400 lbf (24 kN) and with afterburning a maximum of 6,000 lbf (27 kN) thrust.[7] The combination of added weight and the use of an afterburner considerably reduced the F-94's internal fuel capacity. The YF-94A's afterburner suffered numerous teething problems, typically related to its igniter and the flame stabilization system.[3]
The initial production model was the F-94A, which entered operational service in May 1950.[5] Its armament was four 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M3 Browning machine guns mounted in the fuselage with the muzzles exiting just behind theradome. Two 165-US-gallon (620 L) drop tanks, as carried by the F-80 and T-33, could be carried beneath the wingtips. Alternatively, these could be replaced by 1,000-pound (450 kg) bombs, giving the aircraft a secondaryfighter bomber role.[10][11] 109 F-94As were produced. This model was only in operational service for a brief time as it was originally built and was not received well by its aircrews. The main source of complaints was its somewhat unreliable J33 engine, which frequently necessitated ground aborts and had been deemed by many crews to be unsafe.[12] In flight, the aircraft was often judged to be unstable and difficult to maneuver when flown at high altitude by its pilots. The pilot and radar operator commonly found that the cockpit was too narrow for them to be able to quickly enter and exit the aircraft, which was routinely expected during alerts and scrambles.[13] Furthermore, the clearance for theejection seats was too small, resulting in several tragic accidents during emergency ejections.[14]
During January 1951, the improved F-94B entered service; it was outwardly virtually identical to the F-94A.[15] The Allison J33 engine had received several modifications to make it considerably more reliable.[12] The pilot was also provided with a more roomy cockpit while the canopy was replaced by a redesigned unit with a bow frame in the center between the two crew members, along with a newInstrument Landing System (ILS).[16] 356 F-94Bs were completed. It proved to be a fairly reliable aircraft, particularly in comparison to its predecessor, and encountered relatively few problems during its service life. This improved model quickly replaced the F-94As in service with the active-duty squadrons, after which these older aircraft were temporarily returned to Lockheed to be re-engined and rebuilt to F-94B standards.[13] These upgraded F-94A/B aircraft were also modified with a twin-gun pod under each wing for two additional 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns each, bringing the total to eight. These aircraft were then passed along toAir National Guard units where they served until the end of the 1950s.[14]
The F-94C Starfire was extensively modified from the early F-94 variants. In fact, it was initially designated F-97 before officials decided that it would be treated as a new version of the F-94 instead.[17] At the time, USAF interest in the aircraft was allegedly lukewarm, thus Lockheed opted to fund development themselves, converting two F-94B airframes into YF-94C prototypes for evaluation. To improve performance, a completely new and much thinner wing was designed, along with a swept tail surface. The J33 engine was replaced with a more powerfulPratt & Whitney J48, alicense-built version of the afterburningRolls-Royce Tay, which dramatically increased power over the J33, producing a dry thrust of 6,350 lbf (28.2 kN) and approximately 8,750 lbf (38.9 kN) with afterburning.[7][18] The fire control system was upgraded to the new Hughes E-5 with an AN/APG-40 radar, a change which required the use of a much larger nose. All of the guns were removed and replaced with all-rocket armament consisting of four groups of six rockets in a ring around the nose.[19] These rockets were carried in four panels that could be hinged upwards and outwards for ground reloading.[20] In flight, these rockets were normally hidden aft of four inwards-folding doors that surrounded the nose cone. According to Lockheed test pilotTony LeVier, the F-94C was capable of supersonic flight in a steep dive with afterburner engaged.[21]
The F-94C was the only variant to be officially named Starfire.[4] With time, the entire F-94 family has adopted the name. The first production F-94C aircraft were delivered in July 1951, 387 examples being delivered before May 1954. The largest problem discovered in service was the nose-mounted rockets, which blinded the crew with their smoke and fire. The most severe problem associated with firing the nose-mounted rockets was that the exhaust could cause aflameout of the jet engine, which could lead to the loss of the aircraft.[22] After the 100th aircraft, mid-wing rocket pods were added to the leading edges, similar in concept to the previous gun pods, holding 12 rockets apiece and fitted with a frangible aerodynamic nose cap which was discarded when firing the rockets.[23] Most of the time, the nose rockets were not fitted, and the mid-wing pod rockets were the sole armament. This version of the aircraft was extensively used within theSemi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) air defense system.
An F-94D model was proposed as a single-seatfighter bomber, being armed with both bombs and rockets under the wings as well as eight nose-mountedmachine guns.[4] A single prototype was built, but the model was not ultimately accepted for production. The prototype was later used as a testbed for the 20 mm (0.79 in)M61 Vulcan cannon subsequently used on theLockheed F-104 Starfighter and many other combat aircraft.
The primary users of the F-94 were the squadrons ofAir Defense Command (ADC), eventually equipping 26 squadrons of interceptors. The first F-94As were assigned to the325th Fighter-All Weather Group atMcChord AFB andMoses Lake AFB, Washington.[24] It replaced the propeller-drivenF-82F Twin Mustangs that were in use by its 317th, 318th, and 319th squadrons. The F-82s had been pressed into interceptor service in 1949 after theSoviet Union displayed theTupolev Tu-4 strategic bomber, a reversed-engineered version of theB-29 Superfortress, some of which had landed and were impounded in the Soviet Far East during World War II. The F-82Fs proved to be an excellent day/night all-weather interceptor, with long range, but it lacked any logistics support which resulted in a chronic shortage of parts. The jet-powered F-94As, however, had shorter legs than the F-82s and relied more onGround Control Interception Radar (GCI) sites to vector them to intruding aircraft.[14]
Once the 317th was equipped in the Pacific Northwest, ADC then re-equipped its52d Fighter-All Weather Group atMcGuire AFB, New Jersey[24] which also flew F-82Fs and provided air defense of the Northeastern United States. However, it was during this period that Air Defense Command began dispersing its Fighter-Interceptor squadrons away from their parent groups to individual bases. During 1950 and 1951, ADC sent F-94As to squadrons of the56th Fighter Group[24] in the upper Midwest to replace its obsoleteF-47 Thunderbolts,F-51 Mustangs, as well asF-80 Shooting Star andF-86A Sabre day jet interceptors.[14]
In March 1951, upgraded F-94Bs were received from Lockheed by the33d Fighter Wing atOtis AFB, Massachusetts, replacing their F-86A Sabres,[25] although the last squadron of the wing didn't replace its Sabres until May 1952. Three FederalizedAir National Guard units, the 121st FIS (DC ANG), 142nd FIS (Maine ANG), and 148th FIS (Pennsylvania ANG), received F-94Bs while they served on active duty during theKorean War call-up to defend the airspace over Washington, D.C. However, these F-94s were retained by the USAF when these ANG squadrons returned to State control in 1952. Also seven more squadrons received F-94Bs as part of the roll out from Lockheed.[14][25]
Three additional squadrons (84th, 436th, and 479th FIS) received F-94Bs in 1953, although these were passed down from squadrons receiving F-94Cs.[25] Beginning in the summer of 1951, the F-94Cs began coming off the production line, with six squadrons being equipped by May 1954. Five more squadrons were equipped in FY 54-55 which ended the production run for the interceptor by Lockheed.[14][26]
In the Pacific,Far East Air Force (FEAF) equipped three squadrons with F-94Bs, and Air Defense Command deployed the319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron to South Korea to provide a jet air-defense umbrella over theSeoul area.
The first shipment of F-94Bs arrived in Japan in March 1951, being assigned to the339th Fighter-All Weather Squadron atJohnson Air Base. Also arriving was a mobile training unit fromChanute AFB, Illinois to provide transition training for theF-82G Twin Mustang pilots into the new jet interceptor. In May, F-94Bs began to re-equip the 68th FAWS atItazuke Air Base, while rotating pilots and radar operators toSuwon Air Base in South Korea where they flew combat missions overNorth Korea with the F-82Gs as well as air defense alert over Seoul. In July, the 4th FAWS began receiving the F-94As atNaha Air Base, Okinawa. Training for the squadrons proceeded through the summer and in August, the firstFifth Air Force Operational Readiness Test was held by the 339th FAWS with the F-94. Various issues with the aircraft, as well as issues with the Ground Control Interception radar graded the test as "fair".[14][15]
In early December 1951, the appearance of CommunistMiG-15 jets over Seoul raised alarm bells at FEAF Headquarters. The only interceptors over Seoul were about six F-82Gs along with some Marine GrummanF7F Tigercats. FEAF ordered the 68th to move two F-94Bs to Suwon to supplement the F-82s. The F-82s along with the F7Fs would continue their armed reconnaissance and weather missions against North Korean targets, while the F-94s would fly interception missions over South Korea and theYellow Sea. Care was taken to not fly the Starfires anywhere that a crash would allow the communists access to the wreck if it were shot down.[14]
During January 1952, ADC was ordered to deploy the 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron from the25th Air Division atLarson AFB, Washington to Japan, and to relieve the 68th FIS at Itazuke. A detachment of the ADC squadron was sent toMisawa AB to fly air defense missions over NorthernHonshu andHokkaido against any intruding Soviet aircraft fromSakhalin Island or theVladivostok area. At Suwon, the 68th had a total of fifty-eight interceptions during February during nighttime hours. It was in February 1952 that the first F-94 was lost in a night interception while pursuing an unknown aircraft over the Yellow Sea. The cause of the loss was unknown. However, a B-26 pilot observed an explosion in the air between the island of Taeyonp'yong-do and the city ofHaeju in North Korea. A search was made for the aircraft and crew, which continued for almost three months. It was finally concluded the aircraft had crashed and broken up over the Yellow Sea, with the wreckage settling in deep water and the classified equipment lost at sea.[14]
In March 1952, the 319th FIS began flying operational missions at Suwon, providing Combat Air Patrols (CAPs) for B-29 missions at night.[27] The 68th was relieved and reassigned to Japan, but would remain on one-hour alert for possible combat duty over Korea. In June, the first F-94 contacts against enemy jets was made and the interceptor crews believed at the time that the communists were testing radar-warning equipment. On several occasions just when they were ready to fire on the enemy aircraft, it would start evasive action that indicated the MiGs were equipped with a form of warning radar (as the F-94s were).[14] Other intercepts would take place over North Korea and the F-94 was credited with several air-to-air victories, including the first jet-vs.-jet night victory against a MiG-15. One F-94 was listed as lost due to enemy action, six more to non-enemy causes on combat missions, two were declared as missing on a combat mission and three were lost in accidents.[28] One F-94 was lost when it slowed to 110 miles per hour (180 km/h) during pursuit of aPo-2 biplane.[29]
Following theArmistice in Korea in June 1953, the F-94s continued to fly air defense missions over Japan and South Korea. Beginning in 1954, theF-86D Sabre began replacing it in operational service. By the end of 1954, the Starfires had been returned to the United States for Air National Guard duty.
Immediately after World War II ended, most of theEleventh Air Force in Alaska was withdrawn, and its assets were concentrated at two bases,Ladd AFB near Fairbanks andElmendorf AFB near Anchorage. With the advent of the Soviet Tu-4 and its possession of theatomic bomb, US air defense assets were deployed to Alaska to guard against a Soviet attack on the United States coming fromSiberia. Chains of Ground Control Radar sites were established underAlaskan Air Command (AAC), the postwar successor to Eleventh Air Force, andP-61 Black Widows were sent in 1948 as long distance interceptor aircraft. TheF-82H Twin Mustang replaced the war-weary P-61s during 1949.[30]
These propeller-driven interceptors were augmented in 1950 when the449th Fighter-All Weather Squadron at Ladd AFB began receiving F-94As in mid-1950s.[14] The squadron was divided into the F-82 flight and the F-94 flight as the jet interceptors doubled the squadron in size.[31] In Anchorage, the 57th Fighter Group at Elmendorf AFB began sending itsF-80C Shooting Stars back to the Continental United States in batches of four or five as they were replaced by the F-94As.[14] Elmendorf AFB, being located close to theGulf of Alaska in the south had much more moderate weather than Ladd AFB, located in Central Alaska where winter temperatures often fell below −40 °F (−40 °C). Hydraulic fluids would turn to jelly, and the engines in the jets would have starting problems. Extreme cold weather training for Air Force personnel assigned to Ladd AFB was mandatory in the event of an emergency ejection or even just being outside in the winter, losing a glove, and dropping a wrench or tool. Skin would freeze upon touching bare metal, and mechanics would have tools "welded" to their fingers at times.[14]
The 449th utilized its F-82Hs as long-range reconnaissance aircraft along the Siberian coastline and theChukchi Peninsula. Also the F-82s were flown in a ground support role during maneuvers with the Army forces. They would also drop bombs on frozen rivers to break upice floes.[31] For these missions, the F-94 was totally unsuitable and it also did not have the range for the long distance reconnaissance flights necessary to monitor the Siberian coast.[14] Alaska was divided into two areas, the northern part under the11th Air Division, headquartered at Ladd AFB, and had control of the GCI sites in the northern half of the territory. The57th Fighter Group, based at Elmendorf AFB, was responsible for everything south.[30] In April 1953, the 57th FIG was inactivated and the three squadrons F-94s at Elmendorf AFB became part of the10th Air Division. Both the 449th FIS and the 57th FIG deployed the F-94s to advance airfields atMarks AFB, near Nome, along withKing Salmon Airport andGalena AFB where it stood alert to respond to GCI intruder alerts for unknown aircraft detected intruding on Alaskan airspace.[14]
The F-82Hs at Ladd were retired in the summer of 1953 when due to lack of logistics support, the aircraft became too unreliable to keep in the air.[31] The 449th flew the F-94A until F-94Bs became available as hand-me-downs from Elmendorf AFB the 57th FIG was inactivated replaced by the10th Air Division. There, the 10th AD received newNorth American F-86D Sabre interceptors. The 449th at Ladd sent their F-94As back to the CONUS andAir National Guard Service. By the end of 1954, it also was being re-equipped with F-86Ds, with the last of the Starfires also being sent to the Air National Guard.[14]
Northeast Air Command (NEAC) was a command formed in 1950 to administer US-controlled bases in the Maritime Provinces of Canada, that were under long-term lease going back to World War II. It was responsible for the defense of the northern approaches to North America and also to support transient aircraft of MATS and SAC, all of which came under the collective command and control of the64th Air Division.[32]
During 1952, F-94Bs were sent to the59th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron atGoose AFB, Labrador from Otis AFB, Massachusetts; furthermore, a detachment of the 59th was sent toThule Air Base,Greenland to provide air defense of the area, although it was still under construction to back up theDEW Line. Thule was a staging base at the time for the SACB-36 Peacemaker intercontinental bomber, which would proceed from there in wartime to targets in the Soviet Union using thegreat circle route over the North Pole. This was both the first F-89 squadron assigned to Canada and also the first squadron assigned to NEAC.[14][33]
After the end of the Korean War, the 319th FIS, which was deployed from ADC to Japan in 1952, was transferred to NEAC in June 1953 and replaced the detachment of the 59th FIS at Thule.[33] The third and last F-94 squadron assigned to NEAC was the61st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which moved fromSelfridge AFB, Michigan toErnest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland in August 1953.[33] Beginning in 1954, and continuing until 1957, the Starfires of NEAC were slowly replaced with versions of the F-89 Scorpion, although the Northrop interceptor didn't fully replace the Starfires until the 318th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron left Thule in April 1957.[14]
Keflavik Airport, Iceland, although controlled byMilitary Air Transport Service (MATS), received F-94Bs as part of the82d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in April 1953. It provided air defense of Iceland until being relieved in October 1954 when it was reassigned toPresque Isle AFB, Maine.[33] The Starfires were replaced by the 57th FIS and F-89C Scorpions.[14]
Beginning in mid-1954, the F-94A/B models were gradually replaced in the active-duty Air Force's inventory by a combination of theNorthrop F-89C/D Scorpion and theNorth American F-86D Sabre interceptors.[34] Withdrawn aircraft were typically sent to various Air National Guard (ANG) units where they replaced F-80C Shooting Stars andF-51D/H Mustangs, which in most cases marked the end of operational use for the venerable Mustang in United States military service.[14] Prior to being delivered to the ANG, the F-94As were sent to Lockheed, where they received modifications to render them equivalent to F-94B standards, after which they entered use with the ANG. During the late 1950s, F-94Cs were progressively transferred across to the ANG as well, where they initially supplemented and eventually replaced the F-94A/B models. At the height of operations, a total of 22 ANG Fighter-Interceptor squadrons were equipped with Starfires.[14]
During November 1957, the final F-94C was retired by the active-duty Air Force, the last examples being operated by the319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron atBunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana, before it converted to the F-89J Scorpion interceptor.[14][33] The last F-94C Starfires were phased out of ANG service by the179th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at theDuluth Municipal Airport, Minnesota during the summer of 1959 when it converted to the F-89J Scorpion; the last aircraft being sent toAMARC in December 1959.[14][35]
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| External images | |
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| F-94A Starfire | |
 F-94A Cut-Away Drawing | |
| F-94A Radar Indicator Screens |
Data fromRAF Flying Review[7]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Avionics
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
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