By Eric Dumigan | January 14, 2019 Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 28 seconds.
On the evening of Jan. 11, 2019, the Jet Aircraft Museum (JAM), in London, Ont., successfully flew ex-RCAF CT-133 Silver Star 133052 after a lengthy restoration. The T-Bird’s 45-minute test flight was flown by Canadian astronaut and test pilot, Bjarni Tryggvason, along with retired RCAF CT-133 pilot, Ken Kennedy.
On Jan. 13, the new owner, Bill Culberson, flew 133052 from London to Detroit Metro Airport to clear customs on the first leg of the delivery flight to his facility in Mobile, Ala.
JAM was formed in 2007 and the following year acquired six surplus CT-133 Silver Stars from the Canadian military. T-Bird 133052 is the second T-33 to be returned to flight by JAM in the last year.
Number 133573, adorned in the markings of the legendary “Red Knight,” flew in late August and participated in Airshow London, where it flew a Heritage Flight with the RCAF CF-18 Demo Hornet. In 2019, JAM will be offering full aerobatic demonstrations with the Red Knight T-33.
Along with the T-33s, JAM acquired CF-101 Voodoo, 101006, from the Cornwallis Military Museum in Nova Scotia. Other aircraft on display at the London museum include a Royal Air Force Hawker Hunter and a BAC Jet Provost.
Currently the museum is raising funds to acquire a CT-114 Tutor that it hopes to return to the air. The Tutor is the same type of aircraft flown by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds jet demonstration team.
The Jet Aircraft Museum, located at 2465 Aviation Lane at CYXU London Airport, is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Along with the aircraft on display, the museum offers a well-stocked gift shop. As well, JAM operates The Silver Star Event Centre at the facility, a space that is rented out for special occasions.
