Canadian Silver Stars
The CL-30 ‘TBird’ in Canadian and Overseas Service 1951-2005

by Patrick Martin and Bryan Volstad

Double Ugly Books

Reviewed by Graham Carter

This substantial volume consists of 236 quality semi-gloss pages case-bound in a stiffer glossy card cover. The Lockheed T33 was a development of the P80 Shooting Star but produced in Canada by Canadair and known there as the CL30 Silver Star. In all 656 were built and many found their way into service with other air forces such as Greece, Bolivia, France, Portugal and Turkey.

They remained in service for so long that they showed a variety of interesting colour schemes and national markings all of which are covered in this volume. The book does not treat the US produced variants, so there are no USAF or Luftwaffe aircraft in here.

 The book is divided into a number of sections as follows:-

1. A seven-page set of introductory notes such as preface, acknowledgements, notes and abbreviations.

2. Shooting Star - the development story of the P-80, trainers, TP-80C and T-33A, and F-94; 15 pages

3. Selection - the process and background to the choice for service of the T-33; 2 pages

4. Getting the Program Going - prototypes and engine choices; 7 pages

5. Production - involvement of Canadair and the trainer programme; 5 pages

6. Canadian Conversions - covering trainer developments, Photo-recon, Target towing, electronic jamming and so on; 19 pages

7. Canadian Service - involvement in all manner of operations as part of NATO and internal procedures; 26 pages

8. Canadian Finish and Markings - covers all the different schemes and marking variations used during the decades of use; 23 pages

9. Exports - The use by Greece, Bolivia, France, Portugal and Turkey; 22 pages

10. Airframe - features of the aircraft in words and a few illustrations; 6 pages

11. Unit Histories - operational, Reserve, Navy and Training units are covered; 5 pages

12. Appendices - bases, after military use, maintenance airframes, storage locations, Bolivian a/c, and then a history of each individual aircraft filling 77 pages, fishing up with seven pages of colour profiles showing all of the different schemes worn by the T-33/CL-30 through its career drawn by Richard Caruana.

Each section is illustrated with excellent photos, most in colour, but some in B&W as expected from the earlier years. All are reproduced in brilliant clarity and large enough to study closely. Captions are clear and useful. I was amazed at the variety of schemes and airframe variations that were tried on this aircraft but I suppose, given its long service life, this was to be expected.

A number of photos show equipment trials and weapons and these will be useful to the modeller looking at something a bit different.

This is a very special production and I would unhesitatingly recommend it to the aviation fan, both historians and modellers who will find hours of enjoyment and interest between its covers.

There are now a variety of kits available in all three ‘major’ scales from Italeri, Special Hobby and Academy and this volume will be of great assistance in finishing one’s masterpiece.

What more can I say? This is a splendid record of the history and use of this important training aeroplane. This is a very special production and I would unhesitatingly recommend it to the aviation fan, both historians and modellers who will find hours of enjoyment and interest between its covers. 

Thanks to Double Ugly Books for the sample.

Review Copyright © 2021 by Graham Carter
This Page Created on 13 September, 2021
Last updated 13 September, 2021

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