Lockheed F-94C Starfire

The U.S. Air Force recognized in the late 1940s that it suffered from a serious lack of a modern all-weather jet interceptor to combat the threat of Soviet bombers.  The search for a quick solution to the problem led to the development of the F-86D, F-102A, and the F-94.  The Starfire is a highly modified development of the T-33 trainer, incorporating radar and guns.  The first F-94 flew in late 1949 and large-scale deliveries to the Air Force began the next year.  The F-94C version was the result of further modification of the design and featured a new wing and armament consisting entirely of unguided 2.75-inch Mighty Mouse air-to-air rockets housed in the nose and in two wing mounted pods.

Manufacturer
Lockheed

Markings
354^th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Oxnard AFB, California, 1953

Serial Number
51-5623

Designation
F-94C