Draft:Lockheed NT-33A

The Lockheed NC-33A, an in-flight simulator, played a significant role for several decades in supporting various Department of Defense projects. With its versatile capabilities, the NC-33A served as a tool for studying the flight characteristics, cockpit displays, control sticks, and flight control design of numerous aircraft models, including the X-15, A-10, F-15, F-16, F-18, F-117, and F-22. In addition to its research contributions, the NC-33A was utilized for training numerous U.S. Air Force and Navy test pilots.

The responsibility of modifying, operating, and maintaining the aircraft was entrusted to the Calspan Corporation, formerly known as the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory. Over its 40-year service period, the NT-33A, under Calspan's guidance, played an important role in conducting numerous research programs nationwide. The NT-33A conducted its last research project in April 1997, and it was placed on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in August 1997. Then moved to storage.

Timeline of development