On 23 August 1983, a quite attractive little jet took to the air in Mojave, California. The small, twin-engine jet was called the Skyfox. It was finished in a white and gray paint scheme with black cheat stripes.
Realized in 1982 by Flight Concepts (LP), the Skyfox project was initially managed by a related company, the Skyfox Corporation. In late 1985, the project was licensed to Boeing, and the little jet came to be known as the Boeing Skyfox.
A Venerable But Aging Trainer
In the late 1970s and early ’80s, many air forces around the world were still flying the Lockheed T-33. In its original role as a trainer, the type excelled, even some thirty years after its introduction. As a light combat aircraft, the T-33 served admirably and was still fairly relevant at the time.
Nevertheless, some operators of the T-33 were looking to upgrade, and there were numerous comparable aircraft available. Most were newer designs, and all were in one way or another more attractive than the venerable ‘ole T-Bird.
Enter the Skyfox
A fella named Russell O’Quinn saw the T-33 for what it was: an aging design that still held much potential. With this in mind, he set out to develop an upgrade package for the type.
The idea was to modify an existing T-33 airframe with modern equipment and updated design features. These changes were meant to increase efficiency and effectiveness, while reducing operating and support costs.
In 1982, O’Quinn partnered with investor Gilman Hill and formed Flight Concepts (LP). A design and production team consisting of former Lockheed employees was assembled. Many of these fellas, including the type’s designer, Irvin Culver, had participated in the original T-33 program.
Boeing Skyfox Modifications
At the time, Canadair-built CT-133s were more readily available than Lockheed-built T-33s. So a large number of surplus Canadian CT-133s were acquired, with CT-133 N12414, ex-RCAF 21160, being utilized as the Skyfox prototype.
Modifications to N12414 were completed in early 1983 by the Flight Concepts team. She received a new registration, N221SF, in January of that year, with her first flight taking place the following August.
Perhaps the most significant modification to the Boeing Skyfox was the engine change. The CT-133 was powered by a single Rolls-Royce Nene 10 mounted inside the rear fuselage. (Lockheed-built aircraft were powered by an Allison J33-A-35.)
The single Rolls-Royce was replaced with two Garrett TFE731-3A turbofans, each mounted externally on either side of the mid-rear fuselage.
The Garretts were not only more fuel efficient but also much more reliable. They weighed less, produced more power, and were easier and less expensive to maintain than a single Allison or Rolls-Royce.
The use of two engines provided an increased level of operational safety. In addition, mounting them externally opened up the interior of the mid and rear fuselage. This allowed for a significant increase of internal fuel capacity.
But Wait, There’s More…
Some air forces had been using the T-33 as a light combat aircraft, and it was highly competent in that role—competent but somewhat limited.
The Skyfox would provide much improved combat capability. An optional tactical package allowed the Skyfox to carry, fire, and drop a wider variety of things that go boom.
Other mods ranged from simplified fueling, complete rewiring, and updated hydraulics to structural and aerodynamic refinements. The latter almost entirely altered the T-33’s basic appearance and gave the Skyfox her distinctly ‘foxy’ shape.
Also, in and around the cockpit: modern avionics across the board. From flight instruments and controls to navigation and communication systems. There were lotsa new switches, buttons, knobs, and dials. Heck, I’m willing to bet there were even cup-holders.
Boeing Skyfox: Cost-Effective and Convenient
The Skyfox was offered either as a fully converted aircraft, assembled by Flight Concepts (and later, Boeing), or as a conversion kit. Both options were considerably less expensive than acquiring totally new airframes offered by the competition.
If you were already a T-33 operator, a kit was both the least expensive and most convenient option. They allowed greater control over the conversions, and for more customized work based on specific needs. Also, the modifications could be performed on your own schedule.
To summarize: a Skyfox conversion offered significantly improved performance, endurance, combat capability, and maintainability over a standard T-33. And for far lower flyaway, operating, and support costs than those of the competition.
No Takers, and Boeing Dumps the Skyfox
The initial marketing campaign, handled by the Skyfox Corporation, generated little interest. So Boeing was approached, and in late 1985, a licensing agreement was reached between the two parties.
Boeing would market and produce the airplanes and kits, and Skyfox would receive royalties from each modified airframe or kit that was sold.
The USAF had expressed some small interest in the design, and Portugal actually signed a letter of intent to purchase twenty conversion kits.
But even Boeing’s significantly more robust marketing machine proved insufficient, and no other potential buyers could be found. The project stalled, and Boeing axed Skyfox, terminating its contract with the Skyfox Corporation in December 1987.
A lawsuit ensued, with Flight Concepts and Skyfox Corporation as plaintiffs. No need to go into details here: long story short, the ruling was in favor of Boeing.
Abandoned & Derelict
From there, information becomes scarce. From 1998 to 2007, the sole prototype was registered to Russell O’Quinn’s Flight Test Research Inc. (FTR). O’Quinn established FTR in the 1960s in Long Beach, California, moving to Mojave, California, in 1966.
The FAA records for the Skyfox’s registration number, N221SF, indicate a Colorado address associated with Gilman Hill. You may recall him as O’Quinn’s partner in the Skyfox venture.
So clearly, the two remained friends through the whole ordeal and kept up their association, as well as what appears to be dual ownership of the Skyfox.
However, this begs the question: was the Skyfox prototype ever actually acquired by Boeing as part of the deal? Perhaps it was simply ‘loaned’ to Boeing for use in the marketing and PR stuff. More digging is required.
In any event, the little jet sat derelict for many years at Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport in Oregon. (Formerly Medford–Jackson County Airport.) In latter years, she sat forlornly, without engines or nacelles.
Preserving the Sly ‘Ole Fox
In 2021, the Palm Springs Air Museum acquired the Skyfox with intentions to restore it for static display. Apparently, Russell O’Quinn and his family donated it to the museum. Sadly, O’Quinn went West in April 2022.
By early 2024, the museum had been able to source replacement engines and fabricate new engine nacelles. As of this writing, all that remains is to paint the Skyfox in her original livery, and the jet will be ready for display.
Sure, the Skyfox may have been a failure. But it succeeded in building something of a cult following over the decades, and your author numbers among them. So he’s happy to see that this highly interesting artifact of aviation history has now been preserved for future generations to discover.
