F-94 Starfire Stars & Stripes Rocks Glass

Sale price$11.99 USD Regular price$14.99 USD
Save $3.00 USD

Tax excluded.


The F-94 Starfire was the United States’ first jet-powered all-weather interceptor equipped with an afterburner, developed quickly during the early Cold War to counter the threat of Soviet bombers. Entering service in 1950, it was based on the T-33 trainer (itself derived from the P-80 Shooting Star) but equipped with a second crew position, airborne intercept radar, and powerful armament.

The early F-94A/B models carried four nose-mounted .50 cal machine guns, but the definitive F-94C Starfire replaced these with 24 unguided rockets housed in a distinctive ring around the nose — a bold design choice optimised for night and bad-weather engagements. It also had an afterburning engine, making it the first USAF fighter to use one operationally.

While the F-94 saw limited combat during the Korean War, primarily in night interception roles, it was mostly used to defend U.S. and NATO airspace in the early 1950s. The type served with the Air Defense Command and several Air National Guard units before being phased out by more advanced interceptors like the F-89 Scorpion and F-86D Sabre.

A total of approximately 855 F-94s were built across all variants. Though it had a relatively short service life, the Starfire marked an important step in the evolution of radar-guided interceptors and was a key transitional aircraft between World War II-era designs and the more capable fighters of the missile age.