F-101 Voodoo Escort Fighter

General Information , Manufacturer: McDonnell Aircraft (later McDonnell-Douglas and The Boeing Company) , Production Period: 1957 to 1961 , Number Produced: 885 total all sources , Production Series: F-101A, B and C, RF-101A, B,C,G; EF-101B, CF-101B, F , Roles: The F-101 Voodoo is a supersonic long-range escort fighter designed to accompany Strategic Air Command bombers if they were ever called upon to carry out their nuclear strike mission against the Soviet Union. The Voodoo never served in this particular role; however, it eventually emerged as tactical reconnaissance aircraft, as an all-weather long-range interceptor and as nuclear strike aircraft.

, PERFORMANCE AND SPECIFICATIONS , (Varies by model)

MAXIMUM SPEED: 1,134 mph (Mach 1.72)

SERVICE CEILING: 56,000 feet + above sea level

RANGE: 1,520 miles

WEAPONS: F-101A: three M39 20mm cannons; F-101B: four AIM-4 Falcon short-range air-to-air missiles or two AIM-4 Falcon and two AIR-2 Genie nuclear rockets

CREW: Two

LENGTH: 67 Feet, 5 inches

WINGSPAN: 39 feet, 5 inches

HEIGHT: 18 feet

MAXIMUM TAKEOFF WEIGHT: 52,400 lbs.

POWERPLANT: F-101A: two Pratt and Whitney J57P-13 turbojet engines with afterburner, providing 15,000 lbs. of thrust each; F-101B: two Pratt and Whitney J57P-55 turbojet engines with afterburner, providing 16,900 lbs. of thrust each

ACHIEVEMENTS: The Voodoo served in a variety of other roles, including the fighter-bomber, all weather interceptor aircraft and photo reconnaissance roles. RF-101s were used for low-attitude photo coverage of missile sites during the 1962 Cuban Missle Crisis and during the mid to late 1960s in the Vietnam War.

Right Panel

F-101F , A/C SN: 58-0324 , Date Acquired: May 2005 , From: Kal Aero Service, Dulzura Ca. , Displayed: November 2006

Manufactured by McDonnell Aircraft, St. Louis MO and gained by the USAF on 6 June 1960. , 1960 to 478th Fighter Wing (Air Defense Command) Grand Forks AFB ND. (Deployments to Tyndall AFB Florida) , 1961 Converted to F-101F , 1963 to 18th Fighter Interceptor Sq. (ADC), Grand Forks AFB (deployments to Shaw AFB SC and Peterson AFB, CO) , 1969 to 189th Tactical Reconnaissance Group (Air National Guard, Little Rock AFB AR , 1975 to 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (ANG) Standford AP, KY , 1976 to Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ , 1986 Dropped from inventory by transfer to Museum status , 2005 Transferred to Joe Davis Heritage Air Park

SN 58-0324 was assigned to the 189th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Arkansas, from Nov 1969 to Dec 1975. The 189th TRG and it's flying Squadron, the 154th Tactical Recon Squadron, were the first Air National Guard units to be equipped with the F-101 Voodoo. Because of the Pueblo crisis, the 189th TRG was called to active duty in January 1968. In July, the 154th TRS deployed to Itazuke AB, Japan. In December, the Squadron was released from active duty and return to inactive status at LRAFB and assumed the RF-101 Replacement Training Unit (RTU) mission from active Air Force. ,