Thursday, November 29, 2012

Blast From the Past, F-101 Voodoo

The F/RF-101 Voodoo was a twin engine fighter/reconnaissance aircraft developed in the early 1950’s, Powered by a pair of Pratt and Whitney J-57 turbo jets the Voodoo set many period speed records. The most common configuration was F/CF-101B two seat interceptor of which 487 were built and the RF-101C photo reconnaissance version which accounted for 169 airframes.


The F-101B was equipped with the Hughes MG-13 fire control system and was armed with four AIM-4 Falcon radar guided missiles and later with the MB/1 Genie nuclear missile. The weapons were carried internally on a rotating pallet. B models are easy to ID because of the 8 foot afterburner cans on the upgraded J-57 engines. The RF-101 C had a slightly modified nose and carried 6 cameras in place of the radar. The RF saw extensive service in Vietnam and served in the USAF/ANG until 1979. The Canadian CF-101 version stayed in squadron service until 1984 and one electric Voodoo, the EF-101 electronic jamming aircraft served until 1987 making its last flight on April 19th.

The Voodoo served both the USAF and the CAF well during its career. It is like many of the blast from the pasts that I’ve done before in it did not ever get much notoriety during its career.


F-101B

RF-101C

EF-101B

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