Air Power

McDONNELL RF-101C "VOODOO"

The F-101 lineage included several versions: low-altitude fighter-bomber, photo reconnaissance, two-seat interceptor and transition trainer. To accelerate production, no prototypes were built, the first Voodoo, an F-101A, made its initial flight on September 29, 1954. When production ended in March 1961, nearly 800 Voodoos had been built. Development of the unarmed RF-101, the world's first supersonic photo-recon aircraft, began in 1956 while 35 RF-101As and 166 RF-101Cs were produced, many earlier single-seat Voodoos were converted to the reconnaissance configuration.

The RF-101C pictured participated in "Operation Sun Run," a high-speed transcontinental flight on November 27, 1957. Using air-to-air refueling, a team of Voodoos set nonstop speed records from Los Angeles to New York City and return. Capt Ray W. Schrecengost, flying the plane on display, broke three existing speed records. This Voodoo flew vital low-altitude reconnaissance during the Cuban Missile Crisis and helped confirm that offensive missile sites in Cuba were being dismantled. It also served in Southeast Asia (SEA) with the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, one of the first aircraft in SEA to revert to camouflage markings for combat use. It was transferred from the 186th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Mississippi Air National Guard, Key Field, Mississippi, to the USAF Museum on October 27, 1978.

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 39 ft. 8 in.
Length: 69 ft. 3 in.
Height: 18 ft. 0 in.
Weight: 51,000 lbs. max.
Armament: One MK-28 or MK-43 thermonuclear bomb
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney J57’s of 15,000 lbs. thrust each with afterburner
Cost: $1,276,245

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 1,000 mph.
Cruising Speed: 550 mph.
Range: 2,060 miles
Service Ceiling: 45,800 ft.

Photos/Information courtesy of the US Air Force Museum