Aircraft & UAVs

F-101 Voodoo

Also known as
  • McDonnell F-101 Voodoo
  • F-101A Voodoo
  • F-101B Voodoo
  • F-101C Voodoo
  • RF-101A Voodoo
  • RF-101C Voodoo
  • RF-101G Voodoo
  • RF-101H Voodoo
  • CF-101 Voodoo
  • Voodoo

The F-101 Voodoo was a McDonnell supersonic aircraft family developed from the XF-88 penetration-fighter line. Planned first around Strategic Air Command bomber escort needs, it entered service instead as a tactical fighter-bomber, two-seat all-weather interceptor, and high-speed photo-reconnaissance platform, with RF-101C aircraft directly documented in Vietnam War reconnaissance missions.

F-101 Voodoo, Supersonic fighter, interceptor, and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo

Role in Conflicts

1955 Vietnam War
Reconnaissance & Surveillance
Side
United States and South Vietnam

USAF RF-101C Voodoo aircraft flew reconnaissance missions in Southeast Asia, photographing positions in South Vietnam and Laos, movement on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and targets in North Vietnam.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
Supersonic fighter, interceptor, and reconnaissance aircraft
Service note
Cold War
Designer
McDonnell Aircraft Corporation
Designed
First flown on September 29, 1954
Produced
Production ended in March 1961
Number built
Official museum sources differ between 785 and 807 Voodoo-family aircraft; the F-101B museum page lists 785 total including 480 F-101Bs.
Developed from
XF-88 penetration fighter

Specifications

Family roles
Low-altitude fighter-bomber, photo reconnaissance, two-seat interceptor, and transition trainer
F-101B crew
Two
F-101B armament
Two AIR-2A rockets plus two AIM-4 guided missiles
F-101B engines
Two Pratt & Whitney J57-P-55 afterburning turbojets
F-101B maximum speed
1,095 mph
F-101B ceiling
52,100 ft
F-101B length
71 ft 1 in
F-101B wingspan
39 ft 8 in
RF-101C maximum speed
1,000 mph
RF-101C range
2,060 miles
F-101A/C refueling
Flying-boom and probe-and-drogue air-refueling capability
Variants

The Voodoo family split from McDonnell's XF-88 lineage into single-seat fighter-bomber, reconnaissance, two-seat interceptor, trainer, and Canadian CF-101 service variants. Variant counts below keep the cited source's numbers where official museum pages differ on the total family count.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
F-101ASingle-seat strategic fighter / fighter-bomber

Initial production fighter version; the museum table lists 77 built.

Sources: McDonnell F-101A and C

F-101CImproved single-seat fighter-bomber

Improved F-101A variant; the museum table lists 47 built.

Sources: McDonnell F-101A and C

RF-101APhoto-reconnaissance variant

Unarmed RF-101 reconnaissance development began in 1956; the museum RF-101C page lists 35 RF-101As produced.

Sources: McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo

RF-101CPhoto-reconnaissance variant

Reinforced reconnaissance model; the museum RF-101C page lists 166 RF-101Cs produced.

Sources: McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo

F-101BTwo-seat all-weather interceptor

Air Defense Command interceptor; the museum F-101B page says 480 F-101Bs were included in McDonnell's Voodoo production.

Sources: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo

CF-101 VoodooCanadian interceptor service variant

Canada exchanged 58 older CF-101 Voodoo aircraft for 66 improved USAF F-101s under Operation PEACE WINGS from 1970 to 1972.

Sources: Operation PEACE WINGS

RF-101GConverted reconnaissance aircraft

Museum table lists 29 aircraft converted from F-101A airframes.

Sources: McDonnell F-101A and C

RF-101HConverted reconnaissance aircraft

Museum table lists 32 aircraft converted from F-101C airframes.

Sources: McDonnell F-101A and C

Carried Rockets

The F-101B interceptor configuration paired the Voodoo airframe with air-to-air armament for bomber interception.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
AIR-2A Genie rocket, Nuclear air-to-air rocket, MunitionsAIR-2A Genie rocketNuclear air-to-air rocket

National Museum technical notes list two AIR-2A rockets as part of the F-101B armament, and the AIR-2A museum page identifies the F-101B among the primary Genie carrier aircraft.

Sources: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo, McDonnell Douglas Air-2A Genie Rocket

Mission Fits

The Voodoo family served several Cold War roles from a common McDonnell airframe lineage, so the most useful distinction is by mission fit rather than by a single weapons load.

ConfigurationMission fitDocumented equipment
F-101BTwo-seat interceptorNational Museum technical notes list two AIR-2A rockets and two AIM-4 guided missiles for the all-weather interceptor configuration.
F-101A/CSingle-seat fighter-bomberThe F-101A/C museum page lists M-39 20 mm guns, a removable external-store pylon, and LABS/LADD bombing equipment.
RF-101CPhoto reconnaissanceMuseum reconnaissance material identifies RF-101C Voodoo aircraft as unarmed camera-equipped aircraft used for Southeast Asia photo reconnaissance.

Sources: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo; McDonnell F-101A and C; McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo; Photo-reconnaissance: Alone, Unarmed and Unafraid.

Timeline

F-101 Voodoo Key Events

  1. First F-101 flight

    The first Voodoo, an F-101A fighter version, made its initial flight on September 29, 1954.

    Sources: McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo, McDonnell F-101B Voodoo

  2. RF-101 development begins

    Development of the unarmed RF-101 reconnaissance version began in 1956.

    Sources: McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo

  3. F-101A operational

    The first production F-101A became operational in May 1957.

    Sources: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo

  4. F-101C operational

    The F-101C followed the F-101A into operational service in September 1957.

    Sources: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo

  5. Operation Sun Run

    RF-101C aircraft from the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing set three transcontinental speed records.

    Sources: Operation Sun Run

  6. F-101B operational

    The two-seat all-weather F-101B interceptor became operational in January 1959.

    Sources: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo

  7. Production ends

    Voodoo production ended in March 1961; official museum pages list different family totals, with the F-101B page saying 785 aircraft and the RF-101C page saying 807.

    Sources: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo, McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo

  8. Operation PEACE WINGS begins

    Canada began the operation that exchanged older CF-101 aircraft for upgraded USAF F-101s.

    Sources: Operation PEACE WINGS

Media

F-101 Voodoo Images

F-101 Voodoo, Supersonic fighter, interceptor, and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo
F-101 Voodoo, Supersonic fighter, interceptor, and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2
Source: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo
F-101 Voodoo, Supersonic fighter, interceptor, and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs - view 3
Source: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo
F-101 Voodoo, Supersonic fighter, interceptor, and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs - view 4
Source: McDonnell F-101B Voodoo
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Sources

McDonnell F-101B VoodooPublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports F-101 origin, role changes before production, first flight, production timeline, F-101B interceptor role, F-101B armament and specifications, and U.S. Air Force image provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-13McDonnell F-101A and CPublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports F-101A and F-101C variant identity, RF-101G/RF-101H conversion counts, refueling features, F-101A/C armament provisions, and selected technical notes. | Accessed: 2026-07-13McDonnell RF-101C VoodooPublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports RF-101 development, reconnaissance variant counts, RF-101C specifications, museum image provenance, and 1955 Vietnam War direct conflict use: RF-101C Voodoo aircraft served in Southeast Asia with the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Photo-reconnaissance: Alone, Unarmed and UnafraidPublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports 1955 Vietnam War direct conflict use: unarmed RF-101C Voodoo aircraft flew Southeast Asia reconnaissance missions over South Vietnam, Laos, the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and North Vietnam. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Operation Sun RunPublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports the November 27, 1957 RF-101C transcontinental speed-record timeline event and KC-135 refueling context. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Operation PEACE WINGSPublisher: Government of Canada | Note: Supports Canadian CF-101 exchange dates, the 58 older CF-101s exchanged for 66 improved USAF F-101 aircraft, and NORAD air-defense context. | Accessed: 2026-07-13McDonnell Douglas Air-2A Genie RocketPublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports the AIR-2A Genie relationship: the rocket was carried primarily by F-89J, F-101B, and F-106A interceptor aircraft. | Accessed: 2026-07-13McDonnell F-101 Formation ImagePublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports gallery image provenance for a formation of three F-101 aircraft. | Accessed: 2026-07-13McDonnell F-101B Squadron ImagePublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports gallery image provenance for an F-101B of the 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. | Accessed: 2026-07-13First Production F-101A ImagePublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports gallery image provenance for the first production F-101A at Edwards Air Force Base. | Accessed: 2026-07-13McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo Display ImagePublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports gallery image provenance for an RF-101C Voodoo on display in the Southeast Asia War Gallery. | Accessed: 2026-07-13