F-101 Voodoo

McDonnell's F-101 originated from the XF-88 penetration fighter concept and was first aimed at long-range bomber escort work for Strategic Air Command. The rapid arrival of high-speed jet bombers changed that requirement before large-scale production, pushing the Voodoo toward tactical, reconnaissance, and air-defense missions. Its first flight came in 1954, and production variants entered service from 1957 onward.

The Voodoo used two Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojets and a large, swept-wing airframe built for supersonic dash speed. The F-101B interceptor added a two-seat, all-weather configuration for Air Defense Command, while reconnaissance versions carried cameras instead of fighter armament. The family shows how one airframe was adapted to strategic reconnaissance, tactical strike, and continental air defense.

The RF-101 was widely used for fast photo-reconnaissance, including coverage connected with the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis and later operations in Southeast Asia. The F-101B became the most numerous Voodoo variant and served as a two-seat interceptor with Air Defense Command and Air National Guard units. The type's career illustrates the transitional period between gun-and-rocket fighters and later missile-centered air-defense systems.