McDonnell RF-101C "Voodoo"

Ordered in 1951 by the Strategic Air Command as a long-range escort fighter, the F-101 lineage included low-altitude fighter-bomber, photo-reconnaissance, two-seat interceptor, and transition trainer versions. To accelerate production, no prototypes were built, and 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. Although 35 RF-101As and 166 RF-101Cs were produced, many earlier single-seat Voodoos were converted to reconnaissance use. RF-101Cs played a vital role in the Vietnam War, flying low and fast into some of the heaviest air defenses in history. The RF-101C with serial number 56-135 was delivered on April 27, 1959, served with the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, and the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, and then went to the Air National Guard in 1971.

Montgomery, Alabama · United States