A Brief History of the F-101 Voodoo
McDonnell Aircraft Corporation originally designed the F-101 Voodoo as a long range escort for Strategic Air Command bombers. When faster bombers entered service, such as Boeing’s B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress, the Voodoo was re-purposed as a tactical fighter/bomber, a tactical reconnaissance fighter, and as a long-range interceptor. The B-model, featured here in my artwork, was the interceptor. USAF Air Defense Command (ADC) squadrons used the Voodoo to intercept and investigate potentially hostile aircraft.
The F-101B carried missiles launched from a rotary armament door covering a fuselage bay under the rear cockpit. Two missiles were attached to recessed slots on each side of the door. After launching the first pair of missiles, the door flipped over and exposed the other pair.
Built in St. Louis, Missouri, Voodoos claimed several records after the aircraft entered service. Those included a transcontinental speed record (Los Angeles, to New York, and back in six hours and 46 minutes), and an absolute speed record (1,207.6 MPH). The aircraft had an initial climb rate of over 35,000 feet per minute.
“Heart of Texas” – The 111st Fighter Interceptor Squadron
“Heart of Texas” features a formation of F-101B Voodoo interceptors flown by the 111st Fighter Interceptor Squadron (“Ace in the Hole”) from Ellington Air National Guard Base in Houston, Texas. Voodoos flown by the 111st FIS won the USAF William Tell competition in 1978 and 1980! You can order this 36X12 inch art print through my Fine Art America store, or buy one of a run of 20 signed and numbered limited editions from my store here.
McDonnell F-101B Voodoo 111st FIS Profile
If you liked my Voodoo formation in “Heart of Texas,” you’re going love my new McDonnell F-101B Voodoo profile! Set against the flag of the Great State of Texas, my profile features an F-101B of the 111st Fighter Interceptor Squadron. This 36×12 inch profile illustration is waiting for you at Fine Art America.
“The Happy Hooligans” of the 178th Fighter Interceptor Squadron
The 178th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, better known as “The Happy Hooligans,” transitioned from Convair F-102 Delta Daggers to the McDonnell F-101B . They flew the F-101B from Hector Field in Fargo, North Dakota, from1969 through 1977 when they transitioned to the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. Since 1973, the 119th Fighter Wing has flown more than 115,000 hours in fighter aircraft without a Class A Mishap, unprecedented in any U. S. fighter unit. The Hooligans won two USAF William Tell competitions in 1970 and 1972 while flying the Voodoo.
Click on the images for a larger view. Your own “Happy Hooligans” art prints are waiting for you. Just click the links at the bottom of my artwork.
178th FIS “Happy Hooligans” McDonnell F-101B Voodoo Profile
“The Fighting Crows” 60th Fighter Interceptor Squadron
I’ve always been a big fan of USAF Air Defense Command aircraft. They usually had very colorful markings depending on the squadron. The 60th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was no exception. “Crow Hop” features two F-101B Voodoos that flew with the 60th FIS at Otis AFB, MA. From the crimson lightning bolts on the vertical stabilizer to the stylized bird on the fuselage, the 60th FIS had one of the most unique paint schemes worn by an F-101.
Your “Fighting Crows” F-101B art prints are waiting for you. Just click the button below to order yours. I’ve also made this print available in a run of 20 signed and numbered limited editions. Click the button to order yours.
87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron
Based at Lockbourne AFB, near Columbus, Ohio, the 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron operated F-101B Voodoos from 1960 through 1968, when those aircraft were transferred to the Air National Guard. The 87th FIS then transitioned to the Convair F-106 Delta Dart while flying from Duluth International Airport. The squadron was moved again in 1971 to K.I. Sawyer AFB in Michigan, and was inactivated in 1985.
Click on the images for a larger view. Your own 87th FIS Voodoo art prints are waiting for you. Just click the links at the bottom of my artwork.
Related
Check out the Voodoo’s successor, the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, here!
