Developed from the XF-88 interceptor, the F-101 was originally
 conceived as a long- range escort fighter for Strategic Air Command
 B-36s but went on to a lengthy career as an interceptor and the Air
 Force's first supersonic reconnaissance aircraft. After entering
 service in 1957, the F-101 was used in a number of speed and point-
 to-point record runs. On November 27, 1957, four RF-101A pilots took
 off from March AFB, Calif., as part of Operation Sun-Run. Refueled
 in flight, two of the crews landed at McGuire AFB, N. J., and two
 turned around and landed back at March. Lt. Gustav Klatt set an
 eastbound coast-to-coast record of three hours, seven minutes, 43
 seconds, while Capt. Robert Sweet set a westbound coast-to-coast
 record (3:36:33) and a Los Angeles-New York-Los Angeles record
 (6:46:36).
     On December 12, 1957, Maj. Adrian Drew, flying an F-101A at
 Edwards AFB, Calif., set a new absolute speed record of 1,207.34
 mph. The last record-breaking flight of this rush of records came
 on April 15, 1959, when Capt. George A. Edwards set a 500-km closed-
 course record of 816.28 mph, also at Edwards. The Voodoo picked up
 the nickname "One-Oh-Wonder."
     The F/RF-101 series achieved a record for the lowest first-year
 accident rate of any Air Force fighter in history to that point.
 F/RF-101 production ran until 1961. RF-101 crews flew their first
 missions in Vietnam in 1961 as part of Operation Pipe Stem and the
 later Operation Able Mable. Pilots from the 363d Tactical Reconnais-
 sance Wing at Shaw AFB, S. C., flew the RF- 101's first operational
 low-level missions on October 23, 1962, during the Cuban Missile
 Crisis. RF-101 crews provided a majority of tactical reconnaissance
 in Southeast Asia until 1965, then shared duties with RF-4 crews.
 Most of the RF-101s ended up with the Air National Guard, and a
 number of F-101 interceptors were later converted to RF- 101G/Hs.
 Roughly 70 surplus Voodoos were transferred to the Royal Canadian
 and Nationalist Chinese Air Forces. The last Air Force F-101 and
 the last Guard RF-101 were both retired in 1982.
       Contractors:
 McDonnell Aircraft Co.
       Locations Built:
 St. Louis, Mo.
       Number Built:
 (USAF) 807 (807).
       First Flight:
 September 29, 1954.
       First Flight
       Model: F-101A.
       First Flight
       Location: Edwards AFB, Calif.
       First Flight Pilot: Robert Little.
       Models/Variants:
 F-101A, B, C, F. RF-101A, B, C, G, H.
 TF-101B, F.
       Powerplant:
 Two Pratt & Whitney J57-P-53 or -55 turbojets of 16,900 lb
 of thrust each in afterburner.
       Wingspan: 39 ft 8 in.
       Length: 71 ft 1 in (incl pitot boom).
       Height: 18 ft 0 in.
       Weight: 52,400 lb gross.
       Armament: Two AIR-2A Genie rockets in an internal bay and two
 AIM-4 Falcon missiles under the fuselage.
       Accommodation: Two (pilot and radar intercept officer in rear).
       Cost: $1.82 million
       Max. Speed: 1,134 mph.
       Range:  1,550 mi.
       Ceiling: 52,100 ft.
 ===
--- DB 1.39/004487
---------------