McDonnell F-101 Voodoo, Page 1

Intro F-101A RF-101A F-101B CF-101B&F RF-101B F-101C RF-101C F-101F RF-101G RF-101H

RF-101G single-seat, unarmed photo-recon

Following their removal from active USAF service in England in 1965, eighteen ex-USAF F-101As (serial numbers 54-1445, 4119, 1452, 1455, 1457, 1461, 1462, 1463, 1468, 1469, 19470, 1472, 1475, 1479, 1481, 1482, 1484, and 1485) were modified by Lockheed Aircraft Service Company of Ontario, California to serve as unarmed reconnaissance aircraft for use by the Air National Guard. The armament and radar were removed and new nose cones housing cameras were installed. The camera fit included a pallet of cameras mounted aft of the front fuselage bulkhead, and a new nose housing a forward-facing camera. The nose cone slid forward on rails to allow technicians to maintain the cameras and load film. Large hinged panels allowed access to the pallet and avionics bay to the rear. These aircraft were redesignated RF-101G. As compared to the RF-101A dedicated photo-reconnaissance version of the F-101A, the RF-101G had a shorter and broader nose.

The first RF-101Gs went to the Kentucky Air National Guard (165th TRS/123rd TRW) in July of 1965, replacing the RB-57B. The 165th TRS was involved in the military buildup surrounding the 1968 *Pueblo* crisis, although it did not actually deploy to Korea. The RF-101G also went to the 154th TRS/189th TFG of the Arkansas ANG. In 1971, there was a rationalization of Air National Guard units, with all the RF-101Gs being sent to the Arkansas ANG. The Kentucky ANG transferred its RF-101Gs to the Arkansas ANG and transitioned to the RF-101H (an equivalent conversion of the F-101C). In 1972, the Arkansas ANG traded in its RF-101Gs for RF-101Cs that had recently been withdrawn from active-duty USAF service.

Serials of the F-101G:

54-1444/1452            McDonnell F-101A-25-MC Voodoo
                                1445 converted to RF-101G
                                1449 converted to RF-101G
                                1451,1452 converted to RF-101G
54-1453/1465            McDonnell F-101A-30-MC Voodoo
                                1453/1455 converted to RF-101G
                                1457 converted to RF-101G
                                1459/1464 converted to RF-101G
54-1466/1485            McDonnell F-101A-35-MC Voodoo
                                1466 converted to RF-101G
                                1468 converted to RF-101G
                                1470 converted to RF-101G
                                1472,1473 converted to RF-101G 
                                1475/1477 converted to RF-101G 
                                1479 converted to RF-101G
                                1481,1482 converted to RF-101G 
                                1484,1485 converted to RF-101G

Sources:

McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume II, Rene J. Francillon, Naval Institute Press, 1990.

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Armament, Bill Gunston, Orion, 1988.

United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.

The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.

Fighters of the United States Air Force, Robert F. Dorr and David Donald, Temple Press Aerospace, 1990.

American Combat Planes, Third Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner, Doubleday, 1982.

Post-World War II Fighters, 1945-1973, Marcelle Size Knaack, Office of Air Force History, 1986.

McDonnell F-88/F-101 Voodoo Variant Briefing, Robert F. Dorr, Wings of Fame, Vol 1, 1996.

Webmaster's note: All of the information above is provided by a friend of the FISRG, Joe Baugher (jbaugher@worldnet.att.net)

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