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95-625: The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo is a supersonic jet fighter designed and produced by the American McDonnell Aircraft Corporation . Development of the F-101 commenced during the late 1940s as a long-range bomber escort (then known as a penetration fighter ) for the United States Air Force 's (USAF) Strategic Air Command (SAC). It was also adapted as a nuclear -armed fighter-bomber for

190-413: A Douglas DC-8-43 (registration N9604Z) exceeded Mach 1 in a controlled dive during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base. The crew were William Magruder (pilot), Paul Patten (copilot), Joseph Tomich (flight engineer), and Richard H. Edwards (flight test engineer). This was the first intentional supersonic flight by a civilian airliner, and the only one ever performed by a civilian airliner other than

285-731: A Mk 28 nuclear bomb . The original intended payload for the F-101A was the McDonnell Model 96 store , a large fuel/weapons pod similar in concept to that of the Convair B-58 Hustler , but was cancelled in March 1956 before the F-101 entered service. Other operational nuclear payloads included the Mk 7 , Mk 43 , and Mk 57 weapons. While theoretically capable of carrying conventional bombs, rockets, or Falcon air-to-air missiles ,

380-472: A thunderclap to the human ear. The crack of a supersonic bullet passing overhead or the crack of a bullwhip are examples of a sonic boom in miniature. Sonic booms due to large supersonic aircraft can be particularly loud and startling, tend to awaken people, and may cause minor damage to some structures. They led to prohibition of routine supersonic flight over land. Although they cannot be completely prevented, research suggests that with careful shaping of

475-557: A 1945 Army request for an advanced jet fighter, Lockheed proposed a jet powered initially by a Lockheed L-1000 axial flow turbojet, and then the General Electric J35 . Further design refinements included using two Westinghouse J34 engines with afterburners. After data showed that a delta planform would not be suitable, the Lockheed Model 90 was built in 1947 as a mock-up. The final design embodied much of

570-607: A batch of 22 former RCAF CF-101Bs was delivered to the USAF and converted into RF-101B reconnaissance aircraft, each aircraft had its radar and weapons bay replaced with a set of three KS-87B cameras and two AXQ-2 TV cameras. An in-flight refueling boom receptacle was also installed. These aircraft served with the 192d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron of the Nevada Air National Guard through 1975. They proved to be relatively expensive to operate and maintain and had

665-601: A crew of two, with a larger and more rounded forward fuselage to hold the Hughes MG-13 fire control radar of the F-102. It had a data link to the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, allowing ground controllers to steer the aircraft towards its targets by making adjustments through the plane's autopilot. The F-101B had more powerful Pratt & Whitney J57-P-55 engines, making it

760-553: A fire control system enhancement against hostile ECM and an infrared sighting and tracking (IRST) system in the nose in place of the in-flight refueling probe. The F-101B was produced in greater numbers than the F-101A and F-101C, with a total of 479 being delivered by the end of production in 1961. Most of these were delivered to the Air Defense Command (ADC) beginning in January 1959. The only foreign customer for

855-500: A hit. Late-production models had provision for two 1.7-kiloton MB-1/AIR-2 Genie nuclear rockets on one side of the pallet with IR-guided GAR-2A (AIM-4C) on the other side. "Project Kitty Car" upgraded most earlier F-101Bs to this standard beginning in 1961. Between 1963 and 1966, F-101Bs were upgraded under the Interceptor Improvement Program (IIP; also known as "Project Bold Journey"), being outfitted with

950-467: A large bomb load over long distances. Consequently, it is a large aircraft typically with an empty weight exceeding 25,000 kg. Some have also been designed for related roles such as strategic reconnaissance and anti-shipping strike. Typically the aircraft will cruise subsonically for most of its flight to conserve fuel, before accelerating to supersonic speed for its bombing run. Few supersonic strategic bombers have entered service. The earliest type,

1045-821: A maximum speed of Mach 0.9 (960 km/h) at an altitude of 35,000 feet (11,000 m). This aircraft, which is privately owned, has been moved to the Evergreen Maintenance Center in Marana, Arizona , restored, and now on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon . It was previously on display at the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum . The end of the Korean War and

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1140-460: A number of problems. Among others, its airframe had proven to be capable of withstanding only 6.33 g (62 m/s²) maneuvers, rather than the intended 7.33 g (72 m/s²). An improved model, the F-101C, was introduced in 1957. It had a 500 lb (227 kg) heavier structure to allow 7.33- g maneuvers as well as a revised fuel system to increase the maximum flight time in afterburner . Like

1235-489: A role that was eventually won by the F-101B Voodoo. This role required extensive modifications to add a large radar to the nose of the aircraft, a second crew member to operate it, and a new weapons bay using a rotating door that held its four AIM-4 Falcon missiles or two AIR-2 Genie rockets hidden within the airframe until it was time to be fired. The F-101B entered service with USAF Air Defense Command in 1959 and

1330-457: A rotating pallet in the fuselage weapons bay. The initial load was two GAR-1 (AIM-4A) semi-active radar homing and two GAR-2 (AIM-4B) infrared-guided weapons with one of each carried on each side of the rotating pallet. After the first two missiles were fired, the door turned over to expose the second pair. Standard practice was to fire the weapons in SARH/IR pairs to increase the likelihood of

1425-499: A short service life. Following the type's retirement, a large number of F-101s are preserved in museums or on display as gate guards . Data from The Complete Book of Fighters , Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems General characteristics Performance Armament Avionics Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Supersonic aircraft The aerodynamics of supersonic flight

1520-489: A stop order for production on 16 April 1954; this was due to a substantial cutback in funding for the USAF in general. Meaningful production activity was not resumed until a favourable instruction was received by the company on 2 November 1954. At this point, the USAF gave McDonnell an operational deadline of early 1957. The first production aircraft, F-101A serial number 53-2418 , performed its maiden flight on 29 September 1954 from Edwards AFB ; during this flight, it attained

1615-419: A temperature rise before it reaches the engines. The maximum allowable temperature of the exhaust is determined by the materials in the turbine at the rear of the engine, so as the aircraft speeds up, the difference in intake and exhaust temperature that the engine can create, by burning fuel, decreases, as does the thrust. The higher thrust needed for supersonic speeds had to be regained by burning extra fuel in

1710-438: A well-constructed, sturdy airframe. These innovations resulted in an aircraft with an empty weight more than 50% heavier than its competitors. The first XF-90 used non-afterburning J34s, but these lacked the thrust for takeoff as rocket-assisted RATO were required for most of the first flights unless it carried a very low fuel load. The second (XF-90A) had afterburners installed which had been tested on an F-80 testbed. Even so,

1805-477: Is a crucial aspect of wing design. Since a supersonic aircraft must also take off and land at a relatively slow speed, its aerodynamic design must be a compromise between the requirements for both ends of the speed range. One approach to resolving this compromise is the use of a variable-geometry wing , commonly known as the "swing-wing," which spreads wide for low-speed flight and then sweeps sharply, usually backwards, for supersonic flight. However, swinging affects

1900-632: Is called compressible flow because of the compression associated with the shock waves or " sonic boom " created by any object traveling faster than sound. Aircraft flying at speeds above Mach 5 are called hypersonic aircraft . The first aircraft to fly supersonic in level flight was the American Bell X-1 experimental plane which was powered by a 6,000-pound (2,700 kg) thrust rocket powered by liquid oxygen and ethyl alcohol. Most supersonic aircraft have been military or experimental aircraft. Aviation research during World War II led to

1995-552: Is more complex. One problem with sustained supersonic flight is the generation of heat in flight. At high speeds aerodynamic heating can occur, so an aircraft must be designed to operate and function under very high temperatures. Duralumin , a material traditionally used in aircraft manufacturing, starts to lose strength and deform at relatively low temperatures, and is unsuitable for continuous use at speeds above Mach 2.2 to 2.4. Materials such as titanium and stainless steel allow operations at much higher temperatures. For example,

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2090-482: Is often referred to as hypersonic. In this region the problems of drag and heating are even more acute. It is difficult to make materials which can stand the forces and temperatures generated by air resistance at these speeds. A sonic boom is the sound associated with the shock waves created whenever an object traveling through the air travels faster than the speed of sound . Sonic booms generate significant amounts of sound energy, sounding similar to an explosion or

2185-410: Is the ability to maintain supersonic cruise for long periods, so low drag is essential to limit fuel consumption to a practical and economic level. As a consequence, these airframes are highly streamlined and the wings have a very short span. The requirement for low speeds when taking off and landing is met by using vortex lift : as the aircraft slows, lift must be restored by raising the nose to increase

2280-422: Is to properly shape the overall aircraft to be long and thin, and close to a "perfect" shape, the von Karman ogive or Sears-Haack body . This has led to almost every supersonic cruising aircraft looking very similar to every other, with a very long and slender fuselage and large delta wings, cf. SR-71 , Concorde , etc. Although not ideal for passenger aircraft, this shaping is quite adaptable for bomber use. In

2375-496: The Air National Guard through 1972. In October 1953, the USAF requested that two F-101As be built as prototype YRF-101A tactical reconnaissance aircraft. These were followed by 35 RF-101A production aircraft. The RF-101A shared the airframe of the F-101A, including its 6.33 g (62 m/s²) limit, but replaced the radar and cannons with up to six cameras in the reshaped nose. Various electronics were incorporated at

2470-574: The Concorde or Tu-144 . In the 1960s and 1970s, many design studies for supersonic airliners were done and eventually two types entered service, the Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 (1968) and Anglo-French Concorde (1969). However political, environmental and economic obstacles and one fatal Concorde crash prevented them from being used to their full commercial potential. Supersonic flight brings with it substantial technical challenges, as

2565-591: The Convair B-58 Hustler , first flew in 1956 and the most recent, the Rockwell B-1B Lancer , in 1983. Although this and a few other types are still in service today, none remains in production. Types to have flown include: Some supersonic strategic bombers, such as the Sukhoi T-4 are also capable of the reconnaissance role (although the Sukhoi remained a prototype). The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

2660-491: The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger , but by 1952 it was becoming clear that few parts of the specification other than the airframe would be ready by 1954; the engines, weapons, and fire control systems were all going to take too long to get into service. Thus, an effort was started to quickly produce an interim supersonic design to replace the various subsonic interceptors then in service, and the F-101 airframe

2755-490: The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird jet could fly continuously at Mach 3.1 which could lead to temperatures on some parts of the aircraft reaching above 315 °C (600 °F). Another area of concern for sustained high-speed flight is engine operation. Jet engines create thrust by increasing the temperature of the air they ingest, and as the aircraft speeds up, the compression process in the intake causes

2850-473: The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird operated in 2 ways, taking off and landing as turbojets with no bypass, but bypassing some of the compressor air to the afterburner at higher speeds. This allowed the Blackbird to fly at over Mach 3, faster than any other production aircraft. The heating effect of air friction at these speeds meant that a special fuel had to be developed which did not break down in the heat and clog

2945-664: The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1961. While the Voodoo was a moderate success, it may have been more important as an evolutionary step towards its replacement in most roles, the F-4 Phantom II , one of the most successful Western fighter designs of the 1950s; the Phantom would retain the twin engines, twin crew for interception duties, and a tail mounted well above and behind the jet exhaust, although it

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3040-511: The SR-71 Blackbird are designed to cruise at supersonic speed with afterburners enabled. One of the best known examples of an aircraft capable of supercruise was Concorde . Due to its long service as a commercial airliner, Concorde holds the record for the most time spent in supercruise; more than all other aircraft combined. A supersonic transport (SST) is a civil aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than

3135-785: The Vietnam War . Interceptor versions served with the Air National Guard until 1982, and in Canadian service, they were a front line part of NORAD until their replacement with the CF-18 Hornet in the 1980s. The type was operated in the reconnaissance role until 1979. US examples were handed off to the USAF Air National Guard where they were operated until 1982. The RCAF Voodoos were in service until 1984. Initial design on what would eventually become

3230-854: The angle of attack of the wing. The sharply swept leading edge causes the air to twist as it flows over the wing, speeding up the airflow locally and maintaining lift. Other SST projects have included: Supersonic business jets (SSBJ) are a proposed class of small supersonic aircraft. None have yet flown. Typically intended to transport about ten passengers, SSBJs are about the same size as traditional subsonic business jets. Projects for both large-scale and business jet (see lower) passenger supersonic and hypersonic airliners ( Aerion SBJ , Spike S-512 , HyperMach SonicStar , Next Generation Supersonic Transport , Tupolev Tu-444 , Gulfstream X-54 , LAPCAT , Reaction Engines LAPCAT A2 , Zero Emission Hyper Sonic Transport , SpaceLiner , etc.) were proposed and now are under development. A strategic bomber must carry

3325-455: The autopilot , hydraulics , viewfinder , and control system; McDonnell typically replaced unsatisfactory parts with redesigned counterparts. One particular issue was the aircraft's dangerous tendency towards severe pitch-up when flown at a high angle of attack ; this would never be entirely rectified. However, the USAF was satisfied with the installation of an active inhibitor system to deter such instances. Around 2,300 improvements were made to

3420-583: The longitudinal trim of the aircraft and the swinging mechanism adds weight and cost. Use of a delta wing , such as those used on the Aerospatiale-BAC Concorde generates a vortex which energises the flow on the upper surface of the wing at high speeds and attack angles, delaying flow separation, and giving the aircraft a very high stall angle. It also solves the issue of fluid compressibility at transonic and supersonic speeds. However, it is, of course, inefficient at lower speeds due to

3515-405: The sound barrier in level flight, and a maximum performance of Mach  1.52. The F-101's large internal fuel capacity allowed a range of approximately 3,000 mi (4,800 km) nonstop. The aircraft was fitted with an MA-7 fire-control radar for both air-to-air and air-to-ground use, augmented by a Low Altitude Bombing System (LABS) for delivering nuclear weapons, and was designed to carry

3610-555: The speed of sound . The only supersonic civilian aircraft to see service were the Soviet produced Tupolev Tu-144 which first flew in 1968 and last transported passengers in 1978, with NASA retiring it from any use in 1997; and the Franco-British produced Concorde , which first flew in 1969 and remained in service until 2003. Since 2003, there have been no supersonic civilian aircraft in service. A key feature of these designs

3705-548: The transonic region (around Mach 0.85–1.2). At these speeds aerospace engineers can gently guide air around the fuselage of the aircraft without producing new shock waves , but any change in cross area farther down the vehicle leads to shock waves along the body. Designers use the Whitcomb area rule to minimize sudden changes in size. However, in practical applications, a supersonic aircraft must operate stably in both subsonic and supersonic profiles, hence aerodynamic design

3800-425: The 1960s and 1970s, many design studies for supersonic airliners were done and eventually two types entered service, the Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 (1968) and Anglo-French Concorde (1969). However political, environmental and economic obstacles and one fatal Concorde crash prevented them from being used to their full commercial potential. Airflow can speed up or slow down locally at different points over an aircraft. In

3895-605: The 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing deployed 8 RF-101s to Incirlik Air Base during the 1958 Lebanon crisis to support the Marine landing in Beirut to form a composite air strike force with B-57s , RB-66s , C-124s , F-100s , and Lockheed C-130 Hercules . During October 1962, RF-101As from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing performed reconnaissance sorties over Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis . Allegedly,

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3990-429: The 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing deployed to south east Asia, performing reconnaissance flights over Laos and Vietnam . Operations in this theatre quickly exposed the need for nighttime reconnaissance, for which the aircraft was not originally equipped to perform. The 1964 Project "Toy Tiger" fitted some RF-101C with a new camera package and a centerline pod for photo-flash cartridges. Some were further upgraded under

4085-513: The A and C model aircraft were assigned to the 81st TFW and were used interchangeably within the three squadrons. Operational F-101A/C were upgraded in service with Low Angle Drogued Delivery (LADD) and Low Altitude Bombing System (LABS) equipment for its primary mission of delivering nuclear weapons at extremely low altitudes. Pilots were trained for high speed, low-level missions into Soviet or Eastern Bloc territory, with primary targets being airfields. These missions were expected to be one-way, with

4180-506: The F-101 between 1955 and 1956 ahead of full-rate production commencing in November 1956. On 2 May 1957, the first F-101A was delivered to the 27th Strategic Fighter Wing , which transferred to TAC in July that year, replacing their F-84F Thunderstreak . The F-101A was powered by two Pratt & Whitney J57-P-13 turbojets, allowing good acceleration, a high rate of climb, ease in penetrating

4275-402: The F-101 its signature "T-tail". In late 1952, the mission of the F-101 was changed from "penetration fighter" to "strategic fighter", which entailed equal emphasis on both the bomber escort mission and on nuclear weapons delivery. The new Voodoo mock-up with the reconfigured inlets, tail surfaces, landing gear, and dummy nuclear weapon was inspected by Air Force officials in March 1953. The design

4370-404: The F-101 to suit the new role, including additional apparatus to permit air-to-ground communication, provisions to carry external pods, and structural strengthening. Through the support of TAC, testing of the F-101 was resumed, with Category II flight tests beginning in early 1955. A number of problems were identified and were mostly resolved during this phase of development. Issues were found with

4465-510: The F-101A, it was also fitted with an underfuselage pylon for carrying nuclear weapons, as well as two hardpoints for 450-US-gallon (1,700 L) drop tanks . A total of 47 F101Cs were produced. Originally serving with the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing at Bergstrom AFB , Texas, the aircraft was transferred in 1958 from TAC to the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing , part of United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) which operated three squadrons from

4560-666: The F-101B was Canada, where it was locally referred to as the CF-101 Voodoo . The F-101B was withdrawn from ADC service between 1968 and 1971, with many surviving USAF aircraft transferred to the Air National Guard (replacing F-102s), serving until 1982. The last Voodoo in US service (F-101B-105-MC, AF Ser. No. 58-300 ) was finally retired by the 2nd Fighter Weapons Squadron at Tyndall AFB , Florida on 21 September 1982. The F-101A fighter-bomber had been accepted into TAC service despite

4655-462: The F-101Bs were completed as dual-control operational trainer aircraft initially dubbed TF-101B , but later redesignated F-101F . Seventy-nine new-build F-101Fs were manufactured, and 152 more existing aircraft were later modified with dual controls. Ten of these were supplied to Canada under the designation CF-101F . These were later replaced with 10 updated aircraft in 1971. In the early 1970s,

4750-510: The Los Angeles to New York record in three hours and seven minutes. A total of 77 F-101As were built, only 50 of which were ever used operationally while the remainder were used exclusively for experimental work. They were gradually withdrawn from USAF service starting in 1966. Twenty-nine survivors were converted to RF-101G specifications with a modified nose, housing reconnaissance cameras in place of cannons and radar. These served with

4845-745: The Los Angeles-New York City-Los Angeles record in six hours and 46 minutes, and New York to Los Angeles record in three hours and 36 minutes. Another RF-101C, piloted by then-Lieutenant Gustav Klatt, set a Los Angeles to New York record of three hours and seven minutes. The RF-101C saw service during the Cuban Missile Crisis and soon followed the North American F-100 Super Sabres in October 1961, into combat when RF-101s from

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4940-635: The Mod 1181 program with automatic control for the cameras. Some officials remained dissatisfied with the RF-101C's nighttime photographic capability. The RF-101C acted as pathfinders for F-100 bombers during early strikes in the theatre. The RF-101C sustained losses during the conflict, the first loss to enemy ground fire was recorded in November 1964, although close calls occurred as early as 14 August 1962; North Vietnamese air defenses became increasingly effective over time. From 1965 through November 1970, its role

5035-862: The RF-101A, the RF-101C had up to six cameras in place of radar and cannons in the reshaped nose and retained the bombing ability of the fighter-bomber versions. As it was intended to be flown unarmed, various passive defensive systems were incorporated, including the AN/APS-54 radar warning receiver . It lacked a true all-weather capability due to the USAF choosing to eliminate the AN/APN-82 electronic navigation system planned for it. 166 RF-101Cs were built, including 96 originally scheduled to be F-101C fighter-bombers. On 27 November 1957, during Operation Sun Run, an RF-101C piloted by then-Captain Robert Sweet set

5130-442: The USAF's Tactical Air Command (TAC), and as a photo reconnaissance aircraft based on the same airframe. On 29 September 1954, it performed its maiden flight . The F-101A set a number of world speed records for jet-powered aircraft, including fastest airspeed, attaining 1,207.6 miles (1,943.4 km) per hour on 12 December 1957. Delays in the 1954 interceptor project led to demands for an interim interceptor aircraft design,

5225-735: The United States. Lockheed XF-90 The Lockheed XF-90 was built in response to a United States Air Force requirement for a long-range penetration fighter and bomber escort . The same requirement produced the McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo . Lockheed received a contract for two prototype XP-90 s (redesignated XF-90 in 1948). The design was developed by Willis Hawkins and the Skunk Works team under Kelly Johnson . Two prototypes were built ( s/n 46-687 and -688 ). Developmental and political difficulties delayed

5320-627: The Voodoo began in June 1946 in response to a USAAF Penetration Fighter Competition launched just after World War II . This competition called for a long-range, high-performance fighter to escort a new generation of bombers, similar to the wartime role of the North American P-51 Mustang in escorting the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators across contested airspace. McDonnell

5415-506: The Voodoo could again operate at medium altitudes, the added drag and weight decreased the RF-101's speed enough to be vulnerable to the maneuverable (and cannon-equipped) MiGs and thus require fighter escort. After its withdrawal from Vietnam, the RF-101C continued to serve with USAF units through 1979. In service, the RF-101C was nicknamed the "Long Bird"; it was the only version of the Voodoo to see combat. In total 166 were built. Some of

5510-517: The Voodoo never used such weapons operationally. It was fitted with four 20mm M39 cannon , with one cannon often removed in service to make room for a TACAN beacon-receiver. The F-101 set a number of speed records, including: a JF-101A (the ninth F-101A modified as a testbed for the more powerful J-57-P-53 engines of the F-101B) setting a world speed record of 1,207.6 mph (1,943.4 km/h) on 12 December 1957 during "Operation Firewall", beating

5605-618: The XF-88 won the "fly-off" competition against the competing Lockheed XF-90 and North American YF-93 , the detonation of the first nuclear weapon by the Soviet Union resulted in the United States Air Force (USAF) (created in 1947) re-evaluating its fighter needs, with interceptors being more important and bomber escorts being of reduced priority, and it terminated the Penetration Fighter program in 1950. Another factor in

5700-472: The aerodynamics of supersonic flight are dramatically different from those of subsonic flight (i.e., flight at speeds slower than that of sound). In particular, aerodynamic drag rises sharply as the aircraft passes the transonic regime, requiring much greater engine power and more streamlined airframes. To optimize drag, wingspan must be limited, which also reduces aerodynamic efficiency during subsonic flight, including takeoff and landing. Minimizing wave drag

5795-465: The air to subsonic speed before it reaches the engine. The shock waves are positioned using a ramp or cone which may need to be adjustable depending on trade-offs between complexity and the required aircraft performance. An aircraft able to operate for extended periods at supersonic speeds has a potential range advantage over a similar design operating subsonically. Most of the drag an aircraft sees while speeding up to supersonic speeds occurs just below

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5890-496: The aircraft remained underpowered. The XF-90 was the first USAF jet with an afterburner and the first Lockheed jet to fly supersonic, albeit in a dive. It also incorporated an unusual vertical stabilizer that could be moved fore and aft for horizontal stabilizer adjustment. Partly because Lockheed's design proved underpowered, it placed second to McDonnell's XF-88 Voodoo which won the production contract in September 1950, before

5985-491: The aircraft's performance over Cuba highlighted its shortcomings as a reconnaissance aircraft, motivating a series of modifications to improve its performance. All USAF RF-101As were phased out of service during 1971. During October 1959, eight RF-101As were transferred to Taiwan , which used them for overflights of the Chinese mainland. These ROCAF RF-101A were modified with the RF-101C vertical fins and air intake; this intake

6080-407: The creation of the first rocket- and jet-powered aircraft. Several claims of breaking the sound barrier during the war subsequently emerged. However, the first recognized flight exceeding the speed of sound by a manned aircraft in controlled level flight was performed on October 14, 1947 by the experimental Bell X-1 research rocket plane piloted by Chuck Yeager . The first aircraft to break

6175-497: The development of the jet-powered Boeing B-52 Stratofortress negated the need for fighter escort and Strategic Air Command (SAC) opted to withdraw from the program. Despite SAC's loss of interest, the F-101A had attracted the attention of Tactical Air Command (TAC), leading to the F-101 being reconfigured as a fighter bomber . In this capacity, it was intended to carry a single nuclear weapon for use against tactical targets such as airfields. TAC requested numerous alterations to

6270-436: The engine core, further increasing its fuel efficiency , and supersonic aircraft today are powered by turbofans fitted with afterburners. Supersonic aircraft usually use low bypass turbofans as they have acceptable efficiency below the speed of sound as well as above; or if supercruise is needed turbojet engines may be desirable as they give less nacelle drag at supersonic speeds. The Pratt & Whitney J58 engines of

6365-499: The engine. The new intakes were also designed to be more efficient at higher Mach numbers. In order to increase aerodynamic efficiency, reduce structural weight and alleviate pitch-up phenomena recently identified in-flight testing of the Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket , an aircraft with a control surface configuration similar to the XF-88, the horizontal tail was relocated to the top of the vertical stabilizer, giving

6460-445: The exhaust. Intake design was also a major issue. As much of the available energy in the incoming air has to be recovered, known as intake recovery, using shock waves in the supersonic compression process in the intake. At supersonic speeds the intake has to make sure that the air slows down without excessive pressure loss. It has to use the correct type of shock waves , oblique/plane, for the aircraft design speed to compress and slow

6555-416: The experience and shared the intake and low-wing layout of the previous P-80 Shooting Star , but with 35° swept-back wings , a sharply-pointed nose, and two Westinghouse J34-WE-11 axial-flow turbojet engines, providing a total thrust of 6,200 lbf (27.6 kN), mounted side-by-side in the rear fuselage and fed by side-mounted air intakes. The wings had leading edge slats, Fowler flaps, and ailerons on

6650-540: The first flight until 3 June 1949, with Chief Test Pilot Tony LeVier at the controls. Embodying the experience gained in developing the P-80 Shooting Star , the XF-90 shared some design traits with the older Lockheed fighter, albeit with swept-wings ; however, this latter design choice could not sufficiently make up for the project’s underpowered engines, and the XF-90 never entered production. In response to

6745-446: The fuel pipes on its way to the burner. Another high-speed powerplant is the ramjet . This needs to be flying fairly fast before it will work at all. Supersonic aerodynamics is simpler than subsonic aerodynamics because the airsheets at different points along the plane often cannot affect each other. Supersonic jets and rocket vehicles require several times greater thrust to push through the extra aerodynamic drag experienced within

6840-467: The level of changes involved, the redesigned F-88 was designated F-101 Voodoo in November 1951. The new design was considerably larger, carrying three times the initial fuel load and designed around larger, more powerful Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojets. The greater dimensions of the J57 engines required modifications to the engine bays, and modification to the intakes to allow a larger amount of airflow to

6935-477: The necessary thrust, although rockets burn a lot of fuel and so flight times were short. Early turbojets were more fuel-efficient but did not have enough thrust and some experimental aircraft were fitted with both a turbojet for low-speed flight and a rocket engine for supersonic flight. The invention of the afterburner , in which extra fuel is burned in the jet exhaust, made these mixed powerplant types obsolete. The turbofan engine passes additional cold air around

7030-490: The only Voodoo not using the −13 engines. The new engines featured a substantially longer afterburner than J57-P-13s. To avoid a major redesign, the extended afterburners were simply allowed to extend out of the fuselage by almost 8  ft (2.4 m). The more powerful engines and aerodynamic refinements allowed an increased speed of Mach 1.85. The F-101B was stripped of the four M39 cannons and carried four AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missiles instead, arranged two apiece on

7125-563: The penetration fighter project was abandoned altogether. Upon Lockheed losing the production contract, the two prototypes were retired to other testing roles. The first aircraft ( 46-687 ) was shipped to the NACA Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio in 1953 for structural tests. It was no longer flyable, and its extremely strong airframe was tested to destruction. The other ( 46-688 ) survived three atomic blasts at Frenchman Flat within

7220-524: The pilots having to eject behind Soviet lines. The F-101C never saw combat and was replaced in 1966 with the F-4C Phantom II . Thirty-two aircraft were later converted for unarmed reconnaissance use with the RF-101H designation. They served with Air National Guard units until 1972. Using the reinforced airframe of the F-101C, the RF-101C first flew on 12 July 1957, entering service in 1958. Like

7315-574: The previous record of 1,132 mph (1,811 km/h) set by the Fairey Delta 2 in March the previous year. The record was then subsequently taken in May 1958 by a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter . On 27 November 1957, during "Operation Sun Run," an RF-101C set the Los Angeles-New York City-Los Angeles record in six hours and 46 minutes, the New York to Los Angeles record in three hours and 36 minutes, and

7410-490: The region around Mach 1, some areas may experience supersonic flow while others are subsonic. This regime is called transonic flight. As the aircraft speed changes, pressure waves will form or move around. This can affect the trim, stability and controllability of the aircraft, and the aircraft will experience higher drag than subsonic or fully supersonic speeds. The designer needs to ensure that these effects are taken into account at all speeds. Flight at speeds above about Mach 5

7505-530: The request of TAC. Like all other models of the F-101, it had provision for both flying boom and probe-and-drogue in-flight refueling capability, as well as for a buddy tank that allowed it to refuel other aircraft. It entered service in May 1957, replacing the RB-57 Canberra . On 6 May 1957, the RF-101A entered service, the first unit to operate the type being 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing , stationed at Shaw AFB , South Carolina. On July 15, 1958,

7600-520: The requirement of a high angle of attack, and therefore need the use of flaps . Another problem is the heat generated by friction as the air flows over the aircraft. Most subsonic designs use aluminium alloys such as Duralumin , which are cheap and easy to work but lose their strength quickly at high temperatures. This limits maximum speed to around Mach 2.2. Most supersonic aircraft, including many military fighter aircraft , are designed to spend most of their flight at subsonic speeds, and only to exceed

7695-672: The sound barrier with a female pilot was an F-86 Canadair Sabre with Jacqueline Cochran at the controls. According to David Masters, the DFS 346 prototype captured in Germany by the Soviets, after being released from a B-29 at 32800 ft (10000 m), reached 683 mph (1100 km/h) late in 1951, which would have exceeded Mach 1 at that height. The pilot in these flights was the German Wolfgang Ziese. On August 21, 1961,

7790-499: The speed of sound for short periods such as when intercepting an enemy aircraft. A smaller number, such as the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft and the Concorde supersonic airliner, have been designed to cruise continuously at speeds above the speed of sound, and with these designs the problems of supersonic flight are more severe. Some early supersonic aircraft, including the first, relied on rocket power to provide

7885-430: The speed of sound, due to an aerodynamic effect known as wave drag . An aircraft that can accelerate past this speed sees a significant drag decrease, and can fly supersonically with improved fuel economy. However, due to the way lift is generated supersonically, the lift-to-drag ratio of the aircraft as a whole drops, leading to lower range, offsetting or overturning this advantage. The key to having low supersonic drag

7980-420: The termination was budgetary limitations. Analysis of Korean War missions, however, revealed that contemporary USAF strategic bombers were vulnerable to fighter interception. In early 1951, the USAF issued a new requirement for a bomber escort, to which all major US manufacturers submitted designs. The McDonnell design was a larger and higher-powered version of the XF-88 and won the bid during May 1951. To reflect

8075-417: The top speed was a disappointing 641 mph (1,032 km/h) at sea level. After fitting McDonnell-designed afterburners to the second prototype, thrust was increased to 3,600 lbf (16.1 kN) with corresponding performance increases in top speed, initial rate of climb and reduced takeoff distance. Fuel consumption was greatly increased by use of the afterburners, however, reducing the range. Although

8170-420: The trailing edge. The pressurized cockpit was fitted with an ejection seat and a bubble canopy. Proposed armament was six 20  mm (.79 in) cannons. The internal fuel was supplemented by wingtip-mounted tanks, bringing total fuel capacity to 1,665 gal (6,308 L). The use of 75ST aluminum rather than the then-standard 24ST aluminum alloy, along with heavy forgings and machined parts, resulted in

8265-572: The twin RAF air stations Bentwaters & Woodbridge . The 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron was stationed at Woodbridge, while the 91st and 92nd were stationed at Bentwaters. The 81st TFW served as a strategic nuclear deterrent force, the Voodoo's long-range putting almost all of the Warsaw Pact countries, and targets up to 500 miles (800 km) deep into the Soviet Union within reach. Both

8360-578: The vehicle the nuisance due to them may be reduced to the point that overland supersonic flight may become a practical option. Supercruise is sustained supersonic flight of a supersonic aircraft with a useful cargo, passenger, or weapons load performed efficiently, which typically precludes the use of highly inefficient afterburners or "reheat". Many well known supersonic military aircraft not capable of supercruise can only maintain Mach 1+ flight in short bursts, typically with afterburners. Aircraft such as

8455-537: Was amongst several companies to respond to the competition; their design benefitted from recently captured German research into high speed jet aircraft. On 14 February 1947, McDonnell was awarded a contract ( AC-14582 ) to produce a pair of prototypes, designated XF-88 Voodoo . The first prototype (serial number 46-6525 ), which was powered by two 3,000 lbf (13.3 kN) Westinghouse XJ34-WE-13 turbojets , flew from Muroc on 20 October 1948. Preliminary testing revealed that while handling and range were adequate,

8550-550: Was an evolution of the F3H Demon while the Voodoo was developed from the earlier XF-88 Voodoo . The Voodoo's career as a fighter-bomber was relatively brief, but the reconnaissance versions served for some time. Along with the US Air Force's Lockheed U-2 and US Navy's Vought RF-8 Crusaders , the RF-101 reconnaissance variant of the Voodoo was instrumental during the Cuban Missile Crisis and saw extensive service during

8645-483: Was approved, leading to an initial production order for 29 F-101As being placed on 28 May 1953. No prototypes were required as the F-101 was considered to be a straightforward development of the XF-88, with the Cook-Cragie production policy, in which initial low-rate production would be used for testing without the use of separate prototypes, chosen instead. Despite securing an order for the type, McDonnell received

8740-522: Was gradually taken over by the RF-4C Phantom II. In some 35,000 sorties, 39 aircraft were lost, 33 in combat, including five to SAMs , one to an airfield attack, and one in air combat to a MiG-21 in September 1967. The RF-101C's speed made it largely immune to MiG interception. 27 of the combat losses occurred on reconnaissance missions over North Vietnam. In April 1967, ALQ-71 ECM pods were fitted to provide some protection against SAMs. Although

8835-409: Was selected as a starting point. Although McDonnell proposed the designation F-109 for the new aircraft (which was to be a substantial departure from the basic Voodoo), the USAF assigned the designation F-101B. It was first deployed into service on 5 January 1959, with the 60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron . Production of this model ended in March 1961. The Voodoo featured a modified cockpit to carry

8930-759: Was specifically designed for the role, and was a larger development of the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft which first flew in 1962. Supersonic fighters and related aircraft are sometimes called fast jets. They make up the overwhelming majority of supersonic aircraft and some, such as the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 , Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and Dassault Mirage III , have been produced in large numbers. Many military supersonic fighters and similar aircraft of fourth- and fifth- generations are under development in several countries, including Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Iran and

9025-408: Was used to cool the drag chute compartment and eliminated the five minute limit on using the afterburners on the RF-101A. Two were reportedly shot down. In the late 1940s, the USAF had started a research project into future interceptor aircraft that eventually settled on an advanced specification known as the 1954 interceptor . Contracts for this specification eventually resulted in the selection of

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