Developed from the XF-88, the F-101 was originally designed as a long-range
bomber escort. However, with the advent of high-speed, high-altitude jet
bombers, escort fighters were not needed. Voodoos were primary used as
all-weather interceptors and supersonic photo-recon aircraft (RF-101).
The F-101 made its first flight in 1954. As the RF-101, Voodoos were
widely used for low-altitude photo coverage of missile sites during the 1962
Cuban Missile Crisis and during the late 1960s in Southeast Asia.
