McDonnell F-101 Voodoo

In 1946 , the Strategic Command of the United States Air Force promulgated the terms of reference for the so-called "deep penetration fighter", intended primarily to accompany the Convair B-36 . One of the contenders was the McDonnell XF-88, a prototype, the development of which began in 1947 . This aircraft was equipped with two Westinghouse engines located on the sides of the fuselage and had a characteristic tail section, made according to the “ redrawn ” scheme (in the form of a step). This aircraft made its first flight on October 20, 1948 , and in 1950 it was followed by a second prototype, equipped with improved accelerated engines. The XF-88 had a very small wing with a sweep of 35 degrees and a span of 11.79 meters, the length of the aircraft was only 16.47 meters. The car was able to reach a speed of 1030 km / h at sea level and reach a height of 10.670 meters in 4.5 minutes. However, the combat radius was 1,368 km, and the practical ceiling was only 10,980 meters, which was clearly not enough. The development program of this aircraft was curtailed in 1950, when the US Air Force postponed for the time being the plans to create a heavy long-range fighter.

But only a year later, this aircraft was again remembered as a result of the great losses suffered by the strategic bombers of the Boeing B-29 in Korea . McDonnell used the XF-88 as the basis for creating a completely new fighter. The length of the fuselage was increased, the engines were changed to two new Pratt-Whitney , which made it possible at a speed of more than 1,609 km / h to reach the ceiling of 15.8 km. Having acquired a new look, the aircraft became known as the F-101 Voodoo. The plane turned out so successful that it remained in the ranks as a scout and a tactical support aircraft long after the concept of the “penetration fighter” ceased to be relevant. The prototype made the first flight on December 29, 1954 . Soon he went into production and was named F-101A. A total of 75 vehicles of this type were manufactured and three squadrons of the Tactical Air Command ( Tactical Air Command ) were formed from them.

The next option was a double and got the name F-101B. Of these aircraft, 16 squadrons of the Air Defense Command ( Air Defense Command ) were formed and, in total, 359 vehicles left the assembly line. In addition, the aircraft of this modification amounted to three squadrons of the air defense of Canada . Another modification, the F-101C, was a single-seat fighter-bomber used by the Tactical Air Command . They were equipped with nine squadrons, but the active life of this aircraft was relatively short, it was replaced by more modern machines in the first half of the 1960s. Also, this type was based in the UK and Germany .

Intelligence RF-101C was first used during the Caribbean crisis .

The "voodoo" of the 67th tactical reconnaissance wing participated in the Vietnam War . Approximately 35,000 sorties made, 39 planes were lost, 33 in combat. Two F-101s were shot down by the North Vietnamese MiG-21 on September 16, 1967. ^[3] By 1970, their role was replaced by intelligence agents RF-4C. ^{[4] [5]}

Taiwanese RF-101 made reconnaissance flights in the 1960s during a conflict with China . In 1961, one “Voodoo” was damaged by the fire of a Chinese MiG-17 fighter and finished off with a ground defense . Two more violated the air border was shot down by Chinese J-6 (MiG-19). ^{[6] [7]}

The listed characteristics correspond to the modification of F-101B . Data source: Standard Aircraft Characteristics ^[8]

Specifications

• Crew : 2 (pilot and radar operator)
• Length : 20.54 m
• Wingspan: 12.1 m
• Height : 5.49 m
• Wing area: 34.19 m²
• Sweep on the line 1/4 chord : 36 ° 36 '
• The coefficient of wing elongation : 4.28
• Average aerodynamic chord: 3.12 m
• Wing Profile : NACA 65A007 mod wing root, NACA 65A006 mod ending
• Chassis track : 6.07 m
• Empty weight: 13,053 kg
• Weight curb: 13,704 kg
• Normal take-off weight: 20,622 kg
• Maximum take-off weight : 23,768 kg
• Maximum landing weight: 16 103 kg
• Mass of fuel in internal tanks: 6053 kg (+ 2654 kg in PTB)
• Volume of fuel tanks : 7771 l (+ 2 × 1703 l in PTB)
• Powerplant: 2 × TRDF Pratt & Whitney J57-P-55
  • Unforced traction : 2 × 47.6 kN (4853 kgf ) (maximum)
    • normal: 1 × 40.7 kN (4150 kgf)
  • Afterburner : 2 × 75.2 kN (7666 kgf)
  • Engine length: 6.38 m
  • Diameter of the engine: 1.03 m
  • Dry engine weight: 2365 kg

Flight performance

• Maximum speed: 1032 km / h (at an altitude of 0 m), 1825 km / h (at an altitude of 10.5 km)
• Cruising speed : 880 km / h
• Stall speed: 319 km / h (with normal take-off mass)
• Combat radius: 769 km
  • with PTB: 1228 km
• Ferrying range: 3110 km (with PTB)
• Practical ceiling : 15 575 m
• Rate of climb: 196.34 m / s
• Climbing time:
  • 12192 m in 2.59 min
  • 15240 m for 5.60 m
• Wing load: 603 kg / m² (with normal take-off weight)
• Thrust : 0.47 / 0.74 (at maximum / with afterburner)
• Run length: 1420 m (at normal take-off weight)
• Run length: 1539 m / 1055 m (without / with a brake parachute)
• Maximum operating overload : + 6.8 g

Armament

• Guided missiles: air-to-air missiles :
  • 2 × MB-1 ( NAR ) and 2 × GAR-1 or
  • 6 × GAR-1
• Suspended fuel tanks : 2 × 1703 l under the fuselage

• Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow

• Knaack Marcelle. Vol. 1 Post-World War II Fighters, 1945-1973. // Encyclopedia of US Air Force aircraft and missile systems. - Washington, DC: Office of the Air Force History of the United States Air Force, 1978. - P. 134-157. - 358 p.