Produced alongside the F-101B interceptor was the F-101F operational and conversion trainer. The 79 F-101Fs were equipped with dual controls, but carried the same armament as the F-101B and were fully combat-capable. Most of these F-101Fs were retrofitted with infrared sensors and improved fire-control systems as part of Project *Bold Journey*. The F-101F was externally identical to the F-101B, and the two aircraft could only be distinguished from each other by an examination of their serial numbers.
Dual-control F-101F aircraft were widespread throughout the F-101 interceptor fleet, but a sizeable proportion of them were concentrated in the training units with only a handfull being assigned to each operational F-101B interceptor unit. Reconnaissance Voodoo units were also assigned a few F-101Fs to assist with their conversion training.
Canada’s air force received ten F-101F two-seat operational trainers in parallel with the acquisition of its 56 F-101B interceptors. These included four F-101F-116-MCs (59-393, 400, 407, and 437) and six F-101F-121-MCs (59-443, 449, 454, 460, 466, 472, and 478). In Canadian service, they were designated CF-101F.
In 1970-71, the surviving CF-101Fs from the initial batch delivered to Canada were returned to the USA and exchanged for ten new F-101F operational trainers under Operation *Peach Wings*. These ex-USAF Voodoos were from earlier production batches, but had been upgraded with infrared sensors and improved fire control systems as part of Project *Bold Journey*.
Serials of F-101F:
56-0244/0245 McDonnell F-101F-51-MC Voodoo 56-0246/0247 McDonnell F-101F-56-MC Voodoo 56-0253 McDonnell F-101F-61-MC Voodoo to Canadian Armed Forces as 101001 in 1970/71 56-0260 McDonnell F-101F-66-MC Voodoo to Canadian Armed Forces as 101002 in 1970/71 56-0262 McDonnell F-101F-66-MC Voodoo to Canadian Armed Forces as 101003 in 1970/71 56-0274/0277 McDonnell F-101F-71-MC Voodoo 0277 to Canadian Armed Forces as 101004 in 1970/71 56-0289 McDonnell F-101F-76-MC Voodoo 56-0294 McDonnell F-101F-76-MC Voodoo 56-0299 McDonnell F-101F-76-MC Voodoo 56-0304 McDonnell F-101F-81-MC Voodoo to Canadian Armed Forces as 101005 in 1970/71 56-0308 McDonnell F-101F-81-MC Voodoo 56-0312 McDonnell F-101F-81-MC Voodoo 56-0316 McDonnell F-101F-81-MC Voodoo 56-0320 McDonnell F-101F-81-MC Voodoo 56-0324 McDonnell F-101F-81-MC Voodoo to Canadian Armed Forces as 101006 in 1970/71 56-0328 McDonnell F-101F-81-MC Voodoo to Canadian Armed Forces as 101007 in 1970/71 57-0263 McDonnell F-101F-86-MC Voodoo 57-0267 McDonnell F-101F-86-MC Voodoo 57-0271 McDonnell F-101F-86-MC Voodoo 57-0275 McDonnell F-101F-86-MC Voodoo 57-0279 McDonnell F-101F-86-MC Voodoo 57-0283 McDonnell F-101F-86-MC Voodoo 57-0287 McDonnell F-101F-86-MC Voodoo 57-0292 McDonnell F-101F-86-MC Voodoo 57-0297 McDonnell F-101F-86-MC Voodoo 57-0302 McDonnell F-101F-86-MC Voodoo 57-0307 McDonnell F-101F-86-MC Voodoo 57-0312 McDonnell F-101F-91-MC Voodoo 57-0317 McDonnell F-101F-91-MC Voodoo 57-0322 McDonnell F-101F-91-MC Voodoo 57-0327 McDonnell F-101F-91-MC Voodoo 57-0332 McDonnell F-101F-91-MC Voodoo at Tyndall Air Park, Florida 57-0337 McDonnell F-101F-91-MC Voodoo 57-342 McDonnell F-101F-91-MC Voodoo 57-347 McDonnell F-101F-91-MC Voodoo 57-352 McDonnell F-101F-91-MC Voodoo 57-357 McDonnell F-101F-91-MC Voodoo 57-365 McDonnell F-101F-96-MC Voodoo 57-372 McDonnell F-101F-96-MC Voodoo 57-379 McDonnell F-101F-96-MC Voodoo 57-386 McDonnell F-101F-96-MC Voodoo 57-393 McDonnell F-101F-96-MC Voodoo 57-400 McDonnell F-101F-96-MC Voodoo 57-407 McDonnell F-101F-96-MC Voodoo 57-414 McDonnell F-101F-101-MC Voodoo 57-421 McDonnell F-101F-101-MC Voodoo 57-428 McDonnell F-101F-101-MC Voodoo 57-449 McDonnell F-101F-101-MC Voodoo 58-0262 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-0269 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-0276 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-0283 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-0290 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-297 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-304 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-311 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-318 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-324 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-331 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 58-338 McDonnell F-101F-106-MC Voodoo 59-0393 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo to RCAF as 17393 in 1968 59-0400 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo to RCAF as 17400 in 1968. 59-0407 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo to RCAF as 17407 in 1968. 59-0413 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo at Empire State Aerosciences Museum, Scotia, NY. 59-0419 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo 59-0425 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo 59-0437 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo to RCAF as 17437 in 1968. 59-0443 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo to RCAF as 17443 in 1968. 59-0449 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo to RCAF as 17449 in 1968. 59-0454 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo 59-0460 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo to RCAF as 17460 in 1968. 59-0466 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo to RCAF as 17466 in 1968. 59-0472 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo to RCAF as 17472 in 1968. 59-0478 McDonnell F-101F-116-MC Voodoo to RCAF as 17478 in 1968.
Specification of the F-101F:
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney J57-P-55 turbojets, 11,990 lb.s.t. dry and 16,900 lb.s.t. with afterburner. Performance: Maximum speed 1134 mph at 35,000 feet. Initial climb rate 49,200 feet/min. Service ceiling 58,400 feet, combat ceiling 51,000 feet. Normal range 1520 miles, maximum range 1930 miles. Weights: 28,970 pounds empty, 45,664 pounds gross, 40,853 pounds combat weight, 52,400 pounds maximum takeoff. Dimensions: wingspan 39 feet 8 inches, length 67 feet 5 inches, height 18 feet 0 inches, wing area 368 square feet. Fuel: Maximum internal fuel load was 2053 US gallons. A total of three under-fuselage drop tanks could be carried, bringing maximum fuel load to 2953 US gallons. Armament: Armed with four Falcon AAMs (usually 2 GAR-1 (AIM-4) semiactive radar homers and 2 GAR-2 (AIM-4B) infrared homers) in internal ventral weapons bay. In later versions, two unguided AIR-2A Genie unguided rockets with nuclear warheads could be carried in place of two of the Falcons on external attachment points.
Sources:
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McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume II, Rene J.
Francillon, Naval Institute Press, 1990.
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.
