Monthly Archives: August 2025

Fighter pilot is an attitude. It is a streak of rebelliousness, and it is competitiveness. But there’s something else – there’s a spark. There’s a desire to be good. To do well; in the eyes of your peers, and in your own mind. Robin Olds, Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs Of Legendary Ace Robin Olds. Using the reinforced air frame of the F-101C, the RF-101C first flew on July 12th, 1957, entering service in 1958. Like 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. 166 RF-101Cs were built, including 96 originally scheduled to be F-101C fighter-bombers. On November 27th, 1957, during Operation Sun Run, an RF-101C piloted by then-Captain Robert Sweet set the Los Angeles-New York City-Los Angeles record in 6 hours 46 minutes, and New York to Los Angeles record in 3 hours, 36 minutes. Another RF-101C, piloted by then-Lieutenant Gustav Klatt, set a Los Angeles to New York record of three hours 7 minutes. The 1964 Project “Toy Tiger” fitted some RF-101C with a new camera package and a center line pod for photo-flash cartridges. Some were further upgraded under the Mod 1181 program with automatic control for the cameras. 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 the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing deployed to Vietnam. The RF-101C was deployed operationally during the Vietnam War, sustaining losses with the first F-101 being lost in November 1964 to ground fire. From 1965 through November 1970, its role 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 the Voodoo was again able to operate at medium altitudes, the added drag and weight decreased the speed enough to make RF-101 vulnerable to the maneuverable (and cannon-equipped) MiGs and thus requiring fighter escort. After 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. Pictured here is a 1:72 scale diecast replica of a USAF McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo reconnaissance aircraft that was nicknamed “Gerry’s Klown”, and attached to the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron “Polka Dots”, then deployed to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, during 1969. Dimensions: Wingspan: 7-inches Length: 10-1/2-inches. Features: – Diecast construction with some plastic parts – Accurate markings and insignia – Full complement of weapons – Interchangeable landing gear – Opening canopy – Comes with two seated pilot figures – Comes with display stand. Historical Account: “Polka Dots” – In August 1958, the squadron’s subsonic Thunderjets were replaced by the supersonic McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo, the first supersonic tactical reconnaissance aircraft in the USAF inventory. In the early 1960s, the United States began to become more and more involved in the ongoing conflict in Vietnam. A detachment of the squadron was sent from Japan to Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base, co-located with Bangkok’s international airport, in Thailand, to fly high-speed reconnaissance missions over South Vietnam. In December 1962, another detachment was deployed to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, near Saigon, South Vietnam. Its mission was to fly intelligence gathering flights. Squadron aircraft and personnel began rotational temporary duty to Tan Son Nhut, which continued until November 1965. The unit was re-designated the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on January 1st, 1967. The usefulness of the RF-101 to the war effort was, in large part, the reason for the aircraft to remain in the inventory throughout the 1960s. Upon its return to Misawa, the squadron’s aircraft, now relatively war-weary from nearly a decade of flying combat missions, were retired and the squadron became non-operational. It was inactivated on May 31st, 1971.