Captain Group - Voodoo Warriors: The Story of the McDonnell Voodoo Fast-jets

Voodoo Warriors could not have been written without many contributions in words and pictures from those who helped give birth to and nurture the aircraft, flew it and provided essential support on the ground throughout its life. Some were my friends, colleagues and acquaintances, others I have never met and sadly there are those who are no longer with us.

I offer special thanks to the McDonnell technical representatives and those in the public relations office, to Joseph D Caver and the staff of the United States Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell AFB and to Robert F Dorr for helping with the facts, donating photographs and advising on their use. Then there were many others who also searched diligently for the facts or provided verification, adding anecdotes and photographs to humanise our story; they included Bob Archibald; Jack Bowland; Earl Butts; Doug Brittian; Al Brunstrom; Conrad Binyon; Steve Burgie Burgeson; Bill Bernert; Kay Berry; Bill Baugh; Dick Campis; Brigadier General Robert Caudry; Jack & Mary Coghlan; Michael Cromie; Bob Case, John Clearwater; Brian Cluer, George Cowgill; Alan Curry; Howard Davis; Richard Doritty; Frank Dunn; Wilf Dobbin; Darryl Danner; Major General George Edwards; Don Elwood; Doug Gordon; Bob Gould; Evelyn Grubb; Dewey Hemphill; Dick Holm; Mike Hobbs; Major General Paul Hodges; Mike Hobbs; Norman Huggins; Jim Ifland; Don Karges; General Bill Kirk; Keith Kuester; Joe Kuhlmann; Martin Keenan; John Linihan; Chuck Lustig; Tish Lynn; Al Magazzine; David Mulinder; George Malton; Terry Mays; Jerry Miller; Mike Moore; Fred Muesegaes; Gene Morris; Larry Milberry; Jim Murphy; Howard Myli; Gordon Macadie; John Nevill; Chuck OConnell; Joe OGrady; Brigadier General Robin Olds; Carl Overstreet; Fred Paradie; Lou Picciano; Nick Pishvanov; Jules Plamondon; Marv Reed; Dick Reese; Harry Runge; John Roddick; Major General Jerry Rogers; Tom Saunders; Scotty Schoolfield; John Summers; Steve Pace; Ed Satterfield; Ray Scott; John Stants; Jim Tidwell; Ray Tiffault; Mike Tschida, Turbo Tarling; John Turner; Dick Vaughters; Lister Vickrey; George Wehling; John Wheeler; Gwyn Williams; Burt Waltz; Joe Witt; Stuart Whalley; Don and Wynette Wolf; Dick Wood; Jimmy Wylie; Doug Yates. I do apologise if I have omitted others in this sincere appreciation.

Finally, I thank all those who commented so constructively on my drafts within their specialisations and, in particular, David Baron and my wife, Margreet, who waded through the final version in toto. This was indeed a team effort.

THE AUTHOR

Group Captain Nigel J. R. Walpole OBE BA RAF, passed out from the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, in 1954. He flew Hunter day fighters and Swift fighter reconnaissance aircraft in Germany before an exchange tour with the USAF at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, flying RF-101 Voodoos.

On promotion to squadron leader he commanded 234 Squadron (Hunter fighter/ground attack) and II (AC) Squadron (Hunter fighter reconnaissance), before being appointed Brigade Air Support Officer with 16 Parachute Brigade as a wing commander. He commanded No 12 Squadron (Buccaneer maritime strike/attack) and became Wing Commander Operations on the Jaguar Strike/ Attack Wing in Germany. After a tour as Group Captain Operations at HQ RAF Germany, he completed his service career as Assistant Chief of Staff Offensive Operations, Second Allied Tactical Air Force. Following civilian employment as the air weapons advisor to British Aerospace, he and his wife retired to Suffolk. This is his fourth book on tactical air operations.

Flight Lieutenant Nigel J. R. Walpole, 4414th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, 1960.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The factual framework for this book is based largely on information from official documents made available by the USAF Historical Research Agency at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, USAF and RCAF/CAF Wing and Squadron records. In addition, primary evidence has been taken from personal testimonies and secondary evidence from the following publications.

Dorr, Robert F & Chris Bishop: Vietnam Air Warfare; Greenwich Editions 2002

Dorr, Robert F: McDonnell F-101 Voodoo; Osprey Publishing

Drendel, Lou & Paul Stevens: McDonnell Douglas F-101 (Modern Military Aircraft) January 1986; Squadron/Signal Publications.

Fowler, Will: The Vietnam Story; Winchmore Publishing Services

Greenhalgh, William H: The RF-101 Voodoo, 1961-1970; Office of Air Force History, 1979

McIntyre, Robert: CF-101 Voodoo - Canadian Profile; SMS Publishing

Nalty, Bernard C: Air War Over South Vietnam; Air Force History and Museums Program

Pace, Steve: McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo; Air Force Legends

Schlight, John: A War Too Long; Air Force History and Museums Program

Thompson, Wayne: To Hanoi and Back; Air Force History and Museums Program 1996

Additional Sources

Aces & Aerial Victories: The USAF in South East Asia 1965-1973; Office of Air Force History

Airforce: The Magazine of Canadas Air Force Heritage

Air Power History: Voodoo Reconnaissance in the Vietnam War; John Bull Stirling

Airpower: A Sentry Magazine: McDonnells F-101 Voodoo (Vol 10 No 3, May 1980)

Flight Manual: RF-101 Voodoo

Famous Aeroplanes of the World No 59 - McDonnell Douglas F-101 Voodoo: March 1975

FlyPast: 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing; Doug Gordon

Recce Readers : The Official Publication of the TAC Recce Reunion Association

Warpaint No.47: McDonnell F-101 Voodoo; Kev Darling

McDONNELL VOODOO

COLOUR PROFILES

created by Dave Windle

McDonnell F-101A-35-MC Voodoo

Serial No : 54-1468

92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron 81st Tactical Fighter Group USAF

McDonnell F-101A-35-MC Voodoo

Serial No : 54-1482

91st Tactical Fighter Squadron 81st Tactical Fighter Group USAF

McDonnell F-101C-40-MC Voodoo

Serial No : 54-1491

81st Tactical Fighter Group USAF

McDonnell RF-101A-30-MC Voodoo

Serial No : 54-1516

29th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron USAF

McDonnell RF-101H Voodoo

(Convered from McDonnell F-101C-45-MC Voodoo

Serial No : 56-0006

165th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron USAF