However, when high-speed, high-altitude jet bombers such as the B-52 entered active service, escort fighters were not needed. Therefore, before production began, the F-101's design was changed to fill both tactical and air defense roles.

The F-101 made its first flight on Sep. 29, 1954. The first production F-101A became operational in May 1957, followed by the F-101C in Sep. 1957 and the F-101B in Jan. 1959.

The F-101 could climb four miles straight up in one minute.

In the reconnaissance versions, the Voodoo was the world's first supersonic photo-recon aircraft. These RF-101s were used widely for low-altitude photo coverage of missile sites during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis and during the late 1960s in Southeast Asia.

The F-101B’s, used as fighter interceptors by Air Defense Command, all were two-seaters. The F-101 set the world speed record in 1958 of 1208mph. The F-101C was the world’s first super sonic reconnaissance plane. Flight controls in the F-101 were only in the front cockpit.