Hobby Master Archive

From 1970 to 1972 fifty six of Canada’s original CF-101s were sent back to the USAF to be replaced by sixty six Voodoos with lower air time. Most of the aircraft were scrapped but twenty two were converted to RF-101Bs reconnaissance variants. The modification consisted of removing most of the rear cockpit controls, removing the armament and fire control systems in the nose and replacing them with special photography cameras and tv cameras in a new modified nose. The weapons bay was also emptied and filled with more cameras. Some aircraft received an enclosed in-flight refueling probe in front of the cockpit as well as an air-refueling receptacle behind the rear cockpit. When the modifications were completed the aircraft were sent to the Nevada ANG 192 TRS in Reno, Nevada. These aircraft were found to be too expensive to operate and replaced by RF-4Cs in 1975. This particular aircraft ended up going to the scrap yard in January 1980.