McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo

After the cancellation of the CF-105 Arrow program in February 1959, George Pearkes, the Canadian Minister of National Defence, officially maintained that the existing Avro CF-100 interceptors and the Bomarc missiles that had been ordered in September 1958 would be adequate for Canada's air defense needs. Unofficially, it was recognized that there was still a bomber threat, and talks had been underway prior to the Avro Arrow's termination on the RCAF acquisition of an "off-the-shelf" interceptor from the United States.

The USAF indicated its readiness to supply 56 F-101B interceptors and 10 F-101F trainers (by employing Convair F-102 Delta Daggers in less demanding NORAD sectors) for Canada. The deal was delayed by over a year by negotiations over offsets and acquisition costs, as well as debate within the Diefenbaker government about Canada adopting nuclear weapons systems, which had been agreed to in principle in 1958. The financial arrangements were settled by Canada taking on the staffing and funding of 11 Pinetree Line radar stations within Canada that had formerly been operated and funded by the USAF. An agreement signed in June 1961 covered the transfer of the aircraft, meant to equip five front-line squadrons (replacing nine CF-100 squadrons) and an Operational Training Unit (OTU).

CF-101B firing AIR-2 Genie in 1982

The issue of nuclear weapons in Canada had not been resolved in June 1961, thus the CF-101s were armed only with their secondary AIM-4D Falcon missiles. In April 1963, the issue led to the collapse of the Diefenbaker government. The succeeding Pearson government signed an agreement with the United States concerning nuclear arms for Canada on 16 August 1963. The agreement did not actually state that Canada was acquiring nuclear weapons; the Canadian government usually refused to confirm or deny that there were any nuclear arms in Canada. The agreement specifically stated that the AIR-2A Genie rockets were the property of the United States and would only be released to Canada for actual use with the joint agreement of Canada and the United States through NORAD. The stringent training requirements meant that it took until June 1965 for the Genies to become operational in Canada. The Genies were kept in the custody of the USAF, with detachments of the 425th Munitions Support Squadron located at each of the Canadian bases.

Through the 1970s, the increasing obsolescence of the CF-101 and the CF-104 led to the New Fighter Aircraft program. Launched in 1977, the program sought a replacement for the CF-5, CF-104 Starfighter, and CF-101 Voodoo. The Grumman F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Falcon, McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, Panavia Tornado, Dassault Mirage F1, and the Mirage 2000 were evaluated as potential replacements. Cost considerations reduced the choice to the F-16 and F-18; the F-18 was ultimately selected in April 1980. The Voodoo OTU converted to CF-18 Hornets in June 1982; 409 and 425 Squadrons also stood down in June 1984. In 1985, 416 Squadron moved from CFB Chatham, New Brunswick to CFB Cold Lake, Alberta and converted from the Voodoo to the Hornet.[1] With the stand down, the last nuclear weapons in Canada were returned to the US.

Two Voodoos remained in service after the stand-down: the unique EF-101B "Electric Voodoo" electronic jamming aircraft and a single CF-101F trainer with 414 Squadron at North Bay, Ontario. The EF-101B was a conversion of a regular F-101B, incorporating the electronic jamming suite from an EB-57E Canberra. Only one aircraft was converted before the program was cancelled and this sole example was leased to Canada. The EF-101B was returned to the United States on 7 April 1987, while CF-101F 101006 made the world's last Voodoo flight on 9 April 1987, as it made a delivery flight from CFB North Bay to CFB Greenwood via CFB Bagotville and CFB Chatham for eventual display at CFB Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, where it decorated the parade square at the Recruit School. After CFB Cornwallis closed in 1995, 006 was moved to the Cornwallis Military Museum; in October 2013, due to corrosion and security concerns, 006 was donated to the Jet Aircraft Museum in London, Ontario, where it is presently undergoing refurbishment.[2]

Royal Canadian Air Force McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.

CF-101B at the Western Canada Aviation Museum, Winnipeg, Manitoba, c. 2005.

CF-101 displayed at CFB Borden.

CF-101F S/N 101022 at McChord Air Force Base

Over 30 Canadian and ex-Canadian CF-101s are preserved in museums and as memorials in Canada and the United States.[4]

• Clearwater, John M. Canadian Nuclear Weapons: The Untold Story of Canada's Cold War Arsenal. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1998. ISBN 1-55002-299-7.
• Dempsey, Dan. A Tradition of Excellence: Canada's Airshow Team Heritage. Victoria, BC: High Flight Enterprises, 2002. ISBN 0-9687817-0-5.
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• Knaack, Marcelle Size. Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems: Volume 1 Post-World War II Fighters 1945–1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, 1978. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
• McIntyre, Robert. CF-101 Voodoo: Canadian Profile. Ottawa: SMS Publishing, 1984. ISBN 0-920375-01-4.
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• Rankin-Lowe, Jeff and Andrew Cline. The Aircraft of the Canadian Armed Forces. Toronto: Sirius Publications (independently published), 1996. No ISBN.