The Florida Panhandle Shipwreck Trail already boasts an impressive 12 wrecks, including the USS Oriskany. Coming on the scene in July 2014, two F-101 Voodoo fighter jets were sunk about three miles off of the coast of Panama City Beach, Florida. The jets were decommissioned and had been on display on land, but both had to be removed due to construction in both locations.
Voodoo Fighter Jets Make for Easy Dives
A local tourism agency and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission paid for the undertaking, wherein the jets were gutted of any and all components or materials that might pose an environmental threat, and secured with two concrete anchors to ensure they stay put, even in the face of Florida’s famous hurricanes. The jets were deliberately placed at depths accessible to most divers, around 76 feet (23 m), making for an easy dive for both visitors and locals.
The F-101 Voodoo was a 68-foot (21 meter) long supersonic fighter jet built by McDonnell Aircraft, which served the U.S. Air Force from 1954 to 1982. It was piloted by a crew of two, and could carry a variety of armament, including nuclear bombs.
