The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the US Air Force's (USAF) air defenses in the late 1950s. Its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets.
A member of the Century Series, the F-102 was the first operational supersonic interceptor and delta-wing fighter of the USAF. It used an internal weapons bay to carry both guided missiles and rockets. As originally designed, it could not achieve Mach 1 supersonic flight until redesigned with area ruling. The F-102 replaced subsonic fighter types such as the Northrop F-89 Scorpion, and by the 1960s, saw limited service in the Vietnam War in bomber escort and ground-attack roles. It was supplemented by McDonnell F-101 Voodoos and, later, by McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs. Many of the F-102s were transferred to US Air National Guard duty by the mid-to-late 1960s, and the type was retired from operational service in 1976. The follow-on replacement was the Mach-2 Convair F-106 Delta Dart, which was an extensive redesign of the F-102.
The F-102 first flew on 24 October 1953 with its first operational posting with the Air Defense Command's 327th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, George AFB, CA, in April 1956. Before retirement in 1979, a total of 1,000 airframes of all variants were built. Some aircraft were scrapped, while others were converted into PQM-102 remotely controlled target drones. The last PQM-102 was destroyed by a missile in 1984.
This aircraft, F-102A-70-CO s/n 56-1247, was built by Convair at San Diego, CA, and delivered 21 September 1957. Its assignments include the 31st Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Wurtsmith AFB, MI; the 4780th Air Defense Wing, Perrin AFB, TX; the 460th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Portland, OR; the 82nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Travis AFB, CA; the 317th FIS, McChord AFB, WA; the 525th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Bitburg AB, West Germany; the 526th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Ramstein AB, West Germany; the 32nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Soesterberg AB, Netherlands; in September 1964 it returned to the USA in "Operation Hardway I"; the Oregon ANG, 123rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Portland, OR; in January 1967 it was transferred to the Hawaii ANG, 199th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (154th FG), Hickam AFB, HI. Its last flight was in 1976.
Being in Hawaii was her saving grace. Instead of being flown to the scrap yard for reclamation, she ended up as a gate guard. The Travis Museum rescued the F-102 just days before the rare fighter was to be scrapped. She was disassembled and flown to the museum in a C-5A "Galaxy." The F-102 was completely refurbished by Museum volunteers, and was the first aircraft acquired by the Museum. It is painted as an 82nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron aircraft which was based at Travis in the early 1960s.
Specifications:
Crew: 1
Power Plant: 1× 11,700 lbf Pratt & Whitney J57-P-25 turbojet 17,200 lbf w/afterburner
Dimensions:
- Span: 38' 1"
- Length: 68' 4"
- Height: 21' 2"
Weight:
- Empty: 19,350 lb
- Maximum: 31,500 lb
Performance:
- Speed:
- - Max: 825 mph @ 40,000 ft
- - Cruise: 600 mph
- Range: 1,350 miles
- Ceiling: 53,400 ft
- Climb: 13,000 fpm
Armament:
- Rockets: 24× 2.75 in FFAR (Folding Fin Aerial Rocket) unguided rockets in missile bay doors
- Missiles:
- - 6× AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missiles or
- - 3× AIM-4 Falcon +
- - 1× AIM-26 Falcon with conventional or nuclear warhead
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