F-106A Delta Dart
From Wikipedia:
"The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date. It was gradually retired during the 1980s, although the QF-106 drone conversions of the aircraft were used until 1998.
Design and development:
The F-106 emerged from the USAF's 1954 interceptor program of the early 1950s as an advanced derivative of the F-102 Delta Dagger known as the F-102B, for which the United States Air Force placed an order for in November 1955. The aircraft featured so many modifications and design changes it became a new design in its own right, redesignated F-106 on 17 June 1956.
The major change was to an area ruled fuselage, enabling supersonic speed in level flight. In addition, the F-106 featured a more powerful J-75 afterburning turbojet with enlarged intake diameter to compensate for the increased airflow requirements and a variable geometry inlet duct, which allowed the aircraft improved performance particularly at supersonic speeds, as well as permitting a shorter inlet duct. The fuselage was cleaned up and simplified in many ways featuring a modified, slightly enlarged wing area and a redesigned vertical tail surface. The aircraft's exhaust nozzle featured a device known as an idle thrust reducer, which allowed taxiing without the jet blast blowing unsecured objects around, without adversely affecting performance at high thrust levels, including afterburners. The fuselage was also slightly longer than the F-102 Delta Dagger.
Initial flight tests at the end of 1956 and beginning of 1957 were disappointing, with performance much less than anticipated, but after nearly abandoning the program, the Air Force decided to order 350 F-106s instead of the planned 1,000. After some minor redesign, the new aircraft, designated F-106A were delivered to 15 fighter interceptor squadrons along with the F-106B two-seat combat-capable trainer variant, starting in October 1959.
In December 1959, Major Joseph W. Rogers set a world speed record of 1,525.96 mph (2455.79 km/h) in a Delta Dart at 40,500 ft (12,300 m).
The F-106 was equipped with the Hughes MA-1 integrated fire-control system, which could be linked to the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) network for ground control interception (GCI) missions, allowing the aircraft to be steered by controllers. It was armed with four Hughes AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missiles in its internal weapons bay, along with a single GAR-11/AIM-26A Falcon nuclear-tipped semi-active radar (SAR)-homing missile (which detected reflected radar signals), or a 1.5 kiloton-warhead AIR-2 (MB-2) Genie air-to-air rocket intended to be fired into enemy bomber formations. The MA-1 proved extremely troublesome and was eventually upgraded more than 60 times in service.
Operational history:
F-106A Delta Dart from California ANG fires the AIR-2 Genie missile. An F-106A of the 87th FIS above Charleston AFB, SC in 1982. A Soviet Tu-95 intercepted by a 102nd FIW F-106A in 1982 The F-106 served in the continental USA, Alaska, and Iceland, as well as brief periods in Germany and South Korea. The F-106 was the second highest sequentially numbered P/F- aircraft to enter service under the old number sequence (the F-111 was highest), before the system was reset under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system. In service, the F-106's official name, "Delta Dart," was rarely used, and the aircraft was universally known simply as the "Six."
Although contemplated for use in Vietnam, it never saw combat, nor was it exported to foreign users. After initial teething problems were resolved, its exceptional performance made it very popular with its pilots. Air-to-air combat testing suggested the "Six" was a reasonable match for the F-4 Phantom II in a dogfight, with superior high-altitude turn performance and overall maneuverability (aided by the aircraft's lower wing loading), although pilots conceded the Phantom had better radar and missiles. The F-4 also featured a greater missile capacity than the F-106, featured a higher thrust/weight ratio, superior climb performance, and better high speed/low-altitude maneuverability.
The F-106 was progressively updated in service, with improved avionics, a modified wing featuring a noticeable conical camber, an infrared search and track system, streamlined supersonic wing tanks which provided virtually no degradation to overall aircraft performance, better instrumentation, and features like an inflight refuelling receptacle and an arresting hook for landing emergencies.
Some F-106As were upgraded in Project Six Shooter in 1972, fitted with a new bubble canopy without the metal bracing along the top (which greatly improved pilot visibility), an optical gunsight, and provision for a single M61 Vulcan 20 mm cannon with 650 rounds of ammunition in the center weapons bay, replacing the AIM-26 Super Falcon or Genie.
The F-15A started replacing the F-106 in 1981, with the "Sixes" typically passed on to Air National Guard units. The F-106 remained in service in various USAF and ANG units until 1988.
Starting in 1986, many of the surviving aircraft were converted into drones, designated QF-106A, and used for target practice. The last was destroyed in January 1998. The drones were still capable of being flown as manned aircraft, such as for ferrying to a test; during the test they were flown unmanned. A handful of F-106s were retained by NASA for test purposes through 1998.
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 70.7 ft (21.55 m)
Wingspan: 38.25 ft (11.67 m)
Height: 20.28 ft (6.18 m)
Wing area: 661.5 ft² (61.52 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 0004-65 mod root and tip
Empty weight: 24,420 lb (11,077 kg)
Loaded weight: 34,510 lb (15,670 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney J75-17 afterburning turbojet, 24,500 lbf (109 kN)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0083
Drag area: 5.8 ft² (0.54 m²)
Aspect ratio: 2.10 Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 2.3 (1,525 mph, 2,455 km/h)
Range: 1,800 mi (1,600 nm, 2,900 km) combat
Ferry range: 2,700 mi (2,300 nm, 4,300 km)
Service ceiling: 57,000 ft (17,000 m)
Rate of climb: 29,000 ft/min (150 m/s)
Wing loading: 52 lb/ft² (255 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.71
Lift-to-drag ratio: 12.1
Time to altitude: 6.9 min to 52,700 ft (16,065 m)
Armament
Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan gatling gun
Missiles:
2× AIM-4F Falcon
2× AIM-4G Falcon
1× AIR-2A Genie nuclear rocket"