General Background

The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was designed to be an interceptor aircraft and act as the core of USAF air defenses in the late 1950s. The F-102 first appeared in service in 1956 with the task to intercept Soviet bombers. The official name for the F-102 was “Delta Dagger” but the most common term used was “Deuce”. There was 889 F-102As manufactured when production ended in September 1958.

The Aircraft

The maiden flight of the F-102 took place on October 24, 1953 and became operational in 1956. Designed as the world’s first supersonic all-weather jet interceptor as well as the USAF’s first delta-wing. F-102A Delta Dagger 57-0907 was produced in 1957 and was assigned to the USAF 460th FIS as the commander’s aircraft from 1958-1962. After that it spent time with the 4780th ADW, California ANG 196th FIS before being stored in 1971 at AMARC. In 1981 the aircraft was converted to a PQM-102B drone #841.

Specifications

• Role: Supersonic All-Weather, delta wing interceptor
• Crew: 1 pilot
• Number Produced: 889
• Dimensions
• Length: 68 ft 4 in (20.83
• Wingspan : 38 ft 1 in (11.61 m)
• Height: 21 ft 2 in (6.45 m)
• Weight
• Empty: 19,350 lb 8,777 kg)
• Loaded: 24,500 lb (11,100 kg)
• Maximum Takeoff: 31,500 lb (14,300 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 x Pratt & Whitney J57-P-25 afterburning turbojet
• Thrust
• Dry: 11,700 lbf (8,777 kg)
• With Afterburner: 17,200 lbf (76.5 kN)
• Fuel
• Internal: 1.085 US gal (4,107 l)
• External: 2 x 215 US gal (815 l) drop tanks
• Armament
• Rockets: 24 x 2.75 in (70 mm) FFAR (Folding Fin Aerial Rocket) unguided rockets in missile bay doors
• Missiles : AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air
• AIM-26 Falcon with conventional or nuclear warhead
• Missiles were contained in 3 bays inside the aircraft belly
• Avionics: MG-10 fire control system designed by Hughes Aircraft Company