Hobby Master HA3115 | F-102A Delta Dagger, USAF, 0-61363, 196 FIS, 163 FIG, California Air National Guard, early 1970s

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 were 889 F-102As manufactured when production ended in September 1958.

The aircraft:

Manufactured in 1956 F-102A 56-1363 had a Case XX wing with a noticeable curved down wing leading edge and wing tip. F-102s manufactured from serial 56-1317 and onward received the Case XX. 61363 was first assigned to the USAF 327th FIS and later the 4756th ADW, 76th FIS, 460th FIS and from 1972 until 1973 it was with the California ANG 196th FIS. In April 1974 this aircraft was SOC and sent to the Bone Yard labeled as FJ261 and in 1980 it was converted to PQM-102B as “804”.

Specifications Convair (F-102A) Delta Dagger “Deuce”
Role - Supersonic All-Weather, delta wing interceptor
Crew – 1 pilot
Number Produced – 889
Dimensions
Length – 68 ft 4 in (20.83 m) 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
Performance
Maximum Speed – Mach 1.25 (825 mph, 1,304 km/h) @ 40,000 ft (12,190 m)
Service Ceiling – 53,400 ft (16,300 m)
ROC – 13,000 ft/min (66 m/s)
Range – 1,350 nm (2,175 km)
Armament
Rockets – 24 x 2.75 in (70 mm) FFAR (Folding Fin Aerial Rocket) unguided rockets in missile bay
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