The
Convair F-106 Delta Dart was conceived in the early 1950's as the
"Ultimate Interceptor", it was based on the existing but problematic F-102 Delta Dagger,
initially designated the F-102B, the F-106 Delta Dart was destined to
be the last single-role interceptor of the U.S. Air Force and was
referred to as the "Six" by both it's pilots and maintenance crews.
The
Convair F-106 Delta Dart first flew on boxing day 1956 and entering
operational service with the USAF in October 1959, the following month a
Convair F-106 Delta Dart flown by Major Joseph W. Rogers set a world
speed record of 1,525.96 mph at an altitude of 40,500 feet.
Convair
F-106 Delta Dart's were to remain the primary US Air Force's
all-weather interceptor until the late 1970's, by which time 340
aircraft had been built, the remaining F-106's were re-assigned to the
Air National Guard having having been replaced with the F-15
in USAF operational fighter squadrons. The last of the Air National
Guard's F-106 Delta Dart's were finally stood down in 1988, many ending
their life converted into QF-106 target drones.
Convair F-106 Delta Dart Specifications:
- Crew: Pilot only
- Length: 70.7 ft (21.55 m)
- Wingspan: 38.25 ft (11.67 m)
- Height: 20.28 ft (6.18 m)
- Maximum weight: 34,510 lb (15,668 kg)
- Engine: Single 24,500 lbf (108.98 kN) Pratt & Whitney J75-17 afterburning turbojet
- Maximum speed: 1,525 mph (Mach 2.32, 455 km/h)
- Combat range: 1,800 mi (2,897 km)
- Service ceiling: 57,000 ft (17,374 m)
- Rate of climb: 29,000 ft/min (8,839 m/min)
Armament:
- Single 20 mm (.79in) M61A1 Vulcan six-barrelled cannon
- Four AIM-4 Falcon infra-red or radar guided air-to-air missiles
- Single AIR-2A Genie air-to-air nuclear missile
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