1/72 F-102A Delta Dagger 0-61363 196 FIS 163 FIG California Air National Guard early 1970s

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

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

• 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