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Subject: Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_F-102_Delta_Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft that was
built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in
the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept
invading Soviet strategic bomber fleets (Tupolev Tu-95) during the Cold War.
Designed and manufactured by Convair, 1,000 F-102s were built.
A member of the Century Series, the F-102 was the USAF's first operational
supersonic interceptor and delta-wing fighter. It used an internal weapons bay
to carry both guided missiles and rockets. As originally designed, it could not
achieve Mach 1 supersonic flight until redesigned with area ruling. The F-102
replaced subsonic fighter types such as the Northrop F-89 Scorpion, and by the
1960s, it saw limited service in the Vietnam War in bomber escort and
ground-attack roles. It was supplemented by McDonnell F-101 Voodoos and, later,
by McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs.
Many of the F-102s were transferred from the active duty Air Force to the Air
National Guard by the mid-to-late 1960s, and with the exception of those
examples converted to unmanned QF-102 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) drones,
the type was totally retired from operational service in 1976. The follow-on
replacement was the Mach-2 Convair F-106 Delta Dart, which was an extensive
redesign of the F-102.
The prototype YF-102 made its first flight on 23 October 1953, at Edwards AFB,
but was lost in an accident nine days later. The second aircraft flew on 11
January 1954, confirming a dismal performance. Transonic drag was much higher
than expected, and the aircraft was limited to Mach 0.98 (i.e. subsonic), with a
ceiling of 48,000 ft (14,630 m), far below the requirements.
To solve the problem and save the F-102, Convair embarked on a major redesign,
incorporating the recently discovered area rule, while at the same time
simplifying production and maintenance. The redesign entailed lengthening the
fuselage by 11 ft (3.35 m), being "pinched" at the midsection (dubbed the "Coke
Bottle configuration"), with two large fairings on either side of the engine
nozzle, with revised intakes and a new, narrower canopy. A more powerful model
of the J57 was fitted, and the aircraft structure was lightened.
The first revised aircraft, designated YF-102A flew on 20 December 1954, 118
days after the redesign started, exceeding Mach 1 the next day. The revised
design demonstrated a speed of Mach 1.22 and a ceiling of 53,000 ft (16,154 m).
These improvements were sufficient for the Air Force to allow production of the
F-102, with a new production contract signed in March 1954.
Role
Interceptor aircraft
Manufacturer
Convair
First flight
24 October 1953
Introduction
April 1956
Retired
1979
Primary users
United States Air Force
Greece
Turkey
Number built
1,000
Unit cost
US$1.2 million
Developed from
Convair XF-92
Developed into
F-106 Delta Dart
The first operational service of the F-102A was with the 327th
Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at George Air Force Base, in April 1956, and
eventually a total of 889 F-102As were built, production ending in September
1958. TF-102s and F-102s were used in the 1960s by the Air Defense Command (ADC)
at Perrin AFB, Texas to train new F-102 pilots. They also provided platform
training on flight characteristics of delta-winged aircraft for pilots who were
destined to fly the B-58 Hustler bomber for the Strategic Air Command (SAC).
The F-102's official name, "Delta Dagger", was never used in common parlance,
with the aircraft being universally known as the "Deuce." The TF-102 was known
as the "Tub" because of its wider fuselage with side-by-side twin seating.
The F-102 served in Vietnam, flying fighter patrols and serving as bomber
escorts. A total of 14 aircraft were lost in Vietnam: one to air-to-air combat,
several to ground fire and the remainder to accidents.
Initially, F-102 detachments began to be sent to bases in Southeast Asia in 1962
after radar contacts detected by ground radars were thought to possibly be North
time period. The F-102s were sent to Thailand and other nearby countries to
intercept these aircraft if they threatened South Vietnam.
Specifications (F-102A)
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 68 ft 4 in (20.83 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 1 in (11.61 m)
Height: 21 ft 2 in (6.45 m)
(Conically-Cambered Wing) ()
Airfoil: NACA 0004-65 mod root and tip
Empty weight: 19,350 lb (8,777 kg)
Loaded weight: 24,500 lb (11,100 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 31,500 lb (14,300 kg)
11,700 lbf (52.0 kN)
Thrust with afterburner: 17,200 lbf (76.5 kN)
Internal fuel capacity: 1,085 U.S. gal (4,107 l)
Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 1.25 (825 mph, 1,304 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,190 m)
Range: 1,350 mi (1,170 nmo, 2,175 km)
Service ceiling: 53,400 ft (16,300 m)
Rate of climb: 13,000 ft/min (66 m/s)
Thrust/weight: 0.70
Armament
in missile bay doors
Missiles:
Avionics
MG-10 fire control system
*
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