The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger is an interceptor aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Convair. A member of the Century Series, the F-102 was the first operational supersonic interceptor and delta-wing fighter operated by the United States Air Force (USAF).

The F-102 was designed in response to a requirement, known as the 1954 Ultimate Interceptor, produced by USAF officials during the late 1940s. Its main purpose was to be the backbone of American air defenses and to intercept approaching Soviet strategic bomber fleets (primarily the Tupolev Tu-95) during the Cold War. The aircraft was designed alongside a sophisticated fire-control system (FCS); however, a simplified unit had to be adopted due to development difficulties. It used an internal weapons bay to carry both guided missiles and rockets. On 23 October 1953, the prototype YF-102 performed its maiden flight; however, it was destroyed in an accident only nine days later. The second prototype allowed flight testing to resume three months later, but results were disappointing: as originally designed, the aircraft could not achieve Mach 1 supersonic flight.

To improve its performance prior to quantity production commencing, the F-102 was redesigned, its fuselage was reshaped in accordance with the area rule while a thinner and wider wing was also adopted. Flight testing demonstrated sufficient performance improvements for the USAF to be persuaded to permit its production; a new production contract was signed during March 1954. Following its entry to USAF service in 1956, the F-102 promptly replaced various subsonic fighter types, such as the Northrop F-89 Scorpion, in the interceptor role. The F-102C tactical attack model, equipped with several improvements, including a more powerful engine and Gatling gun, was proposed but not ultimately pursued. A total of 1,000 F-102s were built, both for the USAF and a handful of export customers, including the Hellenic Air Force and the Turkish Air Force.

By the 1960s, USAF F-102s had participated in a limited capacity in the Vietnam War as a bomber escort and even in the ground-attack role. The aircraft was supplemented by McDonnell F-101 Voodoos and, later on, by McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs. Over time, many F-102s were retrofitted with infrared search/tracking systems, radar warning receivers, transponders, backup artificial horizons, and modified fire-control systems. Throughout the mid-to-late 1960s, many USAF F-102s were transferred from the active duty Air Force to the Air National Guard, 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. Its principal successor in the interceptor role was the Mach 2-capable Convair F-106 Delta Dart, which was an extensive redesign of the F-102.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale rendition of a Convair F-102A Delta Dagger interceptor that was attached to the 16th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, then deployed to Naha AFB, Okinawa, during the late 1950s. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 6-1/4-inches
Length: 11-1/4-inches

Release Date: January 2014

Historical Account: "Name Changes" - Reactivated at Yontan Air Base Okinawa in 1946 and moved to Naha AB when Yontan closed in 1947. The squadron was assigned to the Twentieth Air Force, 301st Fighter Wing. Pilots engaged in combat operations in Korean War, 1950-1953, returned to Naha Air Base to resume air defense coverage of the Ryukyu Islands in 1954.

From August 1958 to January 1959, deployed to Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Taiwan to fly combat air support missions for Nationalist Chinese forces after mainland Communist Chinese forces shelled the Nationalist-held islands of Quemoy and Matsu.

In the early 1960s, the Air Force was implementing Project Clearwater, an initiative to withdraw Convair F-102 Delta Daggers from overseas bases in order to reduce "gold flow" (negative foreign currency transactions). By 1963, part of Clearwater called for the 16th to move to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, permitting the McDonnell F-101 Voodoos of the 15th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron stationed there to be distributed to other Air Defense Command squadrons. However, the Gulf of Tonkin incident intervened and the 16th was kept in the Pacific to maintain an air defense capability there. It deployed F-102s to the Philippines and South Vietnam from August to October 1964 for air defense against possible Communist North Vietnamese air attacks.