Delta Dagger by bmac62

Photography • Aviation • posted on Jun 23, 2009

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Description

For all: Photos taken in the remarkable National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton on Monday, June 8, 2009. This collage depicts the Convair F-102A Delta Dagger. It was designed to intercept and destroy enemy bombers. The Delta Dagger became the world's first supersonic all-weather jet interceptor and the US Air Force's first operational delta wing aircraft. It entered service with the Air Defense Command (ADC) in 1956. ...... For aviation enthusiasts: At its peak in the late 1950s, the F-102 equipped more than twenty five ADC squadrons. Convair built 1,101 F-102s, of which 975 were F-102As. The USAF also bought 111 TF-102 combat trainers with side-by-side seating. During a combat mission, electronic equipment on board the F-102 located enemy aircraft, and the onboard radar guided the F-102 into attack position. At the proper moment, the electronic fire control system automatically fired the interceptor's air-to-air rockets and missiles. The F-102A on display served with the 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in Iceland, where it became one of the first USAF aircraft to intercept and escort a Soviet "Bear" bomber over the Arctic. The F-102A was flown to the museum in 1971. Technical Notes: Armament: Twenty-four 2.75-inch unguided rockets and six guided missiles Engine: One Pratt & Whitney J57 of 16,000 lbs thrust Maximum speed: 810 mph Range: 1,000 miles Service ceiling: 55,000 ft Thanks for stopping by, and all of your highly motivating comments and favorites. Bill:) Please ZOOM...have left the file large.

Comments (32)

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durleybeachbum

3:11AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

A beautiful presentation, Bill, of this killing machine! It's a bit like a robberfly!

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drace68

3:23AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Whoo. Shaped like a long, thin dagger. Hadn't realized this had been in service so early. Great set of images, Bill.

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artaddict2

3:44AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Powerful images Bill, Sleek design to this combat machine! You couldn't have got a better pov on the head on shot, fantastic. excellent presentation!

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auntietk

4:00AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

I agree with Alan ... that head-on view is the best! It's quite intimidating. Ummm ... I think I need one level BELOW "for all." Like maybe ... "pretty, shiny plane!" Something like that. Or "Really fast, and how do you like the 50's sci-fi styling?" Or ... "The barber pole on the front of the plane is for ... ???" (What IS that for??)

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GBCalls

4:57AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Excellent views!

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lyron

5:01AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Great collage!!!

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kenmo

5:22AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Nice work & presentation Bill...!!!

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neiwil

5:43AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Great collage Bill.Specially like the straight up the nose view.Can't get over that canopy shape.Great detail in the zoom.Big thanks for this one Bill.

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jendellas

6:17AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Great clear pic as usual & interesting history. Love the barber shop pole nose.

skipper62

7:01AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Great shots. I'll bet the versions with the side by side seating were cramped beyond belief. Still think the F-4 is the prettiest. ;-)

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Meisiekind

7:13AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Bill, I told you before about me and flying and aeroplanes... LOL... However, this is a lovely collage of a very feisty looking craft! Excellent images my friend! :)

PD154

8:05AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

The head on view reminds me of a mosquito head, great work!

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THROBBE

10:07AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Super cool shots!!!

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dbrv6

10:29AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Great presentation and writeup!

MrsLubner

11:12AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Stellar series of views! Great job!

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beachzz

11:44AM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Just seeing that thing comin at ya would scare ya right outta the sky--but yea, WHAT is that and WHY is it there????

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giareg

12:43PM | Tue, 23 June 2009

beautiful photo my friend.

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goodoleboy

1:13PM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Awesome and gorgeous POVs, clarity, colors, lighting and textures on this beauty, Bill! It looks in magnificent condition. Always one of my favorites, mostly because of the delta wing and wasp waist. Plus, optical illusions galore, especially with the two shots on the right. Along with a good eye, your new camera served you well in this venture. March AFB Museum also has a F-102 on its turf, but nowhere in the pristine shape this one is in. Also, the F-102 was also the precursor to the Convair F-106 Delta Dart. Convair put out some really great looking jets, including the B-58 Hustler.

Tamarrion

1:14PM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Fantastic! And it looks like a collection of "Century Series" aircraft in there - I see an F-101 beside her, and what I suspect is an F-106 behind. Love the front-on view. Windscreen is very reminiscent of the CF-105 Arrow.

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Doriutz

1:15PM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Beautiful collage and interesting information :)

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MagikUnicorn

1:18PM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Gorgeous F102 WOWWW REALLY MARVELOUS PLACE TO VISIT

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junge1

1:48PM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Great pictures of this aircraft in this collage Bill. While stationed at Paine Field (where Boeing is right now) I worked on them as a Life Support Specialist. Before the unit (64 FIS, 57th Fighter Group) deployed to SEA (June 3, 1966) the aircraft were modified for aerial refueling (drogue and probe). Air Defense Command (ADC) aircraft had no aerial refueling capability at that time. (The F-102A was barely supersonic (Mach 1.3) and that only after the fuselage was mofified to a coke bottle design. The trainer version (TF-102, pilot and co-pilot sitting side by side, was even slower). To make it faster it was re-designed, but it took so long that it was redesignated F-106 (Delta Dart). Length increased from 68-ft to 70-ft, the F-106 had twin nose gear, the intakes were higher and more set back, and most importantly it was much faster, Mach 2+. The Deuce had a J-57 powerplant and the 106 a J-76-I think!This is also an instant favorite. Thanks for posting it Bill!

proteus2

1:49PM | Tue, 23 June 2009

Nice ! Been in one of these, when I was 6.... ------------------- On the sidenotes, it carried the Skyflash missile, in an iternal bay,supposedly able to be equiped with a nuclear warhead in order to intercept a formation of bombers. P

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Buffalo1

3:01PM | Tue, 23 June 2009

I looked at F-102s and F-106s when I was a kid and said, "Wow! The future is here!" Great shots of an old Cold Warrior!

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anahata.c

4:09PM | Tue, 23 June 2009

as always, these elicit wonderful responses both technical and personal, and though most of it is over my head, it's wonderful to see people drawn-out by these shots. But it's not just the historical importance or beauty of the plane, it's the sweep & mastery of the photography. It looks like a dark space, and you got real definition & sweep; and the darkness only adds to the sheen of this beast. Beautifully seen and captured; if I, a complete newcomer to this area, can feel moved by these, you certainly reached beyond the experts. Beautiful group of pictures.

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