Convair F-106 Delta Dart Jet Fighter Plane

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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