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F-106 Delta Dart Convair
F-106 Delta Dart
Interceptor

DESCRIPTION:
During the 1950s, the US Air Force wished to procure an advanced supersonic, all-weather "ultimate interceptor" to defend the US against Soviet bombers. Once it became apparent that this new aircraft would not be available by its 1954 deadline, the Air Force purchased the less capable Convair F-102A to fill the gap until the more sophisticated F-102B was ready. Luckily, this delay allowed great improvements to be made in aerodynamics, propulsion, and electronics making the "ultimate interceptor" that much more effective. Because so many changes were made both to the basic F-102 design and the Air Force requirements, the resulting interceptor was redesignated F-106. The new specifications called for the aircraft to intercept enemy bombers in all weather conditions at up to 70,000 ft and at speeds up to Mach 2. In addition, the aircraft was to be armed with guided missiles (still under development at the time) or rockets with atomic warheads. The F-106 was also to be equipped with an automatic guidance system that could be operated by ground controllers.
The first prototypes suffered many performance problems, and difficulties with the advanced electronics were so severe that the project was almost cancelled. Luckily, modifications to the airframe and improvements in the electronics ultimately allowed the F-106 to meet all its design requirements. The F-106 remained in frontline service until the Aerospace Defense Command was disbanded in 1980, and the last of the 340 aircraft built were finally retired in 1988.
Last modified 14 November 2004

HISTORY:

First Flight (F-106A) 26 December 1956
(F-106B) 9 April 1958

Service Entry June 1959

CREW: 1 pilot

ESTIMATED COST: $4.7 to $4.9 million

AIRFOIL SECTIONS:

Wing Root NACA 0004-65 mod

Wing Tip NACA 0004-65 mod

DIMENSIONS:

Length 70.73 ft (21.56 m)

Wingspan 38.29 ft (11.67 m)

Height 20.27 ft (6.46 m)

Wing Area 631.3 ft² (58.65 m²)

Canard Area

not applicable

WEIGHTS:

Empty 23,650 lb (10,730 kg)

Typical Load 34,510 lb (15,670 kg)

Max Takeoff 41,830 lb (18,975 kg)

Fuel Capacity internal: unknown
external: unknown

Max Payload

unknown

PROPULSION:

Powerplant one Pratt & Whitney J75-17 afterburning turbojet

Thrust 17,200 lb (76.5 kN)
24,500 lb (109 kN) with afterburner

PERFORMANCE:

Max Level Speed at altitude: 1,525 mph (2,455 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,190 m), Mach 2.31
at sea level: unknown

Initial Climb Rate 29,000 ft (8,840 m) / min

Service Ceiling 57,000 ft (17,375 m)

Range typical: 1,320 nm (2,440 km)
ferry: 1,565 nm (2,900 km)

g-Limits

unknown

ARMAMENT:

Gun one 20-mm M61 Vulcan cannon (in place of Genie rocket)

Stations one internal weapons bay and two (?) external hardpoints

Air-to-Air Missile up to 1 AIR-2A Genie or AIR-2B Super Genie nuclear rocket and up to 4 AIM-4 Falcon

Air-to-Surface Missile none

Bomb none

Other

none

KNOWN VARIANTS:

YF-106A Prototype

F-106A Production single-seat fighter-interceptor; 277 built

F-106B Two-seat combat-capable trainer; 63 built

F-106C Proposed improved variant, not built

F-106D Proposed improved variant, not built

F-106X Proposed improved variant, not built

KNOWN COMBAT RECORD: none

KNOWN OPERATORS: US Air Force
NASA

3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:

F-106 Delta Dart

SOURCES:

Bishop, Chris, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Weapons: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Weapon Systems from 1945 to the Present Day. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1999, p. 262, Convair F-106 Delta Dart.

Bonds, Ray, ed. The Modern US War Machine: An Encyclopedia of American Military Equipment and Strategy. NY: Military Press, 1987, p. 180, General Dynamics F-106 Delta Dart.

Donald, David, ed. Century Jets: USAF Frontline Fighters of the Cold War. Norwalk, CT: AIRtime Publishing, 2004, p. 226-285, Convair F-106 Delta Dart.

Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1997, p. 275-276, Convair (Model 8-24) F-106 Delta Dart.

Gunston, Bill, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Warplanes. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1995, p. 89, Convair QF-106 Delta Dart.

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DESCRIPTION: During the 1950s, the US Air Force wished to procure an advanced supersonic, all-weather "ultimate interceptor" to defend the US against Soviet bombers. Once it became apparent that this new aircraft would not be available by its 1954 deadline, the Air Force purchased the less capable Convair F-102A to fill the gap until the more sophisticated F-102B was ready. Luckily, this delay allowed great improvements to be made in aerodynamics, propulsion, and electronics making the "ultimate interceptor" that much more effective. Because so many changes were made both to the basic F-102 design and the Air Force requirements, the resulting interceptor was redesignated F-106. The new specifications called for the aircraft to intercept enemy bombers in all weather conditions at up to 70,000 ft and at speeds up to Mach 2. In addition, the aircraft was to be armed with guided missiles (still under development at the time) or rockets with atomic warheads. The F-106 was also to be equipped with an automatic guidance system that could be operated by ground controllers. The first prototypes suffered many performance problems, and difficulties with the advanced electronics were so severe that the project was almost cancelled. Luckily, modifications to the airframe and improvements in the electronics ultimately allowed the F-106 to meet all its design requirements. The F-106 remained in frontline service until the Aerospace Defense Command was disbanded in 1980, and the last of the 340 aircraft built were finally retired in 1988. Last modified 14 November 2004
HISTORY:
First Flight	(F-106A) 26 December 1956 (F-106B) 9 April 1958
Service Entry	June 1959
CREW:	1 pilot
ESTIMATED COST:	$4.7 to $4.9 million
AIRFOIL SECTIONS:
Wing Root	NACA 0004-65 mod
Wing Tip	NACA 0004-65 mod
DIMENSIONS:
Length	70.73 ft (21.56 m)
Wingspan	38.29 ft (11.67 m)
Height	20.27 ft (6.46 m)
Wing Area	631.3 ft² (58.65 m²)
Canard Area	not applicable
WEIGHTS:
Empty	23,650 lb (10,730 kg)
Typical Load	34,510 lb (15,670 kg)
Max Takeoff	41,830 lb (18,975 kg)
Fuel Capacity	internal: unknown external: unknown
Max Payload	unknown
PROPULSION:
Powerplant	one Pratt & Whitney J75-17 afterburning turbojet
Thrust	17,200 lb (76.5 kN) 24,500 lb (109 kN) with afterburner
PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed	at altitude: 1,525 mph (2,455 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,190 m), Mach 2.31 at sea level: unknown
Initial Climb Rate	29,000 ft (8,840 m) / min
Service Ceiling	57,000 ft (17,375 m)
Range	typical: 1,320 nm (2,440 km) ferry: 1,565 nm (2,900 km)
g-Limits	unknown
ARMAMENT:
Gun	one 20-mm M61 Vulcan cannon (in place of Genie rocket)
Stations	one internal weapons bay and two (?) external hardpoints
Air-to-Air Missile	up to 1 AIR-2A Genie or AIR-2B Super Genie nuclear rocket and up to 4 AIM-4 Falcon
Air-to-Surface Missile	none
Bomb	none
Other	none
KNOWN VARIANTS:
YF-106A	Prototype
F-106A	Production single-seat fighter-interceptor; 277 built
F-106B	Two-seat combat-capable trainer; 63 built
F-106C	Proposed improved variant, not built
F-106D	Proposed improved variant, not built
F-106X	Proposed improved variant, not built
KNOWN COMBAT RECORD:	none
KNOWN OPERATORS:	US Air Force NASA
3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:
SOURCES: Bishop, Chris, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Weapons: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Weapon Systems from 1945 to the Present Day. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1999, p. 262, Convair F-106 Delta Dart. Bonds, Ray, ed. The Modern US War Machine: An Encyclopedia of American Military Equipment and Strategy. NY: Military Press, 1987, p. 180, General Dynamics F-106 Delta Dart. Donald, David, ed. Century Jets: USAF Frontline Fighters of the Cold War. Norwalk, CT: AIRtime Publishing, 2004, p. 226-285, Convair F-106 Delta Dart. Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1997, p. 275-276, Convair (Model 8-24) F-106 Delta Dart. Gunston, Bill, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Warplanes. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1995, p. 89, Convair QF-106 Delta Dart.