Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series
HA3114
F-102A Delta Dagger 70907, 460th FIS, 337th FG, Portland IAP, 1962
General Background
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was designed to be an interceptor aircraft and act as the core of USAF air defenses in the late 1950s. The F-102 first appeared in service in 1956 with the task to intercept Soviet bombers. The official name for the F-102 was “Delta Dagger” but the most common term used was “Deuce”. There was 889 F-102As manufactured when production ended in September 1958.
The Aircraft
The maiden flight of the F-102 took place on October 24, 1953 and became operational in 1956. Designed as the world’s first supersonic all-weather jet interceptor as well as the USAF’s first delta-wing. F-102A Delta Dagger 57-0907 was produced in 1957 and was assigned to the USAF 460th FIS as the commander’s aircraft from 1958-1962. After that it spent time with the 4780th ADW, California ANG 196th FIS before being stored in 1971 at AMARC. In 1981 the aircraft was converted to a PQM-102B drone #841.
Hobby Master HA3114, F-102A Delta Dagger 70907, 460th FIS, 337th FG, 1:72
Role - Supersonic All-Weather, delta wing interceptor
Crew – 1 pilot
Number Produced – 889
Dimensions
Length – 68 ft 4 in (20.83 m) Wingspan – 38 ft 1 in (11.61 m) Height – 21 ft 2 in (6.45 m)
Weight
Empty – 19,350 lb 8,777 kg) Loaded – 24,500 lb (11,100 kg) Maximum Takeoff – 31,500 lb (14,300 kg)
Powerplant – 1 x Pratt & Whitney J57-P-25 afterburning turbojet Thrust Dry – 11,700 lbf (8,777 kg) With Afterburner – 17,200 lbf (76.5 kN) Fuel Internal – 1.085 US gal (4,107 l) External – 2 x 215 US gal (815 l) drop tanks
Performance
Maximum Speed – Mach 1.25 (825 mph, 1,304 km/h) @ 40,000 ft (12,190 m) Service Ceiling – 53,400 ft (16,300 m) ROC – 13,000 ft/min (66 m/s) Range – 1,350 nm (2,175 km)
Armament
Rockets – 24 x 2.75 in (70 mm) FFAR (Folding Fin Aerial Rocket) unguided rockets in missile bay doors Missiles AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air AIM-26 Falcon with conventional or nuclear warhead Missiles were contained in 3 bays inside the aircraft belly
Avionics – MG-10 fire control system designed by Hughes Aircraft Company
