Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series
HA3116F-102A Delta Dagger 56-1488, 179 FIS, Minnesota ANG, 1966 (case XX wing)
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
In 1966 the Minnesota ANG 179th FIS “Bulldogs” / 148th FG re-equipped with the F-102 Delta Dagger. In 1970 the unit won the “William Tell” weaponry competition earning them the nickname “The Aces of Deuces”. F-102A 56-1488 was first delivered to the 438th FIS and spent time with the 59th FIS and in 1970 moved to the Minnesota ANG 179th FIS. In April 1971 the aircraft was put in storage at AMARC and in 1980 was converted to PQM-102B as “802”.
Hobby Master HA3116, F-102A Delta Dagger 56-1488, 179 FIS, Minnesota ANG, 1:72
Role : Supersonic All-Weather, delta wing interceptor
Crew: 1 pilot
Number Produced : 889
Dimensions
Length : 68 ft 4 in (20.83
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
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
