Our Aircraft’s History

Convair F-102A-55-CO “Delta Dagger” (S/N 56-0986) ~ One of the “Century Series” aircraft, the Delta Dagger was the US Air Force’s first operational supersonic interceptor and delta wing fighter. Convair was the settled on acronym name of Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Company (formed in 1943, defunct in 1996).

This Convair was built at the Convair Aircraft Corporation in San Diego, California and delivered to the US Air Force on February 4, 1957 to the 317th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, McChord AFB. Here is her history: 

  • August 1957 – reassigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base (AFB), Alaska
  • May 1958 – 325th Fighter Group, ADC, McCord AFB, Washington, then deployed to Tyndall AFB, Florida
  • March 1960 – San Antonio Air Material Area, Kelly AFB, Texas
  • June 1960 – Mobile Air Material Area, Brookley, AFB, Alabama
  • November 1960 – 32nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, US Air Force-Europe (USAFE), Camp New Amsterdam, Netherlands. Deployments to Wheelus Air Base (AB), Libya; Ramstein AB, Germany; Erding AB, Germany and Torrijon AB, Spain
  • July 1969 – 101st Fighter Group, Maine Air National Guard (ANG), Dow AFB, Maine
  • November 1969 – 125th Fighter-Interceptor Group, Florida ANG, Jacksonville Naval Air Station (NAS), Florida
  • May 1971 – Dropped from Air Force inventory and transferred to Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) Davis-Montham AFB, Arizona
  • June 1998 – Transferred to Florida Air Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida by the US Air Force Museum

In November of 2004, MAPS Air Museum recovered the Delta Dagger from Florida and moved it to Green, OH. The Convair is maintained by Larry Lewis and will be soon having its turn to get further refurbishment.

Specifications/Performance

  • Role: Interceptor fighter
  • Manufacturer: Convair
  • First flight: October 24, 1953
  • Introduction: April 1956
  • Retired: 1976 (US)
  • Built: 1,000
  • Unit Cost: $1.2 million
  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 68 ft 4 in
  • Wingspan: 38 ft 1 in
  • Height: 21 ft 2 in
  • Empty weight: 19,350 lb
  • Max takeoff weight: 31,500 lb
  • Engine: 1 x Pratt & Whitney J57-P-25 afterburning turbojet, 11,700 lbf (w/afterburner 17,200 lbf)
  • Max speed: 825 mph @ 40,000 ft (Mach 1.25)
  • Range: 1,350 mi
  • Service ceiling: 53,400 ft

Armament, notable

  • 24 x 2.75 in FFAR (Folding Fin Aerial Rocket) unguided rockets
  • 6 x AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missiles
  • 3 x AIM-4 Falcon
  • 1 x AIM-26 Falcon with conventional or nuclear warhead

Museum display notes: appears to still have remnants of its last assignment, the 125th Fighter-Interceptor Group , Florida ANG, in 1969; awaiting further renovation, future painting/markings undetermined

Designed to replace: Northrop F-89 “Scorpion”

Developed from: Convair XF-92

Replaced by: Convair F-106 “Delta Dart”