Convair F-102A – Photos & Video

Photo Gallery of a Convair F-102A, The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft that was built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force’s air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets during the Cold War. Designed and manufactured by Convair, 1,000 F-102s were built.

Source: Convair F-102A on Wikipedia

The Convair F-102A was a supersonic interceptor aircraft that served in the United States Air Force from 1956 to 1979. It was the first operational jet fighter with a delta wing design and an internal weapons bay. The F-102A was developed as part of the 1954 Interceptor program, which aimed to create a new generation of air defense systems against the Soviet bomber threat. The F-102A was equipped with a radar and a fire-control system that could guide six air-to-air missiles or 24 unguided rockets to their targets.
The F-102A also had a distinctive triangular fuselage shape that reduced drag at high speeds, thanks to the application of the area rule principle. The F-102A saw limited combat action in the Vietnam War, where it performed escort and ground-attack missions. It was also exported to Greece and Turkey, where it remained in service until the late 1970s. The F-102A was eventually replaced by the more advanced F-106 Delta Dart, which was derived from the same basic design.