The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the ultimate interceptor, featuring Mach 2+ speeds, state of the art avionics, and air-to-air nuclear weapons.

Gallery:

Features:

• Armament: 1x AIR-2A Genie, 2x AIM-4F Super Falcon, 2x AIM-4G Super Falcon
• Camouflage: ADC Gray, California ANG
• Animated weapons bay and other details
• Fairly accurate performance
• A cockpit that should be VR compatible

Nonstandard Controls:

• AG 1 and Yaw: Nose Steering
• AG 2: Air Brake
• AG 3: Drogue Chute
• AG 4: Drop Tanks
• AG 5: Weapons Bay
• Throttle>95% for Afterburner
• Trim for trim

Notes:

• Thanks to ChiChiWerx for the USAF roundels
• Thanks to hpgbproductions for the label art tool
• AIM-4F: Keep target locked until missile impact.
• AIM-4G: Fire and forget.
• AIR-2A: Unguided. 5.2 nm max firing range. Will fly straight after firing; you may need to lead the target. When within 2000 m of enemy aircraft, proximity fuze will detonate. To survive, immediately roll 90 degrees and pull away as hard as possible after firing.

Background:

Convair’s F-106 Delta Dart was the end result of the 1954 interceptor program which called for a new generation interceptor far more capable than the existing F-86D, F-89, and F-94. The new aircraft would have to be capable of high Mach speeds, fitted with state of the art electronics and missiles, and crewed by a single pilot. One of the most ambitious technical undertakings of the 20th century, it was subject to numerous delays. Almost every aspect of the program faced difficulties, and the F-101 and F-102 were both procured as interim interceptors while the F-106 continued development. By 1959, later than originally hoped, the new aircraft was finally ready to enter service.

The F-106, officially named Delta Dart but more commonly called “The Six”, was a technological marvel for its time. It was a semi-tailless delta wing design like its predecessor, the F-102. But there were numerous aerodynamic refinements, the most visible of which were new, larger air intakes mounted aft of the cockpit, a redesigned vertical stabilizer, and fixed leading-edge slots on the wings. These, along with countless other changes and a much stronger engine, resulted in an interceptor with a max speed of Mach 2.3 and a rate of climb of 150 m/s. The Six had fairly easy handling characteristics, especially at high speeds, and was loved by its pilots. It retained energy surprisingly well and could even outmaneuver the F-4 and MiG-21 in sustained fights, though its weapons held it back from this role.

The Six was fitted with four Super Falcons, upgraded versions of the earlier Falcon missiles. These solved some of the issues early AIM-4 variants had, but were still really only good for large, non-maneuvering targets. It also famously carried the AIR-2A Genie, an unguided, nuclear air-to-air rocket designed to destroy entire bomber formations. Later on, the Delta Dart would be upgraded with a Vulcan cannon in place of the Genie. The F-106 had a sophisticated fire control system that could connect with advanced radar stations on the ground and display to the pilot a tactical map with friendly and enemy aircraft positions. However, these avionics were unreliable and had to be upgraded numerous times.

The Six never fired a shot in anger over its 30 years of service. It would prove to be the last purpose-built interceptor for the USAF, as newer fighter aircraft had good enough performance to also serve as interceptors. It was fully retired from frontline service by 1988, replaced by the F-15 for the air defense role. The Six also served in a number of auxiliary roles for NASA and as a chase plane. Exotic missions and variants like a satellite launcher were also proposed, but not pursued. Many of the F-106s built were destroyed as QF-106 target drones. Comparatively few survive today, and none are flying.