Subject: Number 102 in the Series--Convair F-102 Delta Dagger (2 of 5)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 7 Dec 93 15:06:01 GMT

>From [email-masked]

Delta-winged aircraft have particular features which endow them 
with quite different handling characteristics than more conventional 
aircraft.  Among these are a rather high angle of attack during 
takeoff and landing, and a high induced drag during turning.  In order 
for pilots used to such aircraft as the Northrop F-89 Scorpion and the 
North American F-86D Sabre to be able safely to transition to the 
delta-winged F-102A, the Air Force thought that a two-seat trainer 
version of the Delta Dagger was necessary.  The TF-102A two-seat 
combat trainer was evolved to meet this need.  

Work on the two-seat Delta Dagger was done under the aegis of Weapons 
System WS-201L.  The initial authorization of the TF-102A was on 
September 16, 1953.  At that time, problems were still being 
experienced with the single seat YF-102, and further procurement of 
the TF-102A was deferred until these difficulties could be ironed out.  

In July of 1954, an initial order for 20 TF-102As was placed, with 
first delivery to be in July of 1955.  The TF-102A had a wider forward 
fuselage that seated two crew members in a side-by-side configuration.  
The side-by-side seating arrangement was preferred over the usual 
tandem seating arrangement in the belief that it would simply inflight 
training, even in spite of the fact that the broader cockpit would 
probably have an adverse affect on performance.  Because of the new 
wider cockpit, the lateral air intakes had to be reconfigured, being 
reshaped and mounted down lower on the fuselage than on the F-102A.  
The rest of the airframe was otherwise identical to that of the 
single-seat F-102A, and the same weapons suite could be carried.  
However, the Hughes MG-10 fire control system was not fitted.  

A mockup of the nose section was inspected in September of 1954.  In 
early 1955, following the successful testing of the revised YF-102A, 
the Air force ordered 28 more TF-102As.  

The first TF-102A (company Model 8-12) flew on November 8, 1955, with 
Richard L.  Johnson at the controls.  A month later, the Air Force 
gave Convair a letter contract for 150 more TF-102As 

Initial testing indicated that the TF-102A's bulbous cockpit created a 
severe buffeting problem at high speed.  A new cockpit configuration 
with a cut-down canopy and revised windshield was tested in April of 
1956 but it did not seem to help very much.  Buffeting was reduced 
somewhat, but only at the expense of a much poorer landing visibility.  
Since the aircraft was basically a trainer rather than a combat 
aircraft, it was felt that visibility had to be favored over speed and 
the original cockpit design was restored.  The buffeting problem was 
largely cured by adding a set of vortex generators on the cockpit 
canopy framing in order to provide smooth airflow over the cockpit.  
In addition, the vertical tail was increased in area.  These changes 
were introduced with the third TF-102A to be accepted by the USAF and 
were adopted as standard.  

Although 111 TF-102As were ordered, only 63 were actually produced.  
Each F-102A squadron normally included two TF-102A two-seaters on 
strength.  

The TF-102A was powered by a Pratt & Whitney J57-P-23 turbojet, rated 
at 11,700 lb.s.t dry and 17,200 lb.s.t with afterburning.  The TF-102A 
was incapable of supersonic performance in level flight, but could 
exceed the speed of sound in a shallow dive.  Maximum speed was 646 
mph at 38,000 feet (Mach 0.97).  An altitude of 32,800 feet could be 
attained in 2 minutes 50 seconds.  Ceiling was 50,000 feet.  Normal 
loaded weight was 27,778 pounds.  Dimensions were wingspan 38 feet 1 
1/2 inches, length 63 feet 4 1/2 inches, height 20 feet 7 inches, wing 
area 661.5 square feet.  

Serials of the TF-102A:

54-1351/1354		Convair TF-102A-5-CO Delta Dagger
54-1355/1359		Convair TF-102A-10-CO Delta Dagger
54-1360			Convair TF-102A-35-CO Delta Dagger
54-1361/1365		Convair TF-102A-15-CO Delta Dagger
54-1366/1368		Convair TF-102A-20-CO Delta Dagger
54-1369/1370		Convair TF-102A-25-CO Delta Dagger
56-2317/2323		Convair TF-102A-38-CO Delta Dagger
56-2324/2335		Convair TF-102A-40-CO Delta Dagger
56-2336/2353		Convair TF-102A-41-CO Delta Dagger
56-2354/2379		Convair TF-102A-45-CO Delta Dagger
56-2380/2466		Cancelled contract for Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger

Sources:

  General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors, John Wegg,
  Naval Institute Press, 1990.

  United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and
  Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.

  The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.

  Fighters of the United States Air Force, Robert F. Dorr and
  David Donald, Temple Press Aerospace, 1990.

  American Combat Planes, Third Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner, Doubleday,
  1982.

  Post-World War II Fighters, 1945-1973, Marcelle Size Knaack,
  Office of Air Force History, 1986. 

  The World Guide to Combat Planes, William Green, MacDonald, London, 1966

  The World's Fighting Planes, William Green, Doubleday, 1964.

  The Aircraft of the World, William Green and Gerald Pollinger, Doubleday,
  1965.

Joe Baugher		AT&T Bell Laboratories   	
2000 North Naperville Road      Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033