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Categories: Convair : US Air Force : F-102 Delta Dagger : Hobbymaster
Convair F-102 Delta Dagger (USAF 509th FIS Da Nang AFB) (1:72 scale by Hobbymaster HA3102)
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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 Deuce served in Vietnam on fighter patrols and bomber escort. 15 F-102s were lost while in Vietnam.
The Aircraft
On March 21, 1962 under Project “Water Glass” the first operational deployment to Vietnam of F-102's took place and remained there under Project “Candy Machine”. In March of 1962 F-102’ s of the 509th FIS were sent on Temporary Duty (TDY) to Tan Son Nhut Air Base near Saigon as well as from Da Nang, South Vietnam (at the time) and Don Muang (Thailand). In 1968 Da Nang was the busiest airport in the world with just under 2,600 daily air traffic operations. The Deuces (F-102) were used as interceptors, some escort duty, and even ground attack. In December of 1969 the F-102’s were withdrawn from Vietnam and at that time had lost 15 aircraft to AAA, destroyed on the ground by the Viet Cong, small arms fire and operational accidents.
1:72 scale (approx. 17cm wingspan) - made by Hobbymaster.
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