As the result of Convertawings’ further developmental work on this four rotor configuration, a first prototype was completed in 1955 and it has flown successfully.
The four rotors of this helicopter are mounted laterally on outriggers in two tandem pairs. The four rotors were positioned in an “H” configuration, and the design incorporated simplified hubs with strap-mounted blades, a form of “hinge-less” rotor. The control mechanism is extremely simplified and obtained by differential change of thrust between the rotors. There is no cyclic control, but only collective control. In the experimental prototype the fuselage was of tubular steel, the booms supporting the rotors in aluminium alloy. Power is provided by two engines connected to the rotor drive system by multiple vee belts. Shafting and transmission cases ensure inter-connection between the four rotors, so that either engine can drive all of them. There is a tricycle undercarriage with two wheels in the rear section and a nose wheel which can swivel.
The first flights took place in March 1956, flown by its designer and test pilot, D.H.Kaplan. Despite successful testing and development, military support for the Quadrotor ceased after cutbacks in defense spending.
The Quadarotor A was a small test vehicle for the Projecled 60-76 passenger Model E Quadrotor on the same general lines. The Model E is intended to have four R-1820 piston-engines or Dart turboprops, mounted directly under the rotors.
However, the design – particularly its control system – was a precursor of future experimental vertical-rising aircraft.
Model A Engines: 2 x Continental 0-90, 90hp Rotor diameter: 5.92m / 15 ft Gross weight: 998kg / 1,950 lb Number of seats: 1
In March 1949 the US Air Force’s Air Research and Development Command (ARDC) invited proposals for a supersonic bomber, and after submissions had been reduced to two, from Boeing and Consolidated-Vultee’s Fort Worth Division, the latter was selected in August 1952 to develop its Convair Model 4 designed to the hardware stage under contract MX-1964. On 10 December 1952 the designation B-58 was allocated and late in that year Convair received a contract for 18 aircraft, to be powered by a new J79 engine for which General Electric received a development contract at the same time. The performance requirement for the new aircraft demanded considerable advances in aerodynamics, structures and materials. The resulting design, one of the first to incorporate the NACA/ Whitcomb-developed area-rule concept, was a delta-winged aircraft with four engines in underslung pods, a slim fuselage and, an under-fuselage pod. The thin fuselage provided some engineering issues early on as it prevented internal carriage of bombs and the required amount of fuel to power the four turbojet engines and allow for any reasonable operating radius to be achieved. As a result, a large external droppable two-component 18.90m long pod was affixed to the underside of the fuselage. This pod contained extra fuel and a nuclear weapon along with other mission-specific specialized gear. The three-man crew, in individual tandem cockpits, were provided with jettisonable escape capsules.
Distinctive features of the B-58 included sophisticated inertial guidance navigation and bombing systems. Extensive use of heat-resistant honeycomb sandwich skin panels were integrated into the construction of the wings and fuselage for high altitude-high velocity flight.
XB-58
B-36 transporting the XB-58 airframe using eight of ten engines (note both of the inboard propellers have been removed for this flight)
Convair easily transported the XB-58 prototype by air from Ft. Worth TX to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB) in Ohio for testing with the use of a modified Peacemaker bomber.
B-36 and XB-58 airframe mating, note the propeller has been removed from the wing’s inboard engine as well as the strut assembly joining the two wings together.
The left and right inboard engines had their propellers removed, along with the bomb bay doors since they did not clear the wings of the XB-58 which was mounted underneath the bomber.
Since the airframe was the subject of testing the XB-58 did not have the engines attached and the vertical fin assembly was left off, as well.
In June 1954 the 18-aircraft order was reduced to two XB-58 prototypes and 11 YB-58A pre-production examples, together with 31 pods. The first of these was rolled out at Fort Worth on 31 August 1956, making its first flight on 11 November 1956 piloted by B. A. Erikson. On 30 December, still without a pod, the XB-58 became the first bomber to exceed Mach 1.
A further 17 YB-58As were ordered on 14 February 1958, together with 35 MB-1 bomb pods, to bring to 30 the number of aircraft available for the manufacturer’s test programme and ARDC service trials with the 6592nd Test Squadron and the 3958th Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Carswell AFB.
The United States Air Force ordered between September 1958 and 1960 86 total Hustlers, which were operational in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) between 1960 and 1970.
The 86 production B-58A Hustlers were supplemented by 10 YB-58As which were brought up to production standard to equip the 43rd Bomb Wing, initially at Carswell but later assigned to Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, and the 305th Bomb Wing at Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana. The first was handed over to the 65th Combat Crew Training Squadron at Carswell on 1 December 1959 and the 43rd Bomb Wing, activated as the first B-58 unit on 15 March 1960, became operational on 1 August 1960. The 116th and last B-58A was delivered on 26 October 1962, the 116 having cost $3.2 billion.
By 1964 80 were reported as still operational. The type was withdrawn from Strategic Air Command service on 31 January 1970.
B-58s as a whole set 19 world speed and altitude records and won five different aviation trophies during their operational run – a vast engineering achievement realized. Despite these performance successes, the B-58 still suffered from limitations in operating range, payload capacity and overall series growth potential.
With such outstanding performance it was clear that the B-58A had record-breaking potential. On 12 January 1961 Major Henry Deutschendorf and his crew secured the 2000km closed-circuit record at 1708.8km/h and on 14 January Major Harold E. Confer’s aircraft raised the 1000km record to 2067.57km/h. On 10 May Major Elmer Murphy won the trophy presented by Louis Bleriot in 1930 for the first pilot to exceed 2000km/h for a continuous period of 30 minutes. Sixteen days later Major William Payne and his crew flew from Carswell to Paris setting, en route, record times of 3 hours 39 minutes 49 seconds from Washington and 3 hours 19 minutes 51 seconds from New York. The Hustler crashed at the Paris Air Show on 3 June with the loss of the crew. Other flights included a supersonic endurance record of 8 hours 35 minutes from Haneda, Tokyo to London, on 16 October 1963.
Convair built 86 standard B 58A bombers as well as 11 development aircraft later brought up to production standard and 17 YB 58A pre-production aircraft which were modified as RB 58A reconnaissance machines, Eight aircraft were converted into TB 58A trainers with a tandem pair of pilot stations. The regular bomber seated pilot, nav/bomb aimer and defensive systems operator in tandem cockpits containing special escape capsules which, in emergency, could close around the occupant, seat and controls and be ejected as a sealed package.
In 1970 the 43rd and its partner, the 305th Wing at Grissom AFB, were disbanded because of high operating cost. The last B-58 would be officially retired in January 1970.
Convair B-58A Hustler Engines: 4 x General Electric J79-GE 5A, -5B or 5C turbojet, 69.3kN / 15,600lbs thrust with reheat capability Length: 96 ft. 10 in (29.49m) Wingspan: 56 ft 10 in (17.32m) Wing area: 143.25 sq.m / 1541.93 sq ft Height: 31 ft 5 in (9.60m) Empty Weight: 55,561lbs (25,202kg) Maximum Take-Off Weight: 163,000 lb (73,936kg) Fuel capavity, wing & pod: 12,500+ gal Weight after inflight refuelling: 80237 kg (176,890 lb) Maximum Speed: 1,321mph (2,126kmh / 1,148kts / Mach 2.1) Cruising speed: 610 mph. Maximum Range: 4,400 miles without aerial refueling Service Ceiling: 62,999ft (19,202m; 11.9miles) Armament: 1 x 20mm Vulcan cannon in tail 1 x Under-fuselage pod carrying up to 19,450lb ordnance Crew: 3 Hardpoints: 1 Cost: US$12,442,000
Development of the Convair 990 began when the company lost a vital United Airlines order for 30 aircraft. To attract American Airlines, Convair designed an aircraft with transcontinental range and higher speed and on 30 July 1958 Convair announced the Model 30. This was a natural growth version of the 880 and used a turbofan of 16,050 lb. Originally known simply as the Convair 880M, the new aircraft was much more than a ‘slight modification’ contrary to what the General Dynamics’ board was told. The new variant used a redesigned engine (the CJ 805 23), with a rear mounted fan and a higher bypass ratio. This required a new engine nacelle, while the need to reduce drag led to the addition of Whitcomb bodies on the wing trailing edge to ‘area rule’ the aircraft. The new aircraft also included a new proportional anti skid system, a modified undercarriage and a hydraulically powered rudder. The rest of the aircraft was strengthened to accommodate much more fuel, and the fuselage was stretched 10 ft to house 106 passengers (foreign customers later fitted in over 140) and the tailplane was increased in area. Howard Hughes initially refused to allow Convair to give the new aircraft a designator ‘higher’ than 880, so the new aircraft was instead initially known as the Convair 600. Convair guaranteed a speed of 550kts (1021 km/h) (agreeing to financial penalties if it failed to deliver) and charged American only $100m for its 25 aircraft (later reduced to 20), taking $22.8m of the money in the form of 25 over valued DC 7s (worth $10m at most). Swissair converted its order for five 880s to an order for seven 990s. The Convair 990 originally failed to meet its guaranteed performance and the prices to American and Swissair were reduced. The airlines initially operated their aircraft without making progress or engine payments while Convair sorted out the problems. The problems were solved in the Convair 990A, but Convair’s chance to dominate the jetliner market vanished when Boeing re engined its 707s with Pratt & Whitney’s new JT3D turbofan, which could be produced by conversion of existing JT3C engines. Thus the fan engined 990 lost its unique selling point. Swissair and American began scheduled revenue services during March 1962. Other Convair 990 operators included Aerolineas Peruanas, Garuda, SAS, Thai International Airways and VARIG. Models built for Swissair and VARIG differed slightly from standard 990s. Powered by CJ 805 23B engines, they carried slightly more fuel and had higher operating weights. They were officially known as Coronados, a name later used to describe all Convair 990s. The announcement of the new jet was accompanied by a launch order for 20 from American Air¬lines. The aircraft was renamed Convair 990. The first off the production line flew on 24 January 1961, and by this time the programme was in deep trouble. Drag was well overestimate, and it took two years of extremely costly modifications to get near the guaranteed performance.
In addition to four large anti¬shock bodies above the trailing edge (sometimes called Küche¬mann carrots, these also served as fuel tanks) Kruger flaps were added under the wing and a com¬plex series of extensions, bumps and fairings added to the engine pods and pylons. The aircraft’s long range came about by using the four wing pods as fuel tanks. The 24-foot-long pods, known as “antishock bodies,” reduce the intensity of shock waves generated when an airplane reaches the speed of sound. In essence, they control the air flowing over the wing and therefore reduce drag. Payload, at 26,440 lb, was widely considered inadequate. The cabin was criti¬cised, as were the lack of customer options, and in the end, in addition to the launch order, only 17 aircraft were sold. American accepted the first (unmodified) 990 on 8 January 1963, and fully modified 990As en¬tered service late that year. Lebanese International Airways and MEA operated Coronados during the late 1960s and early 1970s. LIA went into liquidation after its two Coronados were destroyed on the ground by Israeli commandos in 1968, while MEA phased out its aircraft in favour of Boeing 707s and 720s in 1972. Following their retirement from major airlines, many Coronados found employment with travel clubs and minor airlines. Modern Air Transport obtained eight Convair 990s between January 4, 1967 and January 1971 and operated these primarily on charter work. These were often unorthodox, including polar flights landing at McMurdo Sound (the first commercial jets to do so) and even a unique 1970 Father’s Day ‘Get Away from Mama’ Busenvogel (Bosom flight) from Berlin to Paris and back, in which the stewardesses wore uniforms with transparent bodices. The company fitted new slim line seats which allowed capacity to increase to 149, without reducing leg room. The last major operator of the Coronado was the Spanish charter airline Spantax. Spantax delib¬erately collected used examples and retired the last of 14 aircraft in March 1987. One Spantax 990 survived a mid air collision with a DC 9 over France. Ten of the surviving airframes were scrapped at Palma between 1991 and 1993, but one was retained for preservation. In 1988 an ex Ports of Call 990 was sold to Ciskei International Airways, but this flew only a single pre inaugural flight when it could not acquire the necessary permits. The aircraft was eventually ferried to EI Paso in 1991. NASA had been a long term operator of the Coronado, using a succession of three aircraft for atmospheric, astronomical, meteorological and solar experiments and support duties. The final aircraft was reactivated in 1980 for three years, then again in 1988 for use as a landing systems research aircraft, testing the Space Shuttle undercarriage to expand the vehicle’s landing envelope and to allow increased use of the landing site at the Kennedy Space Center Every time a Shuttle landed at Edwards, it required a piggy back ride back to Kennedy atop a Boeing 747, costing $1m per time, all because Kennedy might have been just outside the Shuttle’s crosswind limits. The tests encompassed 155 test flights ending in August 1995. Two CV 990s remained in store at Mojave.
990 Coronado Engines: 4 x General Electric turbofan, 16,050 lb. Cruising speed 494kts (917km/h) at 35,000ft (10,668m). Range 7,741km (4,172nm). Weight empty 54,686kg (120,560 lb). Gross weight 115,668kg (255,000 lb). Payload: 26,440 lbs. Span 36.5m (120ft 0in). Length 42.49m (139ft 5in). Wing area 209sq.m (2,250 sq.ft). Pax cap: 104-140.
990A Engine : 4 x General Electric CJ-805-23B, 71613 N / 7300 kp Wing span: 120 ft 0 in (36.58 m). Length: 139 ft 5 in (42.5 m). Height: 39 ft 6 in (12.04 m). Max TO wt: 244,200 lb (110,765 kg). Max level speed: 540 kts / 625 mph (1006 kph). Service ceiling : 41011 ft / 12500 m Range : 2646 nm / 4900 km Crew : 9+116
In 1955 Convair went ahead with the Model 22 Skylark, seating 80-108 passengers over sectors up to about 2,500 miles. It was announced in September 1956. During construction the aircraft was renamed Golden Arrow, and it was proposed to anodise the external skins gold. Then, because it was to cruise at 600 mph, the type became the Convair 600, and finally this was changed to Convair 880, because 600 mph is 880ft per second. The aircraft grew slightly in weight, the 880M weighing 193,000lb with 11,650-lb thrust CJ805-3B engines. Designed at the request of Howard Hughes, the owner of TWA, the first 880 made its maiden flight on January 27, 1959 and was technically a very advanced aircraft. Powered by four 49.8kN (11,2001b) st CJ 805 3s it had a boldly swept (35 degrees) wing and was a very fast aircraft indeed, justifying the much hyped claim that it was ‘the fastest airliner in the world’.
At the time of the first flight, 78 Convair 880 variants were on order.
The second aircraft off the line flew on 31 March 1959.
The FAA certified the 880 for airline use on 1 May 1960, and 15 days later Delta Airlines put the liner into commercial service.
It was built in two versions: the 880 Model 22 basic model with 49.8kN General Electric CJ-805-3 turbojet engines, flown for the first time on 27 January 1959; and the 880 Model 22-M with 51.8kN CJ-805-3B turbojets, power-boosted rudder and four leading-edge slats. The first 880 Model 22-M flew on 3 October 1960. The first aircraft completed to full airline standards (number 7) actually broke a transcontinental speed record on delivery from San Diego to Miami. TWAs aircraft were stored while the airline’s ownership was hotly disputed and Delta gained the honour of initiating the first services on 16 May 1960.
TWA became the largest operator of the type, with deliveries beginning two days after Howard Hughes relinquished control of the airline, on December 30, 1960. Subsequently, Convair 880s were also delivered to Northeast Airlines, though a massive, once nearly firm order from United, was lost to Boeing.
TWA was taking delivery of 20 Convair 990 during 1960 and 1961.
Some 17 Convair 880Ms were built, these having four leading edge slats on each wing, a larger fin and powered rudder, a retractable tailskid, provision for pre loaded baggage containers and a 7,094 lit (1,560 Imp gal) centre section tank. The aircraft also had a strengthened undercarriage and CJ 805 313 engines.
The oil crisis of the early 1970s made the Convair 880 particularly uneconomical to operate and Delta retired its aircraft at the end of 1973, followed by TWA in June 1974. New operators included LANICA in Nicaragua, a number of travel clubs and even Elvis Presley, whose aircraft, named Lisa Marie after his daughter, and callsign Hound Dog One is now part of the Graceland museum. Airtrust Singapore operated three Convair 880Ms until 1979, latterly operating services for Air Malta. Another aircraft was sold to the Ciskei Government.
A number of Convair 880s were briefly used as freighters. Monarch Aviation converted about seven with a cargo door and more without the door. American Jet Industries (later part of Gulfstream American) worked closely with Convair to convert some 20 Model 880s as Airlifters, but the company completed only two aircraft and the remainder were stored at Mojave, many with unused cargo doors installed. Attempts to market the aircraft in the mid 1980s foundered because they were not hush kitted. General Air Services converted one more Convair as a freighter. The last freighter flying was probably retired (in about 1986) in Haiti.
The last aircraft in regular service was the US Navy’s sole UC 880, ‘Old Smokey’, equipped as a tanker, and for missile test control and telemetry. This was retired at the NATC, Patuxent River, in September 1993 and in 1995 was used for ground based tests simulating high-altitude bomb explosions. Some 15 aircraft remained in storage at Mojave in 1998. Total sales were 65.
880 Model 22 Engines: 4 x General Electric CJ805-3 turbojet, 5080 kg / 49.8kN / 11,200 lb thrust. Max level speed: 615 mph (990 kph). Cruising speed 482kts (895km/h) at 35,000ft (10,668m). Range 6,518km (3,513nm). Weight empty 42,185kg (93,000 lb). Gross weight 87,772kg (193,500 lb). Span 36.5m (120ft 0m). Length 39.4 m (129ft 4in). Height: 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m). Wing area 185.8sq.m (2,000 sq.ft).
880 Model 22-M Engines: 4 x General Electric CJ805-3B turbojet, 5285 kg / 51.8kN / 11,650-lb thrust. MTOW: 87410 kg / 184,500 lb. Empty wt. 88,615 lb Top speed 615 mph. Cruise 501 mph. Stall 121 mph. Initial climb rate 3,565 fpm. Range 3,995 miles. Ceiling 41,000 ft. Takeoff run 8,050 ft. Landing roll 6,150 ft. Pax cap: 110. Crew: 5. Max fuel cap: 47445 lt / 12,534 USG
From 1949 the US Navy actively pursued a policy of VTOL research. The results were two prototypes, the Lockheed XFV-1 and the Convair XFY-1 Pogo. Both aircraft were of the ‘tail-sitter’ concept and powered by the 5500-shp (4101-kW) Allison T40-A-6 turboprop driving large contra-rotating propeller units. These provided more thrust than the weight of the aircraft, making possible VTOL operation.
The XFY-1 was a swept delta design with large dorsal and ventral fins, all four surfaces of this cruciform arrangement carrying castoring wheels to support the aeroplane vertically on the ground. This arrangement of flying surfaces made it impossible to fit the XFY-1 with the same type of conventional landing gear as the XFV-1, so Convair received the only example of the T40 turboprop cleared for VTOL operation.
The pilot is seated in a gimbal-mounted seat which tilts forward 45 degrees when the aircraft is in the vertical position, returning to normal when horizontal flight is attained.
The Pogo made its first free VTOL flight on 1 August 1954 and in October made its first transition from free vertical to horizontal flight and back. The flight test programme was very successful in overall terms, but like that of the XFV-1 confirmed that exceptional piloting was necessary for such a tail-sitter type.
The aircraft had little castoring wheels on their fins on which they stood, towering nearly 12.2 m (40 ft) above the ground, and wingtip weapon pods.
The Pogo was equipped with a custom fitted clamshell ‘hangar’ which locked around tile aircraft and made it independent of airfield facilities so that it could be stationed anywhere.
Extensive tethered tests from a special rig were followed by a first vertical take-off and landing on 1 August 1954. Testing continued with a series of similar vertical flights before the first complete transition from vertical to horizontal flight and vice versa was accomplished on 2 November 1954. Although some 40 flight hours were accumulated by two prototypes of this experimental fighter, its development was abandoned. The aircraft did not get beyond preliminary testing.
Engine: 1 x Allison YT40-A-6 turboprop, 4362kW / 5500 shp Wingspan: 8.43 m / 27 ft 8 in Length: 10.66 m / 34 ft 12 in Height horizontal: 30 ft 9in Wing area: 32.98 sq.m / 354.99 sq ft Max take-off weight: 7371 kg / 16250 lb Empty weight: 5345 kg / 11784 lb Loaded weight: 10,000-11,000 lb Max. speed: 982 km/h / 610 mph Ceiling: 13320 m / 43700 ft Armament: 4 x 20mm cannon (proposed) or 46 x 70mm rockets
The Convair F-106 Delta Dart began its production life as a direct successor to the interim F-102 Delta Dagger, as the F-102B, built around the advanced Hughes-produced MA-1 fire control system. The F-106 retained many design elements of the F-102 including a small internal bomb bay. Nuclear capability with twin Genie nuclear-tipped missiles was a standard design initiative. An internal 20mm cannon would not be fitted to the system until 1973, when it was found throughout engagements in the Vietnam conflict that close-range fighting was still involved.
The F-106 has mid-set delta wings, with 60 degrees sweepback, no tailplane, and square-top fin and rudder. Engine air intakes are on each side of the fuselage just forward of the wing leading edges.
The tricycle undercarriage has a single wheel on each main unit and twin nose-wheels. The nosewheels retract forward.
While development of the earlier fighter was delayed by various teething troubles in 1955-6, progress with the later machine became possible with the development of the Hughes MA-1 integrated fire-control system. In November 1955, the USAF placed an order for 17 F-102Bs and in December, a mock-up of the proposed cockpit with radically new equipment and pilot displays was completed. On 17 June 1956, the F-102B was redesignated F-106.
The first of two YF-106A service-test aircraft (56-451/452) flew on 26 December 1956 at Edwards AFB, California. Like most new fighter types in the ‘century series’, the F-106 was initially a disappointment. Maximum speed, rate of climb and overall acceleration were significantly below Air Defense Command expectations with the Pratt & Whitney J57-P-9 turbojet employed in the initial machines and the Wright J67, licence-built Olympus, being contemplated. When the latter powerplant failed to materialise, the USAF reduced its requirement from 1,000 to 360 of the new interceptors.
The first flight of the F-106B two-seat trainer was made in April 1958.
F-106B
An F-106A held the world speed record of 1525.05 mph from 15 December 1959 until the autumn of 1961.
Performance was improved with the installation of the 7800kg thrust Pratt & Whitney J75-P-17 turbojet which could provide 11100kg thrust with afterburning.
F-106A
The F-106A attained its initial operating capability with the 498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Geiger AFB, Washington, in October 1959 and subsequently served with 15 ADC and eight Air National Guard squadrons. Except for brief deployments to Europe and to Korea in 1968, the type served exclusively in North America. Totals of 277 F-106A single-seat interceptors served in company with 63 F-106B two-seat combat trainers, 340 machines actually being completed, and the types remained on active duty until 1982.
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger resulted from a 1950 USAF design competition for an integral all-weather interceptor weapon system. Combining the Hughes Falcon air-to-air missile, the 60 degree sweep delta wing platform first flown on the XF-92A, and the 4944kg thrust Pratt & Whitney J57-P-11 turbojet, the first of 10 YF-102s (52-7994/7995 and 53-1779/1786) flew at Edwards AFB, California, on 24 October 1953, piloted by Dick Johnson. The prototype was lost in a mishap nine days later.
YF-102 (nearest), F-102 (rear)
The YF-102 was not a success, proving unable to maintan supersonic speeds in level flight. The fuselage was completely redesigned into a ‘coke bottle’ shape using the area rule concept, and a more powerful engine installed. The indented fuselage or ‘area rule’ configuration was developed by NACA’s Richard Whitcomb was introduced in the much-altered YF-102A, which was assembled in 117 days.
The first of four YF-102As (53-1787/1790) flew at Edwards AFB on 20 December 1954, again piloted by Dick Johnson, not merely with ‘area rule’ but with cambered wing, new canopy (except on 53-1788) and 5443kg thrust Pratt & Whitney J57-P-23. The new design was supersonic and met USAF expectations.
Development included the introduction pf a larger fin from the 23rd production aircraft.
The primary weapon was the Hughes AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missile, coupled with the Hughes MG-10 fire control system. Introduced later was the AIM-26, some nuclear tipped.
YF-102
The production F-102A began to reach Air Defense Command squadrons in June 1955. The first two-seat TF-102A combat proficiency trainer (54-1351) flew at Edwards AFB 8 November 1955 and operated alongside F-102As in ADC service.
Service entry began with the first examples delivered in April 1956 to the 327th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (FIS) at George, California. The F-102B designation was briefly assigned to a new aircraft completed as the F-106. The little-known YF-102C (53-1806), a converted F-102A model, tested change in the internal fire control system, but these were not adopted.
The F-102A eventually served with 32 ADC and 21 States ANG squadrons. Air Defense Command machines went through several modernisation programmes before being relegated to the ANG, the internal provision for rockets being eventually omitted. A few F-102As went to Greece (20 F-102A and 4 TF-102A) and Turkey (40 F-102A and 9 TF-102A).
1964 on arrival at Saigon, Vietnam
A few camouflaged F-102As were deployed to South East Asia in 1964-6, and to Korea in 1968 but, while they flew a few missions over North Vietnam, they are not thought to have actually been in combat. No air-to-air kills were achieved but one F-102A was shot down by a MiG-21 on 5 February 1968.
F-102A
Most F-102A squadrons had converted to other types by the end of 1971. The last US operational user was the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 199th FIS which received its first F-4C Phantom replacement in October 1975. Greece retired their F-102As in 1979, with Turkey withdrawing its last 13 fighters and five trainers on 5 June 1979. In March 1973, the USAF awarded Sperry a contract to convert an initial 6 F-102As as a fully manoeuvrable manned or unmanned target drones under the Pave Deuce programme as PQM-102As. Over 200 were eventually converted, operating until 1986. Numerous F-102A airframes have been saved, the 199th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the Hawaii Air National Guard having retained no fewer than four non-flyable F-102As for display purposes after transitioning to the F-4C Phantom.
Total Delta Dagger production was exactly 1000 airplanes built at San Diego’s Lindbergh Field, comprising 10 YF-102, 4 YF-102A, 875 F-102A and 111 TF-102A trainers.
Convair F-102A Delta Dagger Engines: 1 x Pratt & Whitney J57-P-23 turbojet, 17,200 lb (5307/7802kp) thrust. Length: 68 ft 4.5 in (20.84m) Wingspan: 38 ft 1.5 in (11.62m) Wing area: 695.031 sqft / 64.57 sq.m Wing loading: 45.31 lb/sq.ft / 221.0 kg/sq.m Height: 21 ft 2.5 in (6.46m) Empty Weight: 19,026lbs (8,630kg) Maximum Take-Off Weight: 31,500lbs (14,288kg) Maximum Speed: 825mph (1,328kmh; 717kts) at 36,000 ft Cruising speed: 469 kts / 869 km/h Cruising altitude: 34449 ft / 10500 m Maximum Range: 1,350miles (2,173km) Rate-of-Climb: 17,400ft/min (5,304m/min) Service Ceiling: 54,003ft (16,460m) Armament: 6 x AIM-4A / AIM-4C Falcon Air-to-Air Missiles 2 x 2.75″ Rocket Pods (24-shot, unguided rockets) Nuclear Capable munitions as needed. Accommodation: 1 Hardpoints: 6
Convair F-102A Delta Dagger Engine: 1 x Pratt & Whitney J57-P-35 turbojet, 10,900 dry, 17,000 lb afterburner Wingspan: 38 ft 1.5 in (11.62m) Wing area: 661.5 sq.ft Length: 68 ft 4.5 in (20.84m) Height: 21 ft 2.5 in (6.46m) Wheel track: 14 ft 2.25 in Wheelbase: 22 ft 4.5 in Maximum Take-Off Weight: 27,000 lbs Maximum Speed: 825 mph (1,328kmh; 717kts, M1.25) at 36,000 ft Service Ceiling: 54,000 ft (16,460m) Armament: 6 x AIM-4A / AIM-4C Falcon Air-to-Air Missiles 2 x 2.75″ Rocket Pods (24-shot, unguided rockets) Nuclear Capable munitions as needed. Accommodation: 1 Hardpoints: 6
The Convair Model 7 submission was ordered in prototype form as the XF-92 to be powered by a 1600-lb (726-kg) thrust Westinghouse 130 turbojet supplemented for take-off and combat by a 6000-lb (2722-kg) thrust Reaction Motors LR-11 liquid-propellant rocket. This was a tailless delta type with mixed powerplant, and its wing was designed with the aid of Dr Alexander Lippisch. This would have been a very fast point-defence interceptor with exceedingly limited range and duration.
Validation of the basic design’s 60 degree swept delta wing (complete with full-span elevons for pitch and roll control) was entrusted to a smaller-scale aeroplane, the Model 7-002, which used components from five other aircraft and was powered by an Allison J33-A-23 turbojet. The Model 7-002 was generally successful, and development of the XF-92 proceeded without undue problems. In June 1949 the XF-92 was cancelled, but the Model 7-002 was kept in development as the XF-92A high-speed research aeroplane. Re-engined with the 6800-lb (3084-kg) J33-A-29 afterburning turbojet, the XF-92A eventually reached a speed of Mach 0.95 at 40,000-ft (12,190-rn). Meanwhile the LTSAF was completing the competition for the fire-control system originally specified for the XF-92, and this was later installed in the modestly supersonic F-102 Delta Dagger interceptor that was evolved as the Convair Model 8 on the aerodynamic basis of the XF-92A with the advanced Pratt & Whitney J57 afterburning turbojet.
The Convair made its first flight on 8 June 1948. This was a simple airplane with latticed canopy cover, nose air inlet, and through-flow arrangement for its 2358kg thrust Allison J33-A-23 turbojet. Its delta wing was swept 60 degrees. When the fully-fledged rocket-powered XF-92 design was cancelled because of its obviously limited military application, the model 7002 was redesignated XF-92A.
The XF-92A originally flew without afterburning. During continuing tests at Edwards AFB it was re-engined and its fuselage lengthened to provide reheat for the new 3402kg afterburning thrust Allison J33-A-29. At the same time, the natural-metal XF-92A was painted gloss white.
Always a research aircraft rather than a fighter, the XF-92A was turned over to NACA for tests before its flight career ended in 1953.
Since it had been intended only as a flying mock-up for the cancelled machine, the XF-92A was never a candidate for a production order, though it performed valuable, if unintended, service as a testbed for the company’s F-102 interceptor.
XF-92A Engine: 1 x 3402kg afterburning thrust Allison J33-A-29 turbojet Max take-off weight: 6800 kg / 14992 lb Wingspan: 9.5 m / 31 ft 2 in Length: 12.9 m / 42 ft 4 in Wing area: 39.0 sq.m / 419.79 sq ft Max. speed: 1000 km/h / 621 mph Crew: 1
The prototype Convair 600 (a converted 240D) was powered by Rolls-Royce Dart R.Da 10 turboprops, and first flew on 12 May 1965.
N74850 1948 Convair 240-0 converted to 600 with RR Dart 542-4
About 240 aircraft were modified from Convair 240 (Convair 600) and Convair 340 / Convair 440 (Convair 640) with the Rolls-Royce turbo-props installed.
Engines: Rolls Royce Dart 10 Mk 542 4 turboprops, 2,750 shp. Length: 74 ft 8 in. Wingspan: 91 ft 9 in. Speed: 309 mph. Ceiling: 24,600 ft. Range: 1,230 mls.
Convair 640 Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce RDa. 10/1 Dart turbo-prop, 2256kW Max take-off weight: 25855 kg / 57001 lb Empty weight: 13733 kg / 30276 lb Wingspan: 32.11 m / 105 ft 4 in Length: 24.84 m / 81 ft 6 in Height: 8.59 m / 28 ft 2 in Wing area: 85.47 sq.m / 919.99 sq ft Cruise speed: 465 km/h / 289 mph Ceiling: 6000 m / 19700 ft Range w/max.fuel: 3138 km / 1950 miles Range w/max.payload: 1979 km / 1230 miles Crew: 2-3 Passengers: 49-56
The Convair 580 is a turbine powered development of the Convair 340/440. Standard Pratt and Whitney R2800 piston engine (2,000hp) Convairs were converted to take a pair of Allison 501-D turboprop engines developing 2796kW (3750ehp) and driving four-bladed propellers. Development work was carried out by PacAero Engineering Corp, the extra power allowed a gross weight increase to 53,200 lb. for take off following some structural modification including an enlarged horizontal and vertical tailplane. The conversion line was opened at Pacific Airmotive Corp. Burbank, California, following certification in 1960. The last 580 was delivered in July 1969 after 170 aircraft had been converted. In all-passenger configuration it could carry 39 passengers.
Kelowna Flightcraft R&D Ltd., Allison Gas Turbine and General Dynamics teamed to launch the Convair 5800 Program. The Convair Model 340, 440, and 580 Airplanes were converted with a fourteen foot, three inch stretch to provide increased capacity. The 5800 is powered by the Allison 501-D22G (Series III) Propjet Engine, de-rated to 4300 TSHP.
CV5800
The CV5800 featured a reconditioned airframe with a projected life in excess of 100,000 hours, modern, all new lightweight electrical wiring, all new flight control system cables, dual point underwing pressure refuelling, roller floor system, and passenger, cargo, or Combi models with approved Class E cabin.
All have Honeywell EFIS Flight Decks. The passenger model 5800 has 78 seats, and wide body interior with overhead bins. The cargo versions have a 120 inch cargo door and pallets and containers are compatible with DC-9 and B-727 aircraft. There is a 9-G Tie-down system.
CV5800 Engines: 2 x Allison 501-D22G Propellers: Hamilton Standard 54H60-164 Cruise speed: 325 mph Range with 21,000 lb payload: 750 statute miles Range with20,000 lb payload: 900 statute miles
