Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series
HA3116F-102A Delta Dagger 56-1488, 179 FIS, Minnesota ANG, 1966 (case XX wing)
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 Aircraft
In 1966 the Minnesota ANG 179th FIS “Bulldogs” / 148th FG re-equipped with the F-102 Delta Dagger. In 1970 the unit won the “William Tell” weaponry competition earning them the nickname “The Aces of Deuces”. F-102A 56-1488 was first delivered to the 438th FIS and spent time with the 59th FIS and in 1970 moved to the Minnesota ANG 179th FIS. In April 1971 the aircraft was put in storage at AMARC and in 1980 was converted to PQM-102B as “802”.
