Tracy wrote:

...If he flew the F-102B then it "could" be the same as an F-106.
Although doubtful, since the Air Guard usually got Air Force
hand-me-downs.

It could also be possible he trained with the inert training version
of the AIR-2B Genie nuclear air-to-air missile (ATR-2).  This was a
missile designed to take out entire bomber formations (assuming an
enemy would fly in formations.)  A direct hit would not be required.
Survival of the shooter may not have been a requirement either."

To which I reply:

The Air Force never referred to the Delta Dart (the F-106) as the
F-102B.  It immediately changed the name and designation of the F-102B
to the 106.  Therefore whenever one talks about the F-102, it is the
Dagger to which they are referring.

The AIR-2B Genie was a rocket, not a missile (AIR= Aerial Intercept
Rocket,) with a 1.5 kiloton nuclear warhead.  It was unguided and simply
launched at an incoming formation of enemy planes.  No consideration was
given to the shooter or the civilian population on the ground.  IIRC,
the F-89J Scorpion, the F-101B Voodoo, F-102A Delta Dagger and F-106A
Delta Dart carried the Genie.  I remember the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air
Force) Voodoos (CF-101) carried two Genies in a rotating launcher in the
forward fuselage.  (Yes, Canada had nuclear weapons until 1984. The
Voodoo was one of several Canadian nuclear weapons systems.)

Wirt pooh-poohed my comment about having respect for people who flew the
F-102. Actually, I have a lot of respect for anyone who now flies or
flew combat planes, especially fighters.  Fighters were built for speed,
not comfort or even safety especially in the 1950-1970s.  Safety is a
more recent innovation.  :-)

The F-102 was designed and built during the 50s and it was an early jet
fighter.  The first one was built in 1953 and the last one in 1957.  In
those days, supersonic flight was still new; remember that Gen. Chuck
Yeager made the first supersonic flight in October 1947.

At any rate, the planes of the Century series (F-100 Super Sabre, F-101
Voodoo, F-102 Delta Dagger, F-103 Thunderwarrior, F-104 Starfigher,
F-105 Thunderchief, F-106 Delta Dart, F-107 Ultra Sabre, F-108 Rapier,
F-109, F-110 Specter(which became the F-4 Phantom II), and F-111
Aardvark,) were designed and built in rapid succession and for different
purposes.  Some worked out fine, others never made it (103, 107, 108,
109) and some, like the 102, where just plain bad.

Many of these planes and the ones preceding them were very dangerous.
The main cause of problems with these planes was the engine.  In the
early days of jet flight, the engines were underpowered, cranky,
unreliable and consumed a great deal of fuel. Also, the escape
mechanisms, AKA ejection seats, were not very sophisticated in those
days.  The attrition rate of the planes and pilots was far greater in
those days then it is today.

The Convair (nee Consolidated Vultee) aircraft company was in those
days, devoted to pure delta wing designs, the F-102 Delta Dagger, the
F-106 Delta Dart and some might remember the B-58 Hustler.  These
delta-wing planes never really established themselves as the way to go.
Indeed, apart from the Convair planes listed, the French Mirage III, and
the ill-fated Canadian Avro Arrow, and some others, the pure delta wing
never really established itself.  One of its problems was the high angle
of attack required at touchdown, the other was that when the engine gave
out (a common occurrence in those days), the plane exhibited all the
flight characteristics of a brick, just not as graceful.

There were other planes with something approaching delta wings, but they
added other flight control features, such as canards and double cranked
wings.  In the purest sense of the word, these are not deltas.  If you
take a look at the latest designs, you will see that the pure delta wing
is a thing of the past.

All this to say that in the late 60's if someone wanted to avoid combat
and any dangerous assignment, there were many ways that were much safer
than joining the Air National Guard and flying underpowered F-102s.

But of all the planes and the pilots who flew them, the ones that I hold
most in awe are the reconnaissance planes and their pilots.  Their motto
says it all:  "Alone, unarmed and unafraid."

Denys

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