Convair F-102 Delta Dagger

The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was the first operational supersonic interceptor and delta-wing fighter flown by the United States Air Force, and a member of the Century Series. It was built to defend American airspace against Soviet strategic bombers and carried missiles and rockets in an internal weapons bay. The prototype first flew on 23 October 1953 but could not reach Mach 1; Convair redesigned the fuselage to the area rule and fitted a thinner, wider wing, after which the aircraft went supersonic and a production contract followed in March 1954. It entered service in 1956, powered by a single Pratt and Whitney J57 afterburning turbojet. A total of 1,000 were built, including exports to Greece and Turkey. The Air Force withdrew it in 1976, and many survive in museums and as gate guardians.