F-106 pilots and ground crews (Read 770 times)

Firstly, thank you for allowing me to join the forums. I am mightily impressed by the amount of information gathered here about the Delta Dart.


I am in the early stages of researching the Convair F-106 for an article, hopefully to be published in early next year in a UK aviation magazine. It is now 50th years since the first flight of the F-106. Makes you feel old when you read that last bit doesn't it?



I am hoping to get responses from F-106 pilots about:



The flying characteristics of the F-106.

Was it an easy aircraft to fly?

Was it an effective interceptor?

What were the dangers of flying the type - could you get into trouble easily on the edge of its flight envelope?

Was the cockpit ergonomically easy to work in or was it a bit like being a one-armed paper hanger?

What was its strongest virtue?

What was its greatest vice?

What type of targets would you have been assigned to defend against during the Cold War?



I would also appreciate stories of Cold War European operations, exercises, close calls in training and/or poor weather. Also any photos, particularly air-to-air shots you may have. As well as anything liked or disliked about the F-106.



From ground crew I would like to know about the ease or difficulty of maintaining the aircraft. What was the worst job to complete? What became unserviceable most often keeping the aircraft on the ground? How easy was it to arm with a weapons load? Tales of high pressure operations for the ground crew during the Cold War.


I look forward to hearing from you all. You may email me if you prefer at tomdocherty72@hotmail.com and if you want to find out more about me first then please follow this link:  www.spanglefish.com/tomdocherty