Texas Dagger
Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger 0-62379 of the 111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 147 Fighter Group, Texas Air National Guard in 1971. The 111th flew the Dagger out of Ellington Field from 1960–1975.
Operational in 1956, the Air Force bought 889 F-102As and 111 two seat TF-102As as combat trainers with side-by-side seating. Largely used for air defense the Dagger likely intercepted more Russian aircraft than any other during the Cold War. It was armed with 24 unguided 2.75-in. rockets and six guided missiles. The USAF withdrew the type all together in 1979, expending the majority of the best airframes as QF-106 target drones over the Gulf of Mexico in the 1980s.
As for the 111th, they transitioned from the Dagger to the F-101 Voodoo, then the F-4 Phantom and finally the F-16 before becoming a Reconnaissance Squadron in 2008 flying Predator drones. The 111th Reconnaissance Squadron is currently the oldest unit of the Texas Air National Guard– and they still fly from Ellington.
Texas Dagger
I believe there is a misstatement regarding this post, as stated below:
“The USAF withdrew the type all together in 1979, expending the majority of the best airframes as QF-106 target drones over the Gulf of Mexico in the 1980s.”
It should state, “QF-102” not QF-106.
1st LT J. Jordan (Ret.)
147th FW/111th FIS 1980-1988