Author Topic: F-106G Dart 2000 (Read 11697 times)

Acree · « **on:** February 21, 2016, 02:11:32 AM »

After several abortive projects for upgraded versions of the F-106 Delta Dart, General Dynamics proposed a factory rebuild/upgrade to address all the negative aspects of the F-106 while preserving the excellent qualities of the interceptor. Designated F-106G, the project was referred to as Dart 2000 because of the anticipated in service entry date of late 1999 or early 2000.

I am aware that such an upgrade would have been superfluous with the F-16 and F-15 in service. But the F-106 has always been one of my favorite aircraft and I've often imagined a modernized version, so here we go!

Below are the plans I currently have in hand:

1. Replace the F-106's J75 with an F-110, being 1/3 lighter, but with greater maximum thrust and better fuel consumption, plus easier maintenance.
2. Replace F-106 lateral intakes with more modern, variable ramp inlets shaped like those of the F-15.
3. Replace the F-106's missile bay with a permanent M61A1 20mm cannon mount, plus additional internal fuel and avionics space.
4. Replace the MA-1 fire-control system with the APG-63 fit of the F-15.
5. A new, glass cockpit; new canopy and redesigned forward fuselage.
6. New missile armament of 4x AIM-4 or AMRAAM in semi-recessed fuselage mountings, plus 2x AIM-9 on cropped wingtips, plus up to four more on underwing mountings.
7. Various ECM/ECCM upgrades (bumps and antennae).

I will be using the Hasegawa F-106A kit in 1:72, plus various other bits I will point out along the way. Photos will be coming.

Chuck

Acree · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2016, 02:14:23 AM »

Forgot to mention, new ACES II ejection seat and POSSIBLE canards.

Kerick · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2016, 02:30:29 AM »

Awesome! This has been on my to do list for a long time. I'll be watching with great interest
One bit heard about the 106 and its radar was that it was so powerful that it would jam F-15 radar in air to air training

apophenia · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2016, 04:32:28 AM »

Quote from: Acree on February 21, 2016, 02:11:32 AM

I am aware that such an upgrade would have been superfluous with the F-16 and F-15 in service...

Perhaps the Dart 2000 rebuilds are for export à la the Military Assistance Program F-5s?

As you probably know, Convair proposed Delta Dart variants with canard surfaces - including the 'least mod' F-106X with alternative canard positions (low- or high-mounted). Any chance of General Dynamics introducing canards on the Dart 2000?

Acree · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2016, 04:39:31 AM »

There is certainly the possibility of canards. I'm assessing the aesthetics, as that is my personal driving motivation.

apophenia · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2016, 04:45:36 AM »

"If it looks right, it is right."

Acree · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2016, 05:17:39 AM »

I concur! Frankly, I don't like the look of the F-106X's canards, so if I do them, they will surely look different from those.

FAAMAN · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2016, 06:49:22 AM »

This will definitely be one build worth watching :)

It'll be a great comparison to my Hasegawa F-106.

Must say though, by all means use AMRAAM, but ditch the AIM-4 Falcons as they are next to useless, outperformed in all aspects by the AIM-9 Sidewinder and its developments. :) :)

elmayerle · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2016, 06:56:28 AM »

Going to enlarge the radome as illustrated in the D&S book? That could definitely add capability (F-15 radar at a minimum). You might want to add a second set of underwing hardpoints half way between the existing pylons and the wing tips. Going for reduced outboard leading edge sweep to fit Sidewinder/ASRAAM/etc. launch rails or going with an extended chord and dogtooth to get the same effect?

Acree · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2016, 07:10:54 AM »

Definitely ditching the Falcons!! That "AIM-4" was a typo - meant to say AIM-7. But it will be AMRAAM anyway. Definitely enlarging the radome, too.

DFZ · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2016, 12:04:33 PM »

Oh yeah, this is going to be good! I'm tagging along for the ride too!

Personally i've never been very interested in the 106 till recently. Watched a doc about the cold war jets a few weeks ago and it really stuck with me since... Guess that's another add to the to-buy list...

Zen

Volkodav · « **Reply #11 on:** February 21, 2016, 01:30:34 PM »

Can't wait to see this one finished!

Jeffry Fontaine · « **Reply #12 on:** February 21, 2016, 02:37:22 PM »

changing the canopy and windscreen would do wonders for the F-106. New seat and instrument panel would also be nice to see.

Rage · « **Reply #13 on:** February 21, 2016, 03:34:46 PM »

So completely gonna keep tabs on this. I had toyed with this idea on paper and found my end result (new engine, canopy, and canards) kept coming out too Mirage-ish. I think your intake mods will be the key.

elmayerle · « **Reply #14 on:** February 22, 2016, 02:02:13 AM »

Quote from: Jeffry Fontaine on February 21, 2016, 02:37:22 PM

changing the canopy and windscreen would do wonders for the F-106. New seat and instrument panel would also be nice to see.

Blown canopy like that fitted to them later in life and a blown windscreen without that massive center structure would definitely change the look.

Acree · « **Reply #15 on:** February 22, 2016, 02:04:05 AM »

My canopy change will be more radical even than that. I am attempting to use a Eurofighter Typhoon canopy. I have a backup plan if that fails.

The whole canopy / radome / nose re-engineering is the biggest challenge for me right now.

Kelmola · « **Reply #16 on:** February 22, 2016, 02:36:12 AM »

Semi-related: this thread made me read up on F-106, and repeated exposure to front views of her made me realize that especially with the original canopy and those inlets she must certainly have been at least a partial inspiration for the Colonial Vipers from Battlestar Galactica.

FAAMAN · « **Reply #17 on:** February 22, 2016, 01:54:07 PM »

This is off topic, but the original designers used X-15, F-104, F-4 and F-107 as their inspiration for the 'compact' (27') Colonial Vipers.
Oops

forgot F4D Skyray :)
Cheers all

Acree · « **Reply #18 on:** February 27, 2016, 02:57:05 AM »

I have made some progress on the Dart 2000. The first picture below shows the F-110 in the package - nice little kit with detail few will ever see (brass flame holders deep inside the afterburner). The second pic shows the F-110 built up next to the kit pats it replaces. The third shows the new engine nozzle in situ (temporarily). The F-110 will sit further aft than the j-75 due to center of gravity issues and to allow the variable nozzle to sit outside the shroud that covered the J-75's fixed nozzle.

Next, I have begun to tackle the intakes. I took the intakes from an F-15C (Hasegawa) and cut them down in all three dimensions to mate up with the F-106 intake trunking. Much PSR follows and I still need at least one more PSR session, but you can get the idea.

I have also started work on the cockpit and nose changes. More pics soon!

Chuck

FAAMAN · « **Reply #19 on:** February 27, 2016, 06:59:04 AM »

Way cool!!

Kerick · « **Reply #20 on:** February 27, 2016, 10:33:40 AM »

This is awesome!

Jeffry Fontaine · « **Reply #21 on:** February 27, 2016, 11:30:03 AM »

Wonder how the vertical fin from an F-16 would look on the F-106? Especially one of the fins that includes the parachute housing.

Acree · « **Reply #22 on:** February 28, 2016, 03:00:48 AM »

Got some more done on the Dart 2000. Today's photos show the nose work. It actually went easier than I expected... after a lot of playing around and thinking. The first photo shows the new nose without radome, the second with radome (not glued), and the third is a peek into the cockpit. The last pic is a leftover from last time showing the new intakes again.

Kerick · « **Reply #23 on:** February 28, 2016, 10:39:52 AM »

Looking good! I'm taking notes

finsrin · « **Reply #24 on:** February 28, 2016, 11:30:33 AM »

Fascinated how well these changes are integrating into an F-106. :)

Acree · « **Reply #25 on:** March 02, 2016, 03:12:01 PM »

Tonight's update is focused on the closed-off weapons bay and gun installation. The gun "pod" represents a permanent installation and consists of the wingroot and gunport from an F-15C and some chunk of random bomb leftover. There is actually a six-barrel cannon inside that gun port, but you can't see it in the pics (and barely in real life).

Enjoy, and feel free to comment!

Chuck

apophenia · « **Reply #26 on:** March 05, 2016, 03:32:39 AM »

Excellent changes. All well thought-through, plausible, and neatly executed. Go Acree!

Acree · « **Reply #27 on:** March 08, 2016, 02:42:02 PM »

Thanks, Apophenia!

I have made a good bit of progress since the last update. Wings are on, canopy is on and masked. Wingtip missile rails are mounted along with under-fuselage rails. Due to limited available length I went with only two fuselage rails, meaning total loadout will be 4 x AIM-120 (2 fuselage, 2 wingtip) and 4 x AIM-9L. To canard, or not to canard?!? After much indecision and a little advice from my son, I decided to mount canards low on the nose with anhedral to help prevent disrupting airflow into the intakes. These are modified horizontal stabilizers from an Me 262.

The model has been primed in overall white, which makes for horrible photos, but at least you can see the overall shape. Enjoy, and as always, comments welcome!

Old Wombat · « **Reply #28 on:** March 08, 2016, 02:55:04 PM »

That's looking a bit funky!

Kerick · « **Reply #29 on:** March 09, 2016, 06:02:12 AM »

This looks awesome. Are you going with a traditional F-106 scheme for markings or something different?

Diavel · « **Reply #30 on:** March 09, 2016, 06:15:53 AM »

Looking good.

Acree · « **Reply #31 on:** March 09, 2016, 06:25:33 AM »

Thanks, guys!

Kerick: I plan on an F-15-like scheme (2 grays) with low-viz markings. I love the original 106's colorful markings, but I don't relish the idea of trying to replicate that high gloss gray, PLUS, I want to emphasize the differentiation between the original 106 and this new version.

Chuck

Kerick · « **Reply #32 on:** March 09, 2016, 08:08:45 AM »

Sounds good!

Acree · « **Reply #33 on:** March 22, 2016, 07:39:20 AM »

Well, I tried to be good about taking photos along the way, but I just lost it. Nevertheless, the project is complete, with a bit of a surprise ending. I had intended on a two-tone grey USAF camouflage ala F-15, with low-viz markings. Due to my lack of airbrushing experience and a series of unfortunate incidents (after each of which I decided the project was ruined!), I changed my plan to an overall dark grey scheme with Japanese markings. Though in no way historically sound, I like the result. So, herewith are the photos (four at a time in a series of posts. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Chuck

Acree · « **Reply #34 on:** March 22, 2016, 07:40:49 AM »

More Dart 2000 photos:

Acree · « **Reply #35 on:** March 22, 2016, 07:42:31 AM »

Even eore Dart 2000 photos!

apophenia · « **Reply #36 on:** March 22, 2016, 10:23:32 AM »

Very nice! I think the most view of your changes is in the nose-on shot (F-106-17.jpg). Just shown that image, I doubt that many would guess that this whif started as a Delta Dart :)

Kerick · « **Reply #37 on:** March 22, 2016, 10:49:14 AM »

Hard to tell it was ever an F-106! Great work!

DFZ · « **Reply #38 on:** March 22, 2016, 11:11:11 AM »

Came out great! The dark blue with the red roundels works really well. :)

Zen

finsrin · « **Reply #39 on:** March 22, 2016, 11:49:21 AM »

Quote from: kerick on March 22, 2016, 10:49:14 AM

Hard to tell it was ever an F-106! Great work!

Struck me same way. Went looking for F-106 recognizable features. Good build, a lot went into it :)

Tophe · « **Reply #40 on:** March 23, 2016, 02:11:24 AM »

Congratulations!

FAAMAN · « **Reply #41 on:** March 23, 2016, 12:13:59 PM »

That looks brilliant!! Surely it's an F-106GJ

Acree · « **Reply #42 on:** March 26, 2016, 03:26:32 AM »

Thanks, guys, for all the comments! I was quite pleased with the eventual result, even if I almost quit a few times! And, yes, FAAMAN, the Japanese version depicted would certainly be F-106GJ!

pigflyer · « **Reply #43 on:** June 28, 2016, 04:53:09 AM »

Quote from: kerick on March 22, 2016, 10:49:14 AM

Hard to tell it was ever an F-106! Great work!

Couldn't agree more, it looks like the logical next stage from the 106, but a new aircraft altogether. First class.


Swords to Plowshares GB Now Open!!

News:

Author Topic: F-106G Dart 2000 (Read 11697 times)