A fighter without a gun is like a plane without a wing
Robin Olds

  

An updated version of the delta dart please with a bubble canopy canard foreplanes 2 cannons v tail horizontal tailplane & 2 engines please. It's a request from me to everyone

https://www.deviantart.com/armoredryukenshi1984/art/F-53-Swordsdragon-view-11-931581647
      

Here's the backstory of the F-53 Swordsdragon: The F-53A Swordsdragon is a modern day version of the F-106A Delta Dart but more compact & refined for the air superiority role
Mission

The F-53A is an all weather maneuverable tactical fighter designed to permit the Air Force to defend installations and the CONUS at the farthest point possible, and achieve and effectively maintain air superiority in aerial combat.

Features

The Delta Dart's air superiority is achieved through a mixture of maneuverability and acceleration, range, weapons and avionics. It can penetrate enemy defense and outperform and outfight any current& future enemy aircraft. The F-53A has electronic systems and weaponry to detect, acquire, track and attack enemy aircraft while operating in friendly or enemy-controlled airspace. The weapons and flight control systems are designed so that one person can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat.

The F-53A's superior maneuverability and acceleration are achieved through high engine thrust-to-weight ratio, a "cranked arrow" double delta wing structure, and low wing loading. Low wing loading (the ratio of aircraft weight to its wing area) is a vital factor in maneuverability and, combined with the high thrust-to-weight ratio, enables the aircraft to turn tightly without losing airspeed.  The "cranked arrow" double delta was first tested on the F-16XL and increases the maneuverability and payload of the fighter.  Additional changes to the aircraft, from its ancestor  the F-106A/B, includes having no  Semi-Automatic Ground Environment engagement system, no internal missile bay, & no trapeze mounts.

The multimission avionics system places the F-53A in a class of its own in terms of combat capabilities and pilot workload. It includes a head-up display, all passive systems , inertial navigation system, flight instruments, non electromagnetic  communications, tactical navigation system and instrument landing system. It also has an internally mounted, non electromagnetic  electronic-warfare system, "identification friend or foe" system, electronic countermeasures set and the new Boeing Jager Infrared Reciving Search & Tracking system.

The wide field-of-view heads-up display projects on the windscreen all essential flight information gathered by the integrated avionics system. This display, visible in any light condition, provides the pilot information necessary to track and destroy an enemy aircraft without having to look down at cockpit instruments.  Four Multi-Function Displays have replaced the traditional F-106 instrumentation, reducing pilot workload.  The Mk 1 eyeballs, & A model ears will augment those displays.

The simple instruments allows its user to aim weapons, radar and sensors by looking at a target and pressing a switch, making it unnecessary to maneuver the aircraft into line with the target. With JHMCS, targeting information and data, such as airspeed and altitude, are projected onto the pilot's visor so they are in view at all times. The simple arrangement  allows the user to remain completely focused on what's happening around the aircraft.

The F-53A's simple all passive  system can look up at high-flying targets and down at low-flying targets without being confused by ground clutter. It can detect and track aircraft and small high-speed targets at distances beyond visual range down to close range, and at altitudes down to treetop level. The IRST feeds target information into the central computer for effective weapons delivery. For close-in dogfights, the IRST automatically acquires enemy aircraft, and this information is projected on the head-up display. The reliable Lockheed-Martin  electronic warfare/jamming system and Northrop Grumman's improved robust self-protection system provides both threat warning and automatic countermeasures against selected threats.  A Northrop Grumman video camera mounted next to the nose gear wheel well provides long-range identification of targets.

An automated weapon system enables the pilot to perform aerial combat safely and effectively, using the pilots eyes in conjunction with the ears and the avionics and weapons controls located on the engine throttle or control stick. When the pilot changes from one weapon system to another, visual guidance for the required weapon automatically appears on the head-up display.

A variety of air-to-air weaponry can be carried by the F-53A. The Swordsdragon can be armed with combinations of many different air-to-air weapons on 42 external hardpoints: AIM-262 Diamondback radar seeking air to air missiles, AIM-9X Sidewinder or AIM-260/Mica/Python/ seeking  missiles on pylons under the wings, Hydra 2.75 inch air to air unguided rockets and two additional AIM-9X Sidewinder or AIM-262/Mica/Python/Meteor/ A-Darter/Sky+Sword family/GOKTUK etc on the wingtip pylons each with a maximum total of 42 air to air missiles & 2 M49A1 40mm railcannons both with 940 rounds of ammunition per gun

Background

The original F-106A had its first flight on December 26, 1956, entered service with the United States Air Force in July, 1960, & was retired from service in August of 1988.  The F-53A entered service on 4 July, 2040.

However, with the cancellation of the YF-60 Spectre 6th Generation fighter program in early 2029, the Air Force was required to find an additional fighter to augment the F-15/F-16 fighters on alert.
The General Dynamics Division of Lockheed Martin had dusted off blueprints of planned F-106 variants and, using lessons learned from the F-16XL & F-22, crested a modern version of the F-106A, to include a cranked-arrow double delta with wingtip pylons, all passive systems , 2 F185-GE-100 supersonic electric motors,& modified bubble canopy, when the YF-60 began testing as a feasibility study.  When the YF-60 was canceled, General Dynamics had a prototype ready to role out. Testing & acceptance  was accomplished in less than a year, with the first squadrons equipped at Luke AFB with F-53B trainers.

The F-53B is the two-seat trainer version of the F-53A, and retains all the combat capabilities of the single-seat version except with a single M49A1 with increased ammunition.

The Block 30 variant incorporates the Raytheon Advanced Self-Protection Integrated Suite, originally developed for the Hellenic Air Force F-16 Block 50s and replaces both the Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman electronic warfare suites, an onboard oxygen generation system, and an AN/APX-113 advanced electronic interrogator/transponder system. Later models will have improvements & refinements & these will be retrofitted to earlier models.

General Characteristics
Primary Function: Tactical Fighter
Contractor: Lockheed Martin
Power Plant: 2 General Electric F185-GE-100 supersonic electric motors
Thrust: 9900-88,000lbs of thrust each
Wingspan: 28 feet 11.9 inches
Length: 49 feet
Height: 20.33 feet  (6.2 meters)
Speed: 2,000 mph + (Mach 2.6 plus)
Ceiling: 68,000 feet (20,726 meters)
Range: Classified
Crew: F-53A: 1; F-53B: 2
Armament: 2 M49A1 40mm single barreled railcannons with 940 rounds of ammunition weach; 21 AIM-9X Sidewinder and  21 AIM-262 Diamondback air-to-air missiles, or other combinations of heat seeking & radar seeking air to air missiles, carried externally for a maximum of 42 external hardpoints
Date Deployed: 4 July 2040
Inventory: Active Force: 38,000; Reserves: 0; ANG: 28,000

Has anyone tried to create an amphibious flying boat variant of the F-106?

Something like Convair F2Y Sea Dart but figure out a way to add wheels?

One of these days I'll build my updated and improved F-106 but I don't think it will have an amphibious hull.
I think there is a kit of the Sea Dart out there. Upon further review there is one in 1/72nd scale by Mach2 and one in 1/60th scale by Strombecker. Then try to find one. Then there is the question of which hydroski version to build. IIRC there was a two ski version and a one big ski version. Gotta love that dark blue paint job on a delta jet!

Quote from: kerick on August 19, 2023, 09:36:40 AM........I think there is a kit of the Sea Dart out there. Upon further review there is one in 1/72nd scale by Mach2 and one in 1/60th scale by Strombecker. Then try to find one........

The 1/72 MACH 2 kit is fair (it is MACH2 after all) with no cockpit, sparse detail, not quite matching parts like upper and lower wings, and soft plastic, but makes up a decent prototype See Dart.  I built mine as an operational version, with over the wing Sidewinders, colt cannons, improved canopy and the later gray/white Fighter scheme.

 

next to her Sea Lightning UK counterpart......

That would be the production version with the vibration and vertical acceleration dampening cockpit?

According to the test pilots the vibration and up and down pounding were so bad that the instrument panel was unreadable and the stress on their spine and neck, from their head bouncing around, lasted for days after a flight. The jarring and bouncing of their eyeballs causing blurry vision and intense headaches.

Part of the problem with the narrow, small area hydro skis. Later on Convair tried a single, wider and deeper V'd ski, which gave a better ride, but wasn't as table IIRC.

I don't think they had such problems with the Empire Boats, or the Martin Mars or the big Sikorsky boats, they were much wider and had lots more damping area with their hulls. 

Quote from: PR19_Kit on August 19, 2023, 02:55:44 PMPart of the problem with the narrow, small area hydro skis. Later on Convair tried a single, wider and deeper V'd ski, which gave a better ride, but wasn't as table IIRC.
...

Quote from: sandiego89 on August 19, 2023, 11:40:46 AM

Quote from: kerick on August 19, 2023, 09:36:40 AM........I think there is a kit of the Sea Dart out there. Upon further review there is one in 1/72nd scale by Mach2 and one in 1/60th scale by Strombecker. Then try to find one........

The 1/72 MACH 2 kit is fair (it is MACH2 after all) with no cockpit, sparse detail, not quite matching parts like upper and lower wings, and soft plastic, but makes up a decent prototype See Dart.  I built mine as an operational version, with over the wing Sidewinders, colt cannons, improved canopy and the later gray/white Fighter scheme.

 

next to her Sea Lightning UK counterpart......

Those are down right pretty.

Can an F-106 get a bubble canopy in a cut down fuselage twin vertical tails a cranked arrow double delta wing &
canard foreplanes to improve stability?

Quote from: thundereagle1997 on August 26, 2023, 03:26:43 AMCan an F-106 get a bubble canopy in a cut down fuselage twin vertical tails a cranked arrow double delta wing &
canard foreplanes to improve stability?

Put an F-106 and an F-16XL in a room by themselves overnight and see what you get in the morning.
Seriously, that would be quite a kit bash. Might be worth a try.