Pipe Creek Township in Grissom Air Force Base in Miami County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Convair TF-102A

56-2317

— Grissom Air Museum —

Convair TF-102A Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, September 5, 2026

1. Convair TF-102A Marker

Inscription. Specifications:
Manufacture: Convair
Designation: TF-102A
Serial Number: 56-2317
Official name: Delta Dagger
Nickname: "The Tub"
Function: Two seat Delta Wing Combat Trainer
Crew: 2, Pilot, and Instructor Pilot
Wingspan: 38 ft 1 in
Length: 63 ft 4 in
Height: 21 ft 2 in
Power plant: 1 x Pratt & Whitney J57-P-25 afterburning turbojet
Thrust: Dry thrust: 11,700 lbf
Thrust with afterburner: 17,200 lbf
Empty weight: 19,600 lb
Max T/O weight: 31,500 lb
Service ceiling: 53,400 ft
Range: 1,350 mi
Armament: Capable of carrying, Rockets: 24 x 2.75 in (70 mm) FFAR (Folding Fin Aerial Rocket) unguided rockets in missile bay doors
Missiles: 6 x AIM-4. Falcon air-to-air missiles or 3 x AIM-4 Falcon 1 x AIM-26 Falcon with conventional or nuclear warhead
Year built: Our TF-102A, 1956
Year retired: Our TF-102A, August 1982.

Mission:
The Air Force bought 111 TF-102A trainers with side by side seating during the life of the program. This required a redesign of the cockpit and nose incorporating a set of vortex generators on the top of the cockpit to prevent flow separation under certain circumstances, and repositioning

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of the engine intake ducts. Despite the many alterations, the aircraft was combat-capable, although this variant was predictably slower, reaching only subsonic speeds in level flight. TF-102s were used to orient new B-58 Hustler student pilots in the unusual flight characteristics of delta wing aircraft.

Our aircraft:
Our TF-102A started its operational service with the 61st Fighter Intercept Squadron, Truax Field Wisconsin. It went on to serve with the 37th and 59th FIS. In 1962, Air Defense Command (ADC) assumed the interceptor pilot training mission from Air Training Command (ATC). Our TF102A continued training pilots that year with the 4780th ADW, Perrin AFB Texas. From there, she moved on to the 4756th ADW, Tyndall AFB Florida. The now veteran 102 served a short time in Alaska with the 317th FIS, and the 331st FIS, Webb AFB Texas. Her Air Force days behind her, she moved to Texas's Air National Guard's 111th FIS, then Idaho's 190th FIS. In 1975 she flew back to Tyndall AFB Florida and was converted to a PQM-102A Drone, for aerial target training. Because of her two-seat arrangement, 2317 was used to test the drone control equipment,

Photographed by Craig Doda, September 5, 2026

2. Convair TF-102A Marker

and for checkout flights for trainee drone pilots. Having escaped a shameful end, she was withdrawn from the Air Force inventory in 1982, and for a short time was on display at the Yankee Air Force Museum in Ypsilanti, MI. She now resides in retirement near other "Century Series" Fighters, having trained countless pilots for the Intercept roll.

This exhibit is the property of the US Air Force and maintained through your participation in the Grissom Air Museum donor program.

Erected by Grissom Air Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Military. A significant historical month for this entry is August 1982.

Location. 40° 40.156′ N, 86° 7.765′ W. Marker is in Grissom Air Force Base, Indiana, in Miami County. It is in Pipe Creek Township. It is at the intersection of West Hoosier Boulevard and U.S. 31, on the right when traveling west on West Hoosier Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1000 W Hoosier Boulevard, Peru IN 46970, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana.

It is also in the American Midwest

Photographed by Craig Doda, September 5, 2026

3. Convair TF-102A Marker

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Fairchild Republic A-10A (a few steps from this marker); North American Aviation F-100C (a few steps from this marker); The Convair B-58 "Texas Hustler" Rocket Sled (within shouting distance of this marker); North American Aviation B-25J (within shouting distance of this marker); Grumman F-14B (within shouting distance of this marker); Douglas Aircraft C-47D and C-47B (within shouting distance of this marker); Douglas TA-4J (within shouting distance of this marker); Lockheed D-21 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grissom Air Force Base.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 16, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 16, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.