F-106 SEA 1968

[Gondor]

As the war in SEA dragged on and American involvement grew and grew, almost anything that could fly and "haul donkey" as it was put at the time was tried. The Pentagon was trying to show that it was doing the best it could while trying to play down what was actually happening in SEA so when it was suggested that the F-106 could be used as both a bomber and a fighter to supplement or even replace the F-102's operating from Da Nang, an elaborate cover story was conceived to cover the aircraft's involvement so that there would be no complaints that the Air Force was leaving the skies of the U.S.A. undefended by sending it's primary air defence interceptor to fight in SEA. This cover story included Lt. Gen. Arthur Agan having a practical joke played on him by the 48th FIS , then based in Korea, by fitting an F-106 with two racks of 500lb bombs.



This was of course part of the cover story as the aircraft was actually trialling the load out and modified weapons release panel allowing the bombs to be dropped from the multiple ejector rack rather than dropping the whole ejector rack which an unmodified system would think was the normal load of a fuel tank.



Only a small detachment of aircraft were sent to Da Nang which had supposedly been detached to Japan but instead were diverted to Da Nang. Once there they were hurriedly painted in the colours and scheme used by the F-102's operating out of that airfield including the tail codes. As this was a covert detachment the aircraft never got to wear the scheme devised for them which they would have worn if sent to SEA openly.



The Model:

Hasegawa's ancient F-106 literally painted in the markings of the similarly ancient F-102 with a mix of decals from both kits. For those who read my blog will know about the missing 500lb bombs and the MER's, a problem I was fortunately able to work around.







The model was mainly painted with acrylics in an attempt to cut down the length of time it would take to paint the aircraft. The kit was out of the box although the tanks were cut from their pylons and MER's were added from an Italeri F-111 with bombs and Falcon missiles from Hasegawa weapon sets.

Beauty Shots:



















Of course I found out about the F-106 colour scheme after the decals were on the aircraft so it was too late to change the scheme to the "correct" one, maybe some time I will change it but not just yet, besides I like the story I have come up with.

Gondor

[sandiego89]

Nice! Love the Six in SEA cammo.  Maybe some bombs in the internal bay as well! 

-Dave

[Gondor]

Nice! Love the Six in SEA cammo.  Maybe some bombs in the internal bay as well! 

-Dave

I decided against doing that for two reasons.

1) The Falcons were kept for self defence

2) It would have taken the Air Force time and money to convert the trapeze frames or to remove them to add bombs to the fuselage bay.

Gondor

[kerick]

Nice! Love the Six in SEA cammo.  Maybe some bombs in the internal bay as well! 

-Dave

I decided against doing that for two reasons.

1) The Falcons were kept for self defence

2) It would have taken the Air Force time and money to convert the trapeze frames or to remove them to add bombs to the fuselage bay.

Gondor

I suspect it in RW it would have take a change to the actual structure of the aircraft to convert the weapons bay to bombs. Interesting idea however.
Also, as in your story, for trials it would have been impractical. If the trial had failed then you would have had to convert them back again.

[rickshaw]

Interesting.  Pity you didn't extend it further to replacing the Falcons with bombs...

[kerick]

Extend the airframe a cm or so and you might be able to fit nine 500 pounders, 3 x 3. An FB-106.

[sandiego89]

I recall reading a few F-102's in Vietnam launched some Falcons against some trucks and other heat sources, with minimal results- probably the best use of a Falcon anyway! No not the nuclear version 

-Dave

 

[Vorcha]

looks awesome! ...Until recently I had no Idea that any fighters or fighter-bombers of that era except the F-105 had an internal weapons bay  

[Gondor]

Extend the airframe a cm or so and you might be able to fit nine 500 pounders, 3 x 3. An FB-106.

That would be a new aircraft. The idea was to use an existing aircraft and extend it's capabilities.

If anyone wants to change the F-106 into a pure bomber then go ahead. I simply took the practical joke from the first picture and ran with that idea.

Gondor

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice!  

Even though I agree: I'd like to see bombs in the bay, too. Or take the story even further, replace the missile bay with a Pave Tack laser designator and hand some Paveway bombs under the wings, for a fast special strike mission aircraft?

Anyway, the SEA scheme suits the 106 well, great idea, also with the MERs based on the pics. "Here's the proof!" 

[Thorvic]

Looks the part and a brilliant take on what was a practical joke 

[zenrat]

Good job Gondor.

[Captain Canada]

That looks great ! Thanks for the story, I had no idea. Love the look on the General's face ! Always a fan of the 6-bomb MER, and of the 102/ 106 family. Love the camo as well.

[kerick]

Nice!  

Even though I agree: I'd like to see bombs in the bay, too. Or take the story even further, replace the missile bay with a Pave Tack laser designator and hand some Paveway bombs under the wings, for a fast special strike mission aircraft?

Anyway, the SEA scheme suits the 106 well, great idea, also with the MERs based on the pics. "Here's the proof!" 

Hmmmmm........ What if the F-111 had been a total flop and a new run of two seat F-106s with extended fuselage was built........
Like I need another project......

[NARSES2]

That's come out really well