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A History Worth Restoring  -  -  -  -

McChord Air Force Base, WA. -  On a rainy November day in 1983, a small ceremony was held to celebrate the end F-106A Delta Dart, s/n 56-0459 active Air Force career, but unlike the usual retirement where a aircraft is eventually  “put out to pasture, broken up and sold for scrap or like many F-106’s, destroyed as target drones, this celebration would be a happy one. On that day members from McChord’s 318th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron presented the Interceptor to the newly formed McChord Air Museum, making her the second aircraft to join the museums growing collection.

 Early in her glorious 25 year career, - 0459 established its mark in history during the early weeks in December 1959 when she was chosen as the lead aircraft in “Project Firewall” a joint USAF / Convair attempt at a new Absolute World Speed Record. During her two weeks of flying –0459 could not overcome severe compressor stalls that led to the Interceptors removal from the project. A stock F-106 was pulled from the F-106 Test fleet, information gathered from the early flights in –459 assisted Pilot Capt. Joe Rogers set a new Absolute World Speed Record in a F-106 he had never flown previously. The record (average) of 1525.95 MPH is a record that still stands today for a production, single-engine Turbojet aircraft. What could have –0459 done?

After four years in the F-106 operational test program, -0459 was upgraded and entered active service with the Air Defense Command’s 11th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in April of ’61. After a four-year tour with the 11th, the Interceptor was transferred to McChord’s 318th FIS in March of 1965, where she proudly served until her retirement from active duty in Oct of 1983. During the almost 20 years of service at McChord, –0459 participated in many of the 318th's deployments, and was frequently selected to compete with the Squadron in The William Tell World Wide Air to Air Meet.

From 1983 until 1989, F-106 56-0459 was a valuable member of the McChord Air Museum until her transfer to the McChord’s 25th Air Division. During 1989, the McChord Museum was in the process of a move to a new site at McChord AFB. Shortly after the start of construction, problems discovered at the site led to the cancellation of the move, which put the Museums future in doubt. Fortunately weeks later the McChord Air Museum reestablished it’s self at our present location. It was during this period of uncertainty that the Museum lost the F-106 and two other aircraft to McChord’s 25th Air Division. The Unit quickly drew up plans to mount the aircraft on pylons in front of the Division’s Headquarters Building. To prepare the aircraft for display, all internal and some external components had to be removed from the aircraft, this process began with - 0459. After the deactivation of the 25th AD in 1990, the Museum regained control of the three aircraft; unfortunately the F-106’s airframe had been completely stripped of her components.

Since 1997 crews have been it the process of collecting components for the eventual restoration of 56-0459, these components were unavailable until 1998, due to the Air Combat Command’s need to support  QF-106 Drone Program. F-106 components have been collected from former drones at Holloman and Tyndall Air Force Bases. 

During the early months of 2004, restoration crew members received a major boost in the effort of returning F-106 56-0459 back to a condition deserving for a Cold War Warrior. With the assistance from personnel from the Barry Goldwater Bombing Range located at Gila Bend, AZ, the Museum was able to gather a good deal of the missing components needed to partially restore our F-106.

  F-106 56-0459 has served her nation well, and possess a rich history - - 

A history worth restoring !  

Welcome Aboard ! 

 318th FIS SPEED BRAKE (1982)

PARTLY RESTORED DOOR (R/H)

(A P&W J-75 ENGINE AND STAND HAS BEEN REQUESTED  BY THE RESTORATION CREW FOR DISPLAY IN THE MUSEUMS PROPOSED AVIATION ENGINE GALLERY.)

The following "Wishlist" contains components (in red) needed to 

The Crew of F-106A 56-0459 would like to pass on many thank the following individuals and / or organizations for their assistance over the years in the restoration of -0459.  - THANKS ALL ! ! ! ! ! !