The delta wing design configuration is synonymous with Convair. No other aircraft company had as many delta designs as they did. Convair designed America’s first jet with delta wings, first and only seaplane supersonic jet fighter as well as the phenomenal B-58 Hustler! This is a new paperback version of a book previously released in hardback.

The book is broken down into 20 chapters. The first two explain what delta wings are and the history of Convair and its predecessors. Chapter three covers the XF-92 which was the first US jet aircraft of Delta configuration. It covers the history of this aircraft and is accompanied with many photos several in color. The next five chapters are devoted to the F-102 Delta Dagger and cover it from inception through combat in Vietnam and on into use by the various Air National Guards.

The next two chapters cover two of the most interesting designs to ever come out of an aircraft company! The XFY-1 Pogo and the XF2Y-1 Sea Dart are really exciting designs. The Pogo was a vertical takeoff and landing turboprop aircraft. The Pogo was the only one of the vertical takeoff competition to ever actually complete vertical takeoffs and landings. The Sea Dart was a supersonic seaplane fighter! Using first a double and then a single ski configuration the Sea Dart was the worlds on supersonic seaplane.

The next four chapters cover the development and operational use of the F-106 Delta Dart. Originally set to be phased out in the 1970s the Dart soldiered on well into the 1980s, with the last operational Darts being retired from the NJANG in August of 1988. A few continued to fly as chase planes into the early 1990s.

Six of the last seven chapters cover the ultimate Delta and design from Convair, the B-58 Hustler. America’s first operational supersonic bomber! From developing, testing and deploying; all is covered here. There is even mention of and a color hypothetical digital image of the alleged SEA camouflaged B-58.

The final chapters cover NASA use of the F-106 for towed space vehicle trials and the development of the General Dynamics F-16XL delta aircraft.

I really liked this book and there is a good bit of information and hundreds of gorgeous pictures in its pages! The Convair deltas were the cutting edge of technology and deterrence during the cold war. For the modeler most of these aircraft can be found in kit form. I 1/48 we have the XF-92 and Sea Dart in resin from Collect-aire, the XFY-1 Pogo from Lindberg, Monogram/Revell for the F-102,F-106 and B-58, Kinetic/Skunkworks for the F-16XL and Allyn/Microscale for the XF-102. In 1/72 the F-102 is available from Hasegawa and a new kit from Meng. Hasegawa also has an F-106 and Italeri the B-58. The XFY-1 is available from KP models and the Sea Dart is available from Mach 2 and the XF-92 can be found by Olimp,Airmodel and Mach 2. I can recommend this book to modelers and aviation historians alike. All will like it and find useful information within its covers. The book can be ordered from the website above or by calling 1-800-895-4585. A $6.95 shipping and handling fee is added to each order.

Our thanks to Specialty Press for the review copy and my thanks to IPMS/USA for the review opportunity