THE SIX: The USAF's Ultimate Interceptor Was A Technical Marvel

[@beefgoat80]

Ask my dad about flying the F-106. Every time, he will eventually say "fastest single engine fighter ever", then try to explain the area rule and why the fuselage has "that beautiful coke bottle shape." He really did love flying that plane.

[@JohnSmith-de2mz]

My Dad flew the 6 at Andrews and George and he LOVED it, it was his favorite plane and he flew everything from the CG gliders during WWII to the Twin Mustang F-82, F-86, F-101 and the F-4 in Vietnam. It was beautiful and very powerful

[@JohnSmith-de2mz]

Almost forgot he flew the F-102 at Thule too

[@beefgoat80]

@JohnSmith-de2mz my father also flew the F-102, but the 6 was his true love. Lol

[@Daniel-jk7pe]

​@JohnSmith-de2mz what a legend

[@mattblom3990]

Your 1990's narration style and consistent video drops are always a pleasant surprise.

[@MM22966]

1990's BRITISH narration style. If this was an American/History Channel thing, he'd sound like he was practicing for an action movie.

[@Smokey_Cornbread]

I was wondering if anyone else noticed that 😂😂😂😂

[@tomsthomas1139]

Reminds me of the good times when the Discovery Channel produced great programming.

[@KRGruner]

What a cool aircraft. Excellent video, as usual foe this outstanding channel. I got to sit in the cockpit of an F-106 as an Air Force ROTC cadet in 1977, at McChord AFB, Washington state. Also got to see them take off and land. The loud "bang" of the afterburner igniting was very characteristic. I later went on to fly the F-111 and F-16, but it would have been cool to fly the F-106 (or F-4, for that matter). Anyway, very well done.

[@death13820]

You sir are the Drachenfel of the Air. Please take that as a complement.

[@VegaNurse.]

Can I just say I really like your content. There is no nonsense, nothing superfluous, no usual amount of KZbin begging. Just the story, the information. So refreshing.

[@sidefx996]

Man, this channel never disappoints. Fantastic. We had the last ones flying in Atlantic City when I was a kid. Was lucky enough to see them fly a few times.

[@gavinhammond1778]

The phone I'm watching this on has so much computational power it makes theses old planes look like rocks in comparison. The ambition of the people who designed them is just staggering, thanks for the content.

[@johnemmert9012]

There's something pleasant and basic, no hype about your entertainment style that is very refreshing.

[@rollerizer2558]

Absolutely the best (most in-depth, most authoritative) analysis of cold war-era military aircraft, weapons, and tactics on the web. Wonderfully researched stills and video; professionally written narration professionally delivered. This channel never disappoints. Thanks!

[@ryanvargas4889]

Your content is OUT F’ING STANDING. You have single handedly raised morale in my brain.

[@moraismig81]

I'm a simple man; I see a video on the F-106, I hit like.

[@stevenscoggins170]

One of the most beautiful planes ever designed and built.

[@sidefx996]

It really is. There’s a really cool advertisement from Convair. “The Three Fastest-All From Convair” with an 880, a B-58 and an F-106 flying in formation. They really were building stunningly beautiful aircraft.

[@sski]

It's so cool to see the F-106's of the 177th ANG out of Atlantic City after all these years. In the 80's, and knowing their practice flight schedule pretty well, I'd go sit around certain points of the Atlantic City Airport (when you could do so without getting harassed or arrested) to watch the fun during their take-off and landing segments. The landing segments were always the best part, with circling 2-ship flights cutting half field in a flash of delta wings and thunderous afterburners. As one plane lands and 'wheelies' down the runway with chute in tow, the wingman passes low along the runway to pull up and cut half way as discussed previously until it's his turn. I was there the day they officially flipped the switch to the F-16's and sent the F-106's on their way. It was a very sad day to me. It was like replacing a true American made piece of machinery with a cargo cult replication of 'an airplane' to me. That might seem harsh to some but the change seemed harsh to me at the time. Now I see the benefits, but as a young guy who just knew what I liked, well...

[@briankay4713]

Can't believe I've just got back from work to open this on KZbin.....the F-106 and nearly a full hour too from my favourite aviation channel ... The most beautiful Delta ever built.....so graceful ....and an absolutely technological tour de force of the 50s....very expensive too .....I consider it the F-22 Raptor of its era ....

[@Dysfunctional_Reprint]

You are one of if not the very best aviation history tuber. I love you videos.

[@control_the_pet_population]

I always loved the F106... sharp, clean lines right next to graceful contours... an easy nominee for any fighter jet beauty contests. It just screams "This is the future!" in that charming way that only existed in the 1950s.

[@MM22966]

I am listening to Boucher's part in this and I am rolling on the ground laughing. "Why don't you use the starter cart we provided?" "The aircraft catches fire." "Really? Demonstrator, POST!!!" The aircraft caught fire.

[@AdurianJ]

The F-102 and F-106 are the fighters which in concept are the most similar to the contemporary Swedish Draken. They had a similar Falcon armament and used datalinks for intercepts some of the avionics where even the same.

[@olpaint71]

Plus, the 106 looks better... 🙂

[@mattBLACKpunk]

​@@olpaint71rrrreeee you take that back 🤬

[@TyrannoJoris_Rex]

2:40 Intake position is how I tell them apart. Cheeks: F-102 Shoulders: F-106

[@uberduberdave]

Pointy tail, squared tail is a tell too...

[@AlanToon-fy4hg]

COL Jack Broughton, in his book "Rupert Red One", explained that of all the aircraft he had flown, the "Six" was the one he wanted parked in his garage! Back in the 1980's I knew a retired LtCol that flew them with the 95 FIS out of Dover AFB. He stated how they liked to fly down to Oceana to fight Navy F-4's and "tie a knot in their a**"!

[@uberduberdave]

Speaking of the garage quote, there was a national guard recruiting commercial in the 1970s that showed air guard and army guard neighbors getting up to go for their weekend duty. The army guy drove an M 60 tank out of his garage, the air guard got taxied a Six out of his...

[@NigelDeForrest-Pearce-cv6ek]

Great Telling of a Beautiful Interceptor’s Story!!! Thanks!!!

[@zeroelus]

Ever since I saw the six I fell in love with it, but I was too young (and in the wrong country) to see it fly at all. I'm just starting to watch it but happy this video, and channel, exists. Like others have mentioned, you're a highlight of the week in my youtube feed. Thank you and have a happy holiday season!

[@uberduberdave]

My dad joined the US Navy at 17 years old in 1951, he loaded bombs on AD Skyraiders on the USS Lake Champlain off the coast of North Korea. After the truce was signed, he worked the 20mm guns on Martin P4M-2Q Mercator spy planes. Since the guns on that plane were radar guided, the squadron CO sent dad to avionics school and then wound up working North American AJ-2 Savage carrier capable nuclear bombers. When he wasn't at sea, he was stationed at NAS Sanford, FL, where he met and married my mom in 1955. The Navy sent him to the Naval Ordnance Test Station China Lake, CA, in 1957 where he installed the worlds first terrain following radar in an F3D Skynight and a pulse-Doppler navigation radar in a P2V3C Neptune. From there he was sent to NAS Moffet in the Mountain View suburb of San Francisco. He briefly worked F-7U Cutlass and F4D Skyray jets before being assigned to the F3H Demon with VF-193 Ghostriders, and becoming part of the air wing for the USS Bon Homme Richard and leaving from San Francisco for a 9 month long world cruise. I can recall when he returned home, my brother, mom and I met him at the dock, the 880 foot long ship was like a mountain range. Dad intended to stay in the military and put in 20 years to reach retirement, but he'd been home for a mere 2 weeks when he got orders to go back out to sea. My mom said, if he was to be gone again for months, she wouldn't be there when he got back. It was reenlistment time so dad reenlisted in the Air Force. The Air Force took one look at my dad's avionics experience and put him to work on their avionics headache of the day, the F-106... Note: The Martin P4M-2Q Mercator and North American AJ-2 Savage might be interesting subjects for your videos, and you might even consider doing one on NOTS, now Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake. Nicknamed "the Secret City," it's a story that should be told, nearly every aircraft delivered weapon in the US arsenal was developed there...

[@ReasonableGuy-l7o]

Decades ago when I was stationed on the Connie (CV 64) we did a missile test exercise. From what I heard the shoot was briefed to include a telemetry offset to the missile would not actually shoot down the drone and it could be reused. The drone in this case was an F-106 flown remotely. Unfortunately for everyone the missile did not attend the briefing. Whoosh....beep beep beep....BOOM. Black smoke, flames, in glorious black and white grainy imagery.

[@michaelogden5958]

481 vacuum tubes. I wonder what the power draw was. Amazing stuff.

[@gort8203]

For those who need fact more than drama, a couple of details about the throttle. The sequence begins with the throttle in the off position, which is behind the idle stop in the right hand normal range of throttle movement. After pressing the starter button the throttle is moved outboard to the start position, and held there until the starter motor fires. At that point the throttle supplies ignition to the engine, but not fuel. The throttle must then be moved forward past the off detent into the idle position to supply fuel to the engine and allow it to start. This sequence ensures fuel does not enter the combustion chamber prior to ignition. In runup for takeoff you do not hold the brakes with afterburner lit. After checking the engine in military power you release the brakes and ensure the airplane is rolling straight prior to lighting the afterburner. A nozzle malfunction can cause yaw that would be uncontrollable on the runway.

[@noland65]

Regarding the on-board computer it may be of note that the original "Cape Cod" demonstration system for SAGE ran on just 256 words of memory. Seen from this perspective, this was a remakable progress.

[@Archie2c]

One of my earliest memories of an Air Force Video was watching two Pilots Doing the Zulu Alert like these two 106 pilots and I wanted to do that when I grew up life wouldn't let me but I still love watching it.

[@angelogarcia2189]

The F106 is one of my favorite looking jets. I am speed!!!

[@paulwoodman5131]

The Delta Dart is a fine candidate for NAPFATG Hall Of Fame. All interceptor, All the Time!! The 1950 Nash Rambler 39:00 at a Change of Command,Castle AFB 1963, was a cool 😎 photo.

[@pyronuke4768]

Been waiting a long time for this one, so excited!!!

[@julianneale6128]

Very good and informative video. Also made to high standards too. Please keep this up, as I'm sure I'm not the only one waiting for your next video?

[@glennmorrissey5309]

Once again, a great expose of the F-106. It would be an interesting exercise to have a six with a modern engine, avionics and missiles.

[@rudolphpyatt4833]

This. So much this. I really think an updated Six would be very effective, in its original role and in an air superiority role (with gun as for Six Shooter and appropriate missiles).

[@PasleyAviationPhotography]

Awesome video, keep them coming!

[@therocinante3443]

Everybody's favorite is the F-14.. THIS is my favorite!

[@michaelsnyder3871]

With supersonic capable drop tanks, the F-106 did have an issue with endurance which may have been related to the mission profile. It certainly proved it could have been a dangerous dogfighter during the tests with and against the F-4 and suitable armament. The replacement of the AIR-2 Genie with a 20mm M61A1 cannon was a step in the right direction but replacing the AIM-4 and AIM-26 Falcon missiles with Sparrows and Sidewinders (the Sparrows would have fit in the weapons bay, perhaps four in total but an external pylon would have been needed for the AIM-9s. Such an aircraft may have given Convair a follow-on contract after the F-106 interceptor contract by 67%. Certainly such a fighter would have eaten MiG-21s for snacks.

[@s.marcus3669]

Anybody else note that the alert pilot's hair length is amazingly long for military standards?

[@WAL_DC-6B]

My thoughts too!

[@chpet1655]

The computing power of our cell phones is so far beyond the computer on the 106 it’s almost laughable. 😊

[@paulwoodman5131]

Thus, they had to split up the computation computers from air to ground, ground control , GCI very important then.

[@thekiltedprivateer3724]

The last time I came this fast I got broken up with.

[@thestarlightalchemist7333]

Not sure if you already have plans to, but at some point would you mind doing a video on the F-101 Voodoo? Also, love the Nash Rambler at 38:53 in full squadron livery, that's cool as hell

[@benvandermerwe4934]

Entertaining journalism and professional production. Thanks.

[@jkull173]

Dude your videos are simply incredible. Thank you for everything you do.

[@atempestrages5059]

I'm so STOKED for this episode!

[@colinritchie1757]

Excellent video covering one of the most beautiful post war jets - what a treat , thanks

[@snotcycle]

this guy is COOKIN, keep up the good work sir.

[@bradleyfox712]

Been waiting for this video for a long Time. Now, it’s Time for the THUD & Voodoo.

[@SuperAlexkol]

Good morning thanks for the uploads!

[@moelll]

Your narration style it's very reminiscent of airplane documentaries that I seen in the '90s. In particular, the f-105 documentary. Very professionally done

[@Team_BW]

18:35 six-gun Six!

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

God, I love your channel

[@tanzanos]

Excellent video. Thank you for the upload.

[@LaCorvette]

Today is a good day. As per usual the blend of factuality and fun is just so well executed.

[@anaxis]

The F-106 was the first military aircraft I ever sat in, up at KI Sawyer during a Thunderbirds show. I was about 5yrs old, and it's been my favorite ever since. My stepdad was the wing's maintenance chief, and when he took me to work sometimes I got to hang out in the pilot ready room looking at all the cool photos & models they had in there. It was definitely a different era lol.

[@themax4677]

I grew up not far from AC International during the 80s when the NJANG had their 106s there. We would routinely pull to the side of the road to watch them take off. Later, I ended up working at the FAA facility there for a few years, and while watching F-16s take off at full purple hued afterburner was cool, it just didn't feel as raw or deafening as the 106s.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

Nice, detailed history on the F-106 and as usual very well presented. Thanks for sharing! I actually have an F-106A/F-106B "Flight Manual" dated December 1970. It's kinda' like a car owner's manual (minus any warranty coupons) except with all the information and charts a USAF pilot needs to properly fly the aircraft.

[@MH4127-d2e]

I'm more than certain this will be another awesome video !

[@BlueMoonday19]

That was an awesome start to the video dude, great post ❤

[@Rockstago]

-Love your subtle addition of hot performance with 'hot performance at --17:30---1745. Great British flavor- lol. Performance is always exciting; in the air or ... other. Lol!

[@jeffjames1743]

Great info on a favorite aircraft of mine. Thanks again.

[@generalvikus2138]

I would be interested to hear more about the F-106 / F-4 competition. Particularly, why in detail was the F-4 considered superior, given that the 106 had some look down capability?

[@rudolphpyatt4833]

I know that doctrine has changed; I know that there are “better” aircraft in the inventory. But I have a nagging sense that if this aircraft were upgraded with modern avionics and flight control systems (fly by wire), it would still be a useful system.

[@abijeetrs6522]

No Mirage comments. I must be early.

[@MM22966]

Reading between the lines (and this would have horrified the pilot command structure of the Air Force), but it sounds like what they really wanted was a drone fighter they could operate remotely.

[@j.mangum7652]

Am glad the Republic Thunder Warrior got a mention because unfortunately that's all really what can be given it as it had never gotten past the final mock up stage.

[@bush_wookie_9606]

Thats me not doing anything at work now 👍

[@gnaruto7769]

👍

[@oxcart4172]

Hey, he's great, but not worth losing your job over!'

[@martindice5424]

It may be apocryphal but I have read that the Bear was so loud it could be picked up on SOSUS - which was meant to detect USSR submarines..

[@WBLBears11]

It's happening!!!

[@sadwingsraging3044]

_The Six boss! The Six!_ 😮 The guy who told the Air Force and Convair that to make The Six better would require firing the people in charge into the sun was a giga chad.😂

[@belliduradespicio8009]

i LOVE this plane, i had the Aero series book for this plane as a kid and read it to pieces

[@shawnmiller4781]

To me the F-106 and F-102 relation correlates pretty closely to the C-119 to the C-82. Both were aircraft the fixed the deficiencies of its predecessor

[@Chilly_Billy]

I have been anxiously waiting for this one a long time. 👏👏👏

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

It's interesting to compare the F-106 against it's western competitors especially the Lightning with very similar specifications and performance characteristics, an almost identical production run, and even the same service life within a few months at either end. Yet it was the apparently inferior Mirage III that outdid them both, it was able to be adapted to more roles and successfully serve in a variety of airforces in far more numbers.

[@Easy-Eight]

A long time past I was a 462XX "load toad" on jet fighters. My "tech books" said the "six" could take an AIM-9J if they were so modified. Also, they could take a Vulcan cannon, once again if so modified. Real shame the AIM-120 never got to meet the F-106. Double shame the AIM-54 was never "shoe horned" into the "six". But the six were never used in combat and the money for weapon bay modifications was spent on something else. Airmen sent to work on the six considered themselves lucky.

[@Broadsword999]

I always thought the F106 was one of the two prettiest fighter jets of the Cold War, the other was the Hunter F6.

[@kkang2828]

You should make a video on the XF-108 Rapier as well.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

That would probably require purchasing the long gone, very hard to find, incredibly expensive, ITC (Ideal Toy Co.) F-108 Rapier plastic kit from the late 1950s for the thumbnail ("Not a Pound for Air to Ground" typically uses the box art from a plastic model for his aviation videos).

[@kkang2828]

@@WAL_DC-6B LOL

[@Favk21]

If you haven't already, I recommend checking Bruce Gordon's YT channel. Older gent, flew the 106. Very interesting insights. Guest appearance also in Fighter Pilot Podcast's F-106 episode.

[@DirtyHairy1]

When I hear your voice I have to think of Steve Mould

[@magoid]

35:48 Interesting. You know who also was built in Convair's Fort Worth factory nearly 20 years later?

[@luisgoncalo6166]

I disagree with your conclusions of the results of the high speed competition between the f-4 and f-106. The decisive factor wasn't the "superior" weapons systems on the phantom that proved quite innefective in vietnam and needed to be urgently revised. It wasn't the number of weapons either, given that the f106 would be easily be retrofitted with hardpoints if needed, and the f-105 carried a lot more load with the same engine. The real problem was that macnamara wanted the navy and the airforce to use the same plane, and the f106 would not be able to be used on a aircraft carrier because of it's high takeoff and landing speeds and the fact it could not be fitted with flaps, while conversely the f-4 could be used by the airforce. The only pure delta wing to survive macnamara was the srt-71, and only because the u-2 was insufficient and there was no alternative.

[@wbertie2604]

Another video? You are spoiling us

[@wbertie2604]

I'd do a superthanks if there was an option

[@magicsharkwizard4577]

We need this plane in DCS

[@yakacm]

So, that photo @48:08 is that real or photoshopped? If it's real, while it's vertically straight up is it still moving horizontally to the ground, or has all forward momentum been changed to vertical climb?

[@andyharman3022]

...that isn't the sun! I dream of Genie.

[@AlanToon-fy4hg]

As far as the "killer ejection seat", again reference Jack Broughton's book...

[@matthewkurtz5129]

Does anyone have a picture of the bubble canopy mod? I have looked for years and never seen an example of it.

[@naoakiooishi6823]

The One Oh Six that`s it! No G-suits.

[@maximilliancunningham6091]

Stunningly beutifull bird, and very fast. However in full afteburner, a F-104 could walk away briskly at 200 Knotts (Faster than an F1 or Indy car). Source; Bruce Gordon/F-106 Pilot/Aircrew interview.

[@iaco.mp4210]

Let's go

[@AnyoneSeenMikeHunt]

Why wasn't the F-106 ever sold to a foreign country? I'm sure there must be others but I can't think of any.

[@AlanToon-fy4hg]

We needed all of them for ourselves. Only 340 were built...

[@Ant1815]

They were extremely specialised and immensely expensive for the time. I can't think of any other country that could or would spend that kind of money for such a 'One trick pony'

[@neilturner6749]

No it needed SAGE to work, so couldn’t be used (presumably without enormous modifications) outside the Continental US/Canada, hence no efforts even to export it.

[@HolyNorthAmericanEmpire]

Deltas 💪🏻

[@richardnicklin654]

The pilots at the start don’t have g suits. Odd to see. Was this normal for the ADC?

[@richardnicklin654]

The pilots at the start don’t have g suits. Odd to see. Was this normal?

[@MrBlueBurd0451]

A minor correction I want to offer: IRST is usually pronounced letter-by-letter, so eye-arr-ess-tee, not 'erst'.

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

I believe it has the highest drag coefent of any fighter plane ever... As all the planes that came after despite increased lower drag tech opted to not go for that high of drag coeffenct as other things but raw acration adn top speed were needed... Kinda sad really...

[@Lensman864]

Using specifically English sporting references just isn't cricket. Oh ... hold on! 😉

[@ReasonableGuy-l7o]

38:56 What???? lol

[@malcolmtaylor518]

Never understand why it took so long to apply area rule for supersonic flight. The Germans had worked it out by at least 1944.

[@Fulcrum205]

No they had not. Richard Whitcomb at NASA discovered the area rule because recorded transonic drag numbers werent matching up with the calculated numbers.

[@exidy-yt]

Okay, that's twice now in like 3 videos: It's CAN-UCK not CAN-OOK!!! Like 'Johnny Canuck' or even the Vancouver Canucks hockey team! You were told enough times after your otherwise excellent video on the Clunk, but PLEASE, it's a proud Canadian nickname, like John Bull, Yankee Doodle etc. PLEASE get it right next time NaP!!!

[@mizake01]

Vacuum tubes (valves) !!!??? Better use my phone . . .

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

The F-106 fixed a lot of problems from the orig 50's interceptor concepts. Except the missiles. Falcon sucked. Of course the real aircraft NORAD needed for the bomber era was CF-105 Arrow.