Thing of beauty landed itself like a paper airplane.

Imagine a plane with computers so advances that it pretends to be out of control just to get rid of its pilot

"Sheriff, there's one of them pointy Air Force planes a sittin' in my pasture with the engine running. Should I go shut it off ?" " Ma says the noise is scarin' the chickens".

After Gary ejected from "The Corn Field Bomber." His wing man said on the radio "Hey Gary, you better get back in that thing."

I was 17 in 1977, taking flying lessons. I remember sitting on the 29 runway in a Cessna 152, at Great Falls Int, Great Falls, Montana. Had weather, cleared for take off, going through my checklist... and 3 Montana ANG F106s rolled up on the ramp, waiting for me to roll... between that and having my dad in the control tower (atc) I felt a great need to get into the air and out of their way... they are bigger than you'd think... and me in my little flying lawnmower... lol...

The Cornfield Bomber is special in my heart. My father was the 1st Canadian to fly the “6” at Griffiss AFB out of Rome NY. He was lucky enough to be flying the Cornfield Bomber, tail #80787 for the 2 years we were stationed there. He said it was slightly faster than the others but required more rudder to fly straight the faster it went. It was an airplane that always made him smile. The fastest Canadian for a few years!

In tech school there was a Delta Dart on static display outside the chow hall. Every day after lunch I'd sit there admiring it before marching back to class.

A very good looking plane. That delta wing and wasp waist, it looks supersonic parked on the tarmac

SO that one pilot re-established a basic rule of aviation. "A good landing is one you walk away from. A great landing is one where you can fly the plane again." He ejected AND did a great landing.

If I find an abandoned airplane on my property, it's my airplane.

I flew the F-15 and fought against F-106s during DACT. It could rapidly extend out of a fight at mid level altitudes! It was built to intercept the Soviets and could get off the ground in a very short time on an Air Defense Scramble. The units that flew these aircraft kept them in beautiful condition. Had buddies who flew them in Montana and at McChord and they loved them. For what the 6 was designed for, it was superb! I first saw them at Tyndall when I was a kid. The ADC pilots wore orange flight suits and I always wanted one but they would not trade a green bag for one!

Convair did a great job on this airframe in an era of tremendous emerging sciences and increasing danger envelopes.

This is still a beautiful fighter, even after six decades.

i just seen that jet yesterday at the National Museum of the US Air Force and the Memphis Belle

Pilot: "This is a lost cause, better bail!" F-106: "Don't tell me how to fly."

I was a crew chief on this very aircraft in the Montana Air National Guard in '77-78. It had a peculiar characteristic that when the aircraft brakes were applied somewhere near the front landing gear a "tin can" noise could be heard. Much like pushing on the lid of a jelly jar to make a noise. Harmless, but quite unique. These fighters were super fast and relatively easy to work on. They carried 14,700 lbs of fuel (including that in the wing tanks)or about 2200 gallons. They were wet frame aircraft with fuel carried in the wings, fuselage and wing tanks. They took off in full afterburner on the J75 engine. If the jet stayed in full burner, it ran out of fuel in 19 minutes!!! Afterburners really gulp the fuel. By contrast, this jet, with a full fuel load, could fly from Gore Hill Air National Guard base in Great Falls, Montana to Tyndall Air Force base in the Florida panhandle without refueling. (using it's most economical throttle setting). Our unit, the 120th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the Montana Air National Guard, kicked the regular Air Force's butts on many occasions during the Air Force's William Tell competitions. Some of our pilots had lots of experience and flew for the airlines and also some had flown in Viet Nam (in the F102 Delta Dagger). A really great aircraft!!!

I worked on the instrument systems of the "6" at tyndall afb, Panama city Florida from 1 977 to 1981. Best job I ever had.

God, I love the Delta Dart it's such a beautiful jet

5:23 Seeing cars of the same vintage as these jets always puts into perspective how insane the technology must have been for the time.

1976-1980 Tyndall AFB MA-1 mechanic. Absolutely gorgeous plane!! Good times!!

1:57 That jet is from my unit! The 125th Fighter Wing in Jacksonville FL! So cool!

My Sunday School teacher flew these. One of my favorite aircraft among dozens.

In my school in Romania there was a large mural in the playground of a 106 trying to bomb our school, scared kids running for cover, high above were some Migs coming to our rescue. I still shudder when I think about the 106 and the sleepless nights it gave me when I was a small boy. I never knew it was an interceptor until now, apparently neither did the artist of the mural.

I think this channel/group of channels has the most consistent quality content on KZfaq. Always a joy to watch

I can remember seeing the F-106 at airshows and was impressed by its size and sleek outlines. Made to find and shoot down incoming attack aircraft. Beautiful aircraft.

I was in Airforce 61 to 65, tech school at Lowery AFB for a year. Had the pleasure of working on this for 3 years in Minot, ND. The electronic service building had 3 mockups in for testing black boxes. One winter only about 0° outside, the building air conditioning went out and had to open all the doors with fans in the doors, only one window could not open. Shut down 2 of the mockups, the 3rd one keep the building warm, till the AC was repaired. All those vacuum tubes produced a lot of heat.

Not only could it land itself but apparently it could "...fire the enemies' weapons..." presumably at said enemies and not at itself. Mind boggling technology I must say...

Farmer says,,,"finders keepers."

F-22 “woah I have an internal weapon bay” F-106 “first time?”

I flew the Dart in the 80s. Gorgeous airplane and sweet to fly. AIM-4s sucked, but we did get a gun mod in the early 80s, but seldom used; weapons bay doors had to be replaced and M60 hung from rocket rack. Ejection seat was a killer...literally. Replaced again in the late 70s (very early 80s maybe?) with the awesome Martin-Baker. It was dated when I flew it, but I loved it anyway.

5:22 It blows my mind that there were automated jets at a time in history when people were still driving around old cars and trucks like in that video. Military technology back then was so advanced for its time.

I had the privilege of working the “6” as a SAGE ground operator.The data- link system was fantastic. The pilot just followed the “bugs “.

I used to work on the engines for these. At McCord AFB south of Seattle. Early 80s. Our unit was the 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. They were replaced with F 15's. When the F106's took off and kicked on the afterburner, it made a loud boom noise. We got a lot of complaints about the noise from the locals.

Imagine if the farmer had just towed it into his barn and kept it as a souvenir!

While stationed at McGuire AFB, NJ 1988-1991, we would get 106 visitors from the 177th NJANG at Atlantic City. We knew when a 106 took off. The bang from the afterburner lighting off was unmistakeable. Went down to Tyndall in 1992 and didn’t even have to look to tell when a QF-106 took off😁. Once you have heard that afterburner bang, ya kinda never forget it. The F-106 was definitely ahead of its time. Could have performed its mission just fine had it come to WWIII.

The F-106 has a special place in my heart as it’s the first airplane I worked on in the usaf. I will always remember when I first saw it!!!

The Eclipse Project used two, not six, F-106s that we got from the USAF Air Targets Command at Eglin AFB in Florida. Only one was modified for the tow test, which was the brainchild of Don Anctil, a TRW Ballistic Missiles Division retiree who volunteered to work for me at Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. Don had actually done the canopy structural design on the Six Shooter at Convair, before coming to TRW. Mark P. ("Forger") Stucky was the test pilot for Eclipse. He had heard rumors of the project, and applied for a job at NASA in hopes of being the pilot - which he ultimately was. Now he's with Virgin Galactic. Nicest guy I've ever met, and an amazing pilot. The "Cornfield Bomber" has another connection to my sphere. Jim Van Laak was Deputy Associate Administrator at FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation when I hired on there as Chief Engineer. He had been in the Air National Guard flying F-106s. When he learned of the F-106 that had landed itself, he made sure to get himself assigned to that aircraft - I mean, who wouldn't?! For more on the Eclipse Project: www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/pdf/88791main_Eclipse.pdf

I used to work on F106's at McClellan AFB in California as a flight line foreman. When they brought the "cornfield" plane in on a flatbed trailer I thought something looked odd about the aircraft. It had obviously sustained a belly landing, but the canopy and seat were gone. From the burn marks it appeared the seat had fired. I first thought it was a ground ejection seat issue. Then we heard the story about the cornfield landing. Now it is part of the F-106 lore. For an aircraft designed in the 1950's it had a very sophisticated flight control system. We even did a modification to install a gun in the weapons bay where the aft two missile launchers were. It only held around 600 rounds of 20mm ammo. Good for one or two bursts. I guess they wanted to give the pilot a fighting chance in close air combat.

Grew up in Rome NY. We had Griffiss AFB. B-52's and F-106's then. 49th FIS was there. Remember always seeing 2 Sixes flying in close formation hauling ass through the Boonville Gorge, North of the base. Later when I was in CAP in HS, we worked the open house. I was blown away by how small the cockpit was. But always loved the 49th bald eagle paintjob on the tail at 6:29. Great plane.

When I was in the Air Force, one of the "old men" (civilians working in my shop) was talking about the F-106, that was from his time. The way he described it was pure awesome: "The planes sat in those "crash barns" you see still right off the runway. The pilots on Alert lived in the building like a fireman, living their duty always in flight suits in that apartment. When the alert alarms blared, he slid down a fireman pole and slapped the button for the doors, and the counter weights slammed the front and back doors of its individual hangar up and open. The pilot hopped in the seat, and while strapping in fired his "cart start" (rocket 'cartridge' exhaust jet turbine starter) and the jet was instantly up to running speed (with a LOT of noise and smoke). He then released the brakes, lurched forward, made a slight left turn immediately onto the runway, and shoved the throttle forward, engaged the throttle lock, and just left it there. Solid hair on fire afterburners the entire flight. Gone in under 2 minutes was his drill. He then flew Mach 2+ the entire flight out to the intercept target the ground radars vectored him onto, and (would have- if ever real alert) fired the Genie rockets when the indicator light turned on. After releasing, turned around and got the hell out of there, again, still and always full afterburner. Because those Genie rockets were air to air nukes. Only time he ever pulled the throttle back was when it was time to land." So, wow it may have been a different era (the 'bomber interceptor out at sea ASAP' job doesn't exist anymore, darnit), but wow that still sounds amazing, even to this day. While not a super cruise.. it effectively was a supersonic flight model- as it routinely flew mach2+ the entire flight- far faster than modern planes of even today. I add this to my list of "they just dont make it today like our grandparents did"

I love the way some of the old planes looked. I especially like these old "Delta Wings"..

The 106 continues to be a fave. However, I was stationed in Iceland shortly after the 102's had been replaced by F-4s. The pilots I talked to missed the older birds.

In 1981 I was at Griffiss AFB in NY for KC-135A training and they had a Squadron of F-106's I loved to watch take off and land. If I remember right I believe I also watched a F-102 also...

When I was TDY to Edwards AFB from Norton AFB around 1982. I remember those F-106's from NASA buzzing around. And two flew in to the Norton AFB open house and air show in 1983 from the Cal ANG. Awesome fighter. Good video.

I saw the Delta Dart F106 in 1976 at the Bagotville areal show . It was simply FANTASTIC. I was 7 years old at the time and its a sight that I have never forgotten. The sound of that engine! The energy and the speed made for an unforgettable experience!

Thank you, Dick Stultz, LtCol, USAF, (Ret) for showing me around this marvelous aircraft. I loved it. I almost got a ride, and a possible shot at mach 2, but higher authorities refused to give me that chance. And so, I'll hold the treasure of memories watching you put it through its paces. Again, thank you Dick for showing around this beautiful weapon.

I was stationed at the AF base in Duluth, Minnesota for three years in the 1960s. We had a squadron of 24 F106As and one B model. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, our base was on full alert (at Defcon 4, one step below war). All the 106As were equipped with drop tanks and were armed with nuclear missiles. The alert hangar doors were always open. The 106B was lost on a Sunday when the fan quit at well above 10,000 feet. At 10,000, the canopy was blown and the passenger Colonel in the back seat punched out. Unfortunately, the front seat ejection mechanism failed. The Captain pilot attempted to belly the plane onto US 2 in northern Wisconsin, east of Superior. The ship bounced once, then made matchsticks of a nearby house. The pilot had undone his harness before he touched down. His body was found in the woods about 2 weeks later by a local hunter. The plane hit the highway directly behind the VW bug one of my AF buddies was driving west while returning from a weekend trip. He would never talk about the incident.

This is so cool. After getting out of the Air Force my Dad was part of a Convair engineering test team working on the F-106 ejection system.

I love getting notifications from dark skies!!

The F-102 was modified so extensively that it was given a new designation; the F-106. That is the OPPOSITE being "designed from scratch"

I crew one of these at our local Air Museum. Worked on them for 5 years. I feel lucky to have the chance to spend time with it. She's still a beauty. s/n 590086 formerly 87th FIS aircraft.

Among the most beautiful airplanes that have ever flown.

F-106, as of today, is STILL the *worlds fastest single-engine jet*

Absolutely positively the most beautiful aircraft the USAF ever flew. I always loved watching the Montana Air Guard 6’s fly over especially if they exposed their sleek bellies.

I really love the way your videos lay out information on aircraft in such a wonderfully concise manner.

Beautiful aircraft!

Beautiful lines on this one. Always loved the F-106

Surprised he didn't mention that the same pilot who was in the "Cornfield Bomber" actually ended up flying the exact same aircraft again 9 years later

Thank you for bringing so many of these wonderful planes back to life!

Great video on a favorite plane! Here's a passable reference on the history of Delta wings existing well before World War II. Keep up the great work!

"The lord sent me a new jet powered Tractor"

Still one of my favorite AC of all time. The distinctive coke bottle shape, a consequence of understanding what became known as the area rule, lends a graceful, almost womanly shape to it. I only ever saw them in operation once while on TDY at Griffiss Air Force Base in upstate NY in the early 80's. They seemed to have a unique way of using afterburner in the Six as they would begin the takeoff roll at full military and only after that would they light the burner producing a muffled boom as it did so. What a beauty.

In the late 1970s, I was assigned to the 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Langley AFB, Hampton Rhodes, Virginia. We flew the -6 there. It was a great airplane. I was in the Simulator department, and we had all the pilots come through for recurrent training when they weren't flying. The one thing that this video did not mention was that at some point the Air 2A Genie rocket was removed from service and and a rotary cannon was fitted to the airframe. The bay doors for the missile bay were modified so the barrel that was firing was at the bottom and able to shoot out of the modified bay doors, and there was also an ejection port for the spent brass from the weapon.

Excellent classic Convair design, my second favorite combat jet behind the F-4. Loved the video.

ejector seat "Good Enough" , code for : We can't make this work,no problem we aren't flying it .

Love watching these.... keep up the good work.......you should do the avro arrow .....love to see some Canadian av stuff

Thanks for your channel, I listen and watch while working.

Canada's Avro Arrow was a contemporaneous version of the F-106 with equivalent performance specs.

Great airplane. One of the best. Also love the lines on the two-seater. Saw a couple that I knew personally, end up destroyed off the Gulf at Tyndall as Q drones. Though instructive and necessary, it's a sad fate for any airplane, especially a fighter/interceptor. I guess it's better than the boneyard. But, at least there, you can still see them.

That’s the sort of lore that makes a lump in my throat still, and damn proud to be American... A big help these days when it’s hard to find a reason anywhere close to this story. Those men and their planes had hearts, souls and balls bigger than most of us will ever know!!! Godspeed..

I'm glad that you did an episode on my favorite jet!

Brings back memories! First off, the F-102 was an unmitigated disaster, primarily because it was only barely supersonic, so couldn't meet its mission parameters. The "6's," on the other hand were fast, maneuverable, and, indeed, with the internal weapons stores, quite stealthy! Lovely vid! I enjoyed it immensely!

@6:01 that jersey tail looks familiar, the Devils were the last to fly the dart until 1988 and we have that sister jet as our gate guard! (72523, also a 2 seater)

Well Sheriff, it's my damn corn field so now that's my damn aeroplane...

One of the most beautiful aircraft ever built! It looks like it is doing Mach 2 just sitting on the ground. One of my favorite aircraft to model!

Keep all the videos up amazing bro thank you.

Thank you for this one, this is my favorite fighter jet of all time. It was the best pure interceptor ever made

The commentary says " designed from scratch " which is not true, it was a modification, an improvement of its predecessor the F 102 Delta Dart

The lightning strike tests were part of Project Roughrider. A high altitude thunderstorm penetration research program. While serving on active duty I had the opportunity to view on aircraft footage of one of the missions. The cockpit camera was mounted on the top of the instrument panel and was aimed back toward the pilot. A strike on the pitot tube travelled up the fuselage onto the center of the windscreen and canopy above the pilots head, before finally discharging off the vertical tail. The footage was incredible.

Dark Fantastic video as always. Thanks for the info and the great narration. Can't wait for the next video.

I was A hydraulic mech. on them at McCord AFB in 71-72 loved them

Always one of my favourites. Loved/Love Delta Wings. i had a model of one when i was young. Beautiful and Superb aircraft. Thanks for posting this.

Really enjoy your "Dark" videos wherever I find them. :)

My sister had a Dodge Dart. I think it was supersonic too. It sure could fly!

We'll soon be seeing Avro Arrowheads taking issue with the video title.

I'm impressed that in the 50s they were able to make an interceptor that wasn't just fast but agile as well. Thing looks like an earlier version of fighters that would only start coming out in the 70s when they remembered a fighter's most important ability was to turn quickly, and it was an interceptor of all things.

I worked on a few of these at Depot maintenance. The avionics were far ahead of its time, an amazing jet to say the least!

Everything is so overemphasized and dramatic - it drove me nuts when I first found this channel. The content itself is so good, and I've really come to appreciate your niche style, and effort to distinguish yourself. Keep it up!

I live about an hour from Wright Patterson in Dayton, OH and I highly recommend ya'll go and see the F-106 "cornfield bomber" because its there in all its glory!

My friend flew 106s. He said it would run circles around the f4.

I love this channel. It's rich in content, professionally presented, and low key, almost to the point of being understated.

The fact that the cornfield bomber didn't kill anyone goes to show how absolutely empty Montana is.

Used to love when these would scramble out of GAFB NY and break the sound bearer to intercept Bears...

great video. Thank you. This is by far my favorite jet!

They didn’t buy nearly enough of these because the Air Force always wanted to prioritize spending on something else like the inferior F-4 Phantom II. Imagine if they had built more of these and then given them continuous upgrades like the F-15s and F-16s have gotten over the years, with engine and weapons and electronics upgrades. They could probably still be viable in some roles today. And I think it was a mistake for US to not continue with Delta Wing Fighters. Rafale, Gripen E, Eurofighter Typhoon are all very good delta wing fighters.

The lawn dart

Do a video about some swedish airforce stuff it is quite interesting for exempel saab j21 saab j35 and saab 37

Great job and thank you... never really knew about this plane

The last 106 I ever saw was when I had to deliver some parts to Patrick AFB in Florida in 1985. The beauty was parked on the tarmac next to a C-141, which was also a cool plane in it's own right.

What if America adopted the F-16XL and called it the Delta Dirk?