Video Tells the Story of the Deuce Wild, the F-102 Delta Dagger Demonstration Team

Between 1969 and 1974, Airmen with the 176th Fighter Squadron at Truax Field, Wisconsin used their primary aircraft, the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger to form a five-ship flying demonstration team.

The cool video in this post features the story of the formation and mission of the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s precision flying team Deuces Wild. Between 1969 and 1974, Airmen with the 176th Fighter Squadron (FS) at Truax Field, Wisconsin used their primary aircraft, the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger to form a five-ship flying demonstration team. The Deuces Wild allowed the Madison-based unit to honor flyby requests while increasing recognition of the mission of the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

The 176th FS began transitioning from the F-89 Scorpion to the F-102 Delta Dagger in 1965. For the next nine years, pilots and crews were on a five minute (24 hours/day) alert commitment.

In 1972, the 176th was recognized as the best F-102 unit in the U.S. Air Force. During the year the unit won the William Tell Air-to-Air Weapons meet plus six other major awards.

The primary mission of the F-102 was to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft. It was the world’s first supersonic all-weather jet interceptor and the USAF’s first operational delta-wing aircraft. The F-102 made its initial flight on Oct. 24, 1953, and became operational with the Air Defense Command in 1956. At the peak of deployment in the late 1950s, F-102s equipped more than 25 ADC squadrons. Convair built 1,000 F-102s, 889 of which were F-102As. The USAF also bought 111 TF-102As as combat trainers with side-by-side seating.

In a wartime situation, after electronic equipment on board the F-102 had located the enemy aircraft, the F-102’s radar would guide it into position for attack. At the proper moment, the electronic fire control system would automatically fire the F-102’s air-to-air rockets and missiles.