March 8th, 2025

5minute read

TheCentury Seriesjets came into being in the heady days after World War II.

Delta wing configurations and guided missiles were also developed.

Many of the advanced technologies we have today were pioneered then.

Century Series fighters and interceptors were some of the first successful supersonic aircraft designs. These combat aircraft were employed as interceptors and tactical fighters. The F-109 did not enter production.

There were a total of six Century Series fighters and interceptors that saw service in the United States Air Force. Image: U.S. Air Force

Each played a unique role and marked a step forward in fighter aircraft development.

It was later adapted for fighter-bomber missions, including close air support.

The F-100 saw extensive action in the Vietnam War, flying thousands of combat missions.

The Air Force Century Series Fighters included the F-100 Super Sabre shown here. The F-100 saw combat action in the Vietnam War. These fighter jets aged and were adopted by the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.

An F-100D Super Sabre aircraft fires a salvo of 2.75-inch rockets against an enemy position in South Vietnam. Super Sabre pilots were noted for their accuracy with the supersonic fighter. Image: NARA

Its early models had stability problems, but later versions improved performance and reliability.

Built by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, it entered service in 1957.

The F-101B interceptor version was equipped with radar and air-to-air missiles for homeland defense under NORAD.

Shown in this photograph are Century Series fighters F-101 Voodoo planes in formation.

Two F-101 Voodoo aircraft near Niagara Falls during exercise Sentry Castle ’81. The aircraft are assigned to the 136th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the New York Air National Guard. Image: NARA

The RF-101 variant played a major role in aerial reconnaissance, including operations over Cuba and Vietnam.

F-102 Delta Dagger

TheConvair F-102 Delta Daggerwas the first delta-wing interceptor in the USAF inventory.

Its role was to intercept and destroy incoming enemy aircraft under all weather conditions.

Here we see a F-102 Delta Dagger on the tarmac. It was used for testing by NACA — the organization that later became NASA.

An aviation pioneer, the F-102 Delta Dagger was a Century Series interceptor designed to counter the nuclear-capable bombers of the Soviet Union. Image: NASA

F-104 Starfighter

TheLockheed F-104 Starfighterwas a radical departure from earlier fighters.

Built by Lockheed Aircraft Company, the F-104 entered service in 1958 and served as an interceptor and fighter-bomber.

While the USAF retired the aircraft quickly, many NATO allies used it for decades.

Century Series interceptor F-104 Starfighters were essentially piloted missiles. They were intended as interceptors.

F-104A on the ramp at Edwards AFB. The aircraft is shown with the Air Launched Sounding Rocket (ALSOR) attached to the underside. Image: NASA

Countries such as Germany, Italy, and Canada adopted the F-104 for their air forces.

F-105 Thunderchief

TheRepublic F-105 Thunderchiefwas the largest single-engine fighter ever used by the USAF.

Designed as a nuclear strike aircraft, it evolved into a conventional fighter-bomber during the Vietnam War.

A Republic F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bomber parked on an airbase flight line under a clear sky, showcasing its distinctive sleek fuselage, swept wings, and large air intake beneath the nose; the aircraft is painted in a Southeast Asia camouflage pattern used during the Vietnam War, with visible ordnance pylons under the wings and fuselage, emphasizing its role as a supersonic tactical strike aircraft used by the United States Air Force for bombing missions and Wild Weasel operations in the 1960s and 1970s.

F-105 Thunderchief fighters of the 507th Tactical Fighter Group parked on the flight line. The 507th was based at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. Image: NARA

Nicknamed the Thud, it carried heavy bomb loads at high speed and low altitude.

Built by Republic Aviation, the F-105 entered service in 1958.

It became the backbone of tactical bombing missions in Southeast Asia.

A Convair F-106 Delta Dart interceptor jet parked on a concrete ramp at a U.S. Air Force base, with its sharply pointed nose cone, smooth delta wing design, and distinctive single vertical tail fin clearly visible; the aircraft is painted in standard Air Defense Command gray with USAF roundels on the fuselage and tail, and features a closed bubble canopy, air-to-air missile launch bays beneath the fuselage, and long, clean lines designed for high-speed interception missions during the Cold War; in the background, support equipment and a clear blue sky hint at peacetime readiness, emphasizing the F-106’s role as the Air Force’s premier all-weather interceptor from the late 1950s through the 1980s.

An air-to-air right rear view of two F-106 Delta Dart aircraft from the 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Image: NARA

Despite being heavily armed and fast, the F-105 suffered high losses due to ground fire and surface-to-air missiles.

F-106 Delta Dart

The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was an advanced interceptor developed from the F-102.

It became the primary continental defense interceptor for the Air Force throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

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