Manufacturer: Convair (with Republic)

Model: 119

Name: Thunder Dart

Type: Jet fighter

Date: 1948

Status: Experimental

Country: United States of America

Service: U.S. Air Force

Designation: XF-912 (non-standard)

When the USAF was testing various configuration for their post-war jets, it dawned on some high-ranking official who was wary of tailless aircraft that fitting the wings of the new XF-92 fighter to the fuselage of the Republic XF-91 could be an interesting solution. Convair was commissioned to test the configuration using a spare fuselage and tail unit provided by Republic, resulting in the strangely-designated XF-912 Thunder Dart prototype. In subsequent tests, the fuselage got area ruled, which increased the performance of the prototype significantly and paved the way for development of the YF-102A Delta Dagger and subsequent production.

Someone suggested on a forum that a Thunderceptor with a delta wing might have been interesting... I immediately jumped on this great idea and quickly made this crude image, which is definitely not to a par with my usual standards, but was merely aimed at giving some flesh to the idea...

The strictly non-standard designation "XF-912" is a blend of XF-91 and -92, just as the name Thunder Dart is a blend of both aircraft's (though Dart was never used officially for the latter).

The two photos I used to elaborate the Thunder Dart are presented below right.