There were not many, but some of the F-106 Delta Darts did survive, and all but one are serving in museums or on poles. That one, F-106A 59-0130, is still sitting in AMARG (as of Oct 2026) and has not yet been picked up by a museum yet. There are 34 1/2 survivors: 59-0130 still in AMARG, the 1/2 is just the front fuselage section of 59-0164 used as a Cockpit Restoration Display, and the other 33 restored and sitting on poles or in museums. None of the survivors are flyable, because they were all de-milled by having their longerons cut. What a shame, because over the years their have been people and groups wanting to restore and fly one. But alas, can't happen. Information the restoration and museum prep of each surviving aircraft is located in our Static Display Photo Gallery.
Read abut the "1/2" above
By CMSgt (Ret) Dick Lewis
In the spring of 1998, the last of the 'flyable' QF-106's departed Tyndall AFB for their final destinations. Aircraft 59-0158, 59-0043 and 58-0774 flew to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB, while 59-0023 flew to the museum at Dover AFB. Left behind, were seven non-flyable QF-106's, sadly relegated to the backline "Swamp" storage area of the Tyndall ramp. These seven F-106 airframes parked in the Swamp became known as Swamp Things.
Below is a list of those aircraft tail numbers, the last unit they flew with (prior to drones), and the reason for them now being non-flyers.
F-106B 57-2509 from the 159 FIS - Wire bundle fire in lower electronics bay-no structural damage from fire
F-106B 57-2517 from the 186 FIS - Crash Damage
F-106B 57-2543 from the ADWC - Nose Gear Damage
F-106B 57-2545 from the 5 FIS - Cracked Intake Duct
F-106A 58-0786 from the 159 FIS - Cracked Wing Spar
F-106A 59-0047 from the 119 FIS - Cracked Wing Spar
F-106A 59-0105 from the 5 FIS - Cracked Wing Spar. On 11 Mar 2001 it was trucked to Camp Blanding FL for static display.
In early 1999, an unnamed party was contracted to remove the Swamp Things and truck them to El Paso, TX, purportedly for air-museum displays. After three aircraft were prepared for transportation, work was halted due to a contract dispute. The aircraft were secured from wind and weather damage, the tools and equipment were put in storage and the work crew disbanded.
In April 2000 six of the seven Swamp Things finally departed Tyndall AFB, FL on several flatbed 18 wheelers bound for El Paso, TX.
F-106B's 57-2509, 57-2517, 57-2543, 57-2545
F-106A's 58-0786, 59-0047.
They had been purchase via subsequent negotiation by a private aviation enterprise based in El Paso, TX by David Tokof of GRECO-AIR, later Westernair, and a tentative deal was struck with DRMS to sell the aircraft for purposes of restoring them as non-flying, museum-display grade aircraft. Originally they were planned for restoration with one possibly put back to flyable status, but they were all already de-milled. Only one of the airframes had a 'date plate', 57-2509. The other aircraft 'date plates' were evidently removed at Tyndall AFB. All control stick grips missing. 3 Ejection seats included. Cockpits had some instruments still in them. No canopy actuators as they were part of the ejection system which were removed. New longerons etc. manufactured to attach tails as it came from factory. Enough new parts for 2 complete static display aircraft. One J75-P-19 Engine minus tail pipe, nozzle-afterburner diffuser is on the engine. Tail pipe shroud on-hand. No records, but engine is from an F-106.
Unfortunately David passed away so the restoration plans for these jets changed.
In Mar 2004 the "El Paso Birds" in the private hands of WESTERNAIR Inc., began the process to sell them rather than restore them. These aircraft were indeed eventually all sold off and thankfully to locations who would restore them for display.
On 12 Dec 2016 the LAST two El Paso F-106's were sold -- there were no more remaining in El Paso. F-106B 57-2509 and 57-2543 departed El Paso on 14 Dec 2016 heading to their new homes at the Palm Springs Air Museum and Excelsior High School in the Los Angeles area. Searching for more details from Dick Durand of Western Air Inc.
There were also a few non-flying airframes left on the Tyndall ramp at the end of the 'Pacer Six' Program (7 aircraft), as well, and originally they were parked in that part of the Tyndall AFB ramp known as the 'Swamp', although in unflyable condition.
Purchase of these remaining airframes was subsequently negotiated by a private aviation enterprise based in Texas (David Tokoff's GRECO-AIR in El Paso) and a tentative deal was struck with DRMS to sell the aircraft for purposes of restoring them as non-flying, museum-display grade aircraft. One of these aircraft was reportedly ear-marked for restoration as a fully operational flying specimen, although it appears that perhaps two of them may have been fully restored at this time for flight (including a two-seat B model); however, due to the fact that stringent 'de-mil' requirements for combat aircraft require cutting the airframe structural members to render them incapable of further flight applications, this stalled the whole purchase package for some time.
In Mar 2004 the non-flying survivors had all been trucked from the Tyndall ramp and shipped to GRECO-AIR's El Paso base of operations, where most of them awaited restoration. Since then, and as recent as Nov 2013, the "El Paso Birds" as most refer to them now are in the private hands of WESTERNAIR Inc. and are in the process of being sold.
MORE about the El Paso Birds here
More on the "Swamp Things" By CMSgt (Ret) Dick Lewis
In the spring of 1998, the last of the flyable QF-106's departed Tyndall AFB for their final destinations. Aircraft 59-0158, 59-0043 and 58-0774 flew to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB, while 59-0023 flew to the museum at Dover AFB. Left behind, were seven QF-106's, not in flyable condition, and relegated to the backline storage area known as "The Swamp."
In early 1999, an unnamed party contracted to remove the Swamp Things and truck them to El Paso, TX, purportedly for air-museum displays. After three aircraft were prepared for transportation, work was halted due to a contract dispute. The aircraft were secured from wind and weather damage, the tools and equipment were put in storage and the work crew disbanded. Here's the list of those seven: