I have read the same thing about the F-102 being ‘a handfull’ to fly. The son of a Hollywood actor (Dean Martin?) was killed in the early 70s flying a F-102 as a member of the California Air Guard. F-102’s were built for continental air defense mission and were not fighter-bombers. I remember seeing pictures of F-102s in revetments in the first year or two of Vietnam, and then they were withdrawn when it was decided that we didn’t need them there in the air defense role but could do with the F-110.
http://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/27/us/dean-martin-s-son-is-dead-in-jet.html
One thing many don't know is that the century series ( F-100 through F-111 ) of aircraft had a quirk where they would explode. Design weakness in the engines and fuel systems was the culprit. They had just started seeing results in solving the problem about the time President Bush got out.
He was another Patriot.