McDonnell XF-85 Goblin

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
Pays	Usa
Rôle	Prototype d’avion intercepteur
Premier vol	Le 9 mai 1949
Construit	2

Lla Gobelin McDonnell XF-85 est un prototype d’avion de chasse américain conçu pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale par McDonnell Aircraft. Il était destiné à se déployer à partir de la baie de bombe du bombardier géant Convair B-36 comme un chasseur parasite. Le XF-85’le rôle visé était de défendre les bombardiers contre les avions intercepteurs hostiles, un besoin démontré pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. McDonnell a construit deux prototypes avant que l’Armée de l’air (USAAF) ne m termine le programme.

Source: McDonnell XF-85 Gobelin sur Wikipedia

McDonnell XF-85 Gobelin Walk Around
Photographes	John Heck, Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Musée stratégique de l’air et de l’espace, Ashland
Photos	76

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McDonnell XF-85 Gobelin Walk Around
Photographes	John Heck, Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Musée national de l’USAF, Dayton
Photos	96

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General Characteristics and Role

The McDonnell XF-85 Goblin was an experimental jet fighter developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) in the late 1940s. Its highly unusual role was to serve as a « parasite fighter »—a defensive fighter that would be carried and launched from a bomber, specifically the massive Convair B-36 Peacemaker, and recovered mid-air. This concept arose because early jet fighters lacked the range to escort strategic bombers on long-distance missions, leaving them vulnerable to enemy interceptors deep inside hostile territory. The XF-85 was designed to be small enough to fit within the B-36’s bomb bay and featured a unique hinged nose assembly for hooking up to a trapeze system.

Property	Typical Value (XF-85)
Rôle	Experimental Parasite Fighter
National Origin	États-Unis
Fabricant	McDonnell Aircraft Corporation
First Flight (unattached)	23 August 1948
Crew	1 (Pilot)
Length	4.93 m (16 ft 2 in)
Envergure	6.44 m (21 ft 1 in)
Gross Weight	2 540 kg (5 600 lb)

Powerplant and Unique Features

Engine: 1 x Westinghouse J34-WE-22 turbojet engine.
Thrust: 3,000 lbf (13 kN).
Armament: Proposed four .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns (never installed on the prototypes).
Unique Tail: It featured a distinctive cruciform tail and swept wings that folded upwards for stowage inside the bomber.
Recovery System: The plane used a retractable hook in its nose to latch onto a specialized trapeze lowered from the carrier aircraft (initially a modified B-29 Superfortress, later planned for the B-36).
Performance: The intended speed was over 1,000 km/h (620 mph), designed to intercept potential enemy fighters like the MiG-15.

Program Outcome and Legacy

Testing: The recovery phase of the test flights proved extremely difficult, due to the intense turbulence and buffeting behind the carrier aircraft. Pilots reported high difficulty in successfully mating the hook with the trapeze.
Cancellation: The program was cancelled in 1949 after only a few test flights. The mid-air docking procedure was deemed too risky for operational use. Furthermore, the rapid development of aerial refueling technology provided a more practical solution to the bomber escort problem.
Legacy: While unsuccessful, the XF-85 stands as one of the most unique and ambitious attempts in aviation history to solve the strategic bomber escort challenge. It remains a prime example of Cold War experimental aircraft design.
Preservation: Both prototypes built (AF Ser. No. 46-523 and 46-524) survive. One is displayed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, and the other at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland, Nebraska.