McDonnell XF-85 Goblin

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
Land	Usa
Role	Prototype onderscheppingsvliegtuig
Eerste vlucht	9 mei 1949
Gebouwd	2

De McDonnell XF-85 Goblin is een Amerikaans prototype gevechtsvliegtuig dat tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog werd bedacht door McDonnell Aircraft. Het was bedoeld om vanuit het bommenruim van de gigantische Convair B-36 bommenwerper in te zetten als een parasietenjager. De beoogde rol van de XF-85 was om bommenwerpers te verdedigen tegen vijandige onderscheppingsvliegtuigen, een behoefte die tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog werd aangetoond. McDonnell bouwde twee prototypes voordat de luchtmacht (USAAF) het programma beëindigde.

Bron: McDonnell XF-85 Goblin op Wikipedia

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin Rond te Lopen
Fotografen	John Heck, Vladimir Yakubov
Lokalisatie	Strategisch Lucht- en Ruimtemuseum, Ashland
Foto 's	76

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McDonnell XF-85 Goblin Rond te Lopen
Fotografen	John Heck, Vladimir Yakubov
Lokalisatie	Nationaal Museum van de USAF, Dayton
Foto 's	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)
Role	Experimental Parasite Fighter
National Origin	Verenigde Staten
Fabrikant	McDonnell Aircraft Corporation
First Flight (unattached)	23 August 1948
Bemanning	1 (Pilot)
Lengte	4.93 m (16 ft 2 in)
Spanwijdte	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.

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