XF-85 Goblin

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Image:Goblin.jpg The McDonnell XF-85 Goblin was a fighter aircraft, conceived during World War II and intended to be carried in the bomb bay of the giant Convair B-36 bomber as a defensive parasite fighter. Its first flight was on 23 August, 1948. Because of its rounded sort of small appearance, it was nicknamed "The Flying Egg".

Two prototypes were built, and both still survive; one in the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio and the other at the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, Nebraska.

Several factors combined to kill the XF-85 program.

Docking with the bomber 'host' proved much more difficult than thought; even experienced test pilots had trouble.
The XF-85 was no match for the conventional enemy fighters it would have to engage to defend the bombers - it was slower and much more lightly armed.
The range of jet escort fighters improved so that they could accompany the bombers further.
Tight budgets meant that less important programs were canned.

All tests undertaken on the XF-85 were carried out using a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber because a prototype B-36 was unavailable. Later, a B-36 was used as a mother ship for similar tests, carrying a conventional Republic F-84 Thunderstreak fighter. These tests, known as FICON (Fighter Conveyor) experiments, were also found to be of little long term practical use and the whole concept was dropped.

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