HomeVisitMuseum ExhibitsFact SheetsDisplay

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin

Published November 03, 2015

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 1 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 2 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 3 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 4 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 5 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 6 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 7 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 8 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 9 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 10 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 11 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 12 of 17

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

Dayton, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (U.S. Air Force photo by Jim Copes)
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 13 of 17

Dayton, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (U.S. Air Force photo by Jim Copes)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on December 28, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo)
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 14 of 17

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on December 28, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo)

To fit inside the parent aircraft’s bomb bay, the XF-85’s wings folded up. (U.S. Air Force photo)
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 15 of 17

To fit inside the parent aircraft’s bomb bay, the XF-85’s wings folded up. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Although the XF-85 handled well, the test pilots reported that the airflow around the parent aircraft made it difficult to attach the hook to the trapeze. (U.S. Air Force photo)
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 16 of 17

Although the XF-85 handled well, the test pilots reported that the airflow around the parent aircraft made it difficult to attach the hook to the trapeze. (U.S. Air Force photo)

The XF-85 Goblin on a test flight over Muroc Dry Lake (later Edwards Air Force Base), Calif. On one test flight, the canopy shattered when it hit the trapeze, and the pilot made an emergency landing. On other flights, turbulence prevented the pilot from hooking up to the EB-29B, and he had to land on the lake bed. (U.S. Air Force photo)
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 17 of 17

The XF-85 Goblin on a test flight over Muroc Dry Lake (later Edwards Air Force Base), Calif. On one test flight, the canopy shattered when it hit the trapeze, and the pilot made an emergency landing. On other flights, turbulence prevented the pilot from hooking up to the EB-29B, and he had to land on the lake bed. (U.S. Air Force photo)

PRINT | E-MAIL

The McDonnell Aircraft Corp. developed the XF-85 Goblin "parasite" fighter to protect B-36 bombers flying far beyond the range of conventional escort fighters. The "parent" B-36 would carry the XF-85 within a bomb bay -- if enemy fighters appeared, the Goblin would be lowered on a trapeze and released to combat the attackers. Once the enemy had been driven away, the Goblin would return to the B-36, reattach to the trapeze, and be lifted back into the bomb bay.

Two test aircraft were ordered in October 1945, and flight testing with a modified B-29 began in 1948. Test pilots could successfully launch the XF-85, but the turbulent air under the B-29 made recovery difficult and hazardous. About half of the Goblin flights ended with emergency ground landings after the test pilot could not hook up to the B-29.

No XF-85s were ever launched or carried by a B-36.  The program ended in late 1949 when aerial refueling of conventional fighter aircraft showed greater promise.  The XF-85 was transferred to the museum in 1950.

TECHNICAL NOTES:
Crew: One
Armament: Four .50-cal. machine guns
Engine: One Westinghouse XJ-34 turbojet of 3,000 lbs. thrust
Maximum speed: 650 mph
Weight: 4,550 lbs.
Maximum endurance: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Click here to return to the Research & Development Gallery.

 

Find Out More
Line
Related Fact Sheets
Convair B-36J Peacemaker
Westinghouse J34 Turbojet Engine
Line
Note: The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the National Museum of the USAF, the U.S. Air Force, or the Department of Defense, of the external website, or the information, products or services contained therein.


Mask Policy:
In accordance with the updated guidance released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Defense (DoD) and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force will require all visitors to wear face masks indoors effective July 30, 2021 until further notice.

Visitors ages three and up will be required to wear masks while indoors at the museum. This policy applies to all visitors, staff and volunteers regardless of vaccination status. Visitors may wear their own masks or a free paper mask will be provided. Cloth masks will also be available for purchase in the Museum Store.
Additional information available here.

Featured Links

Plan Your Visit button
E-newsletter Sign-up button
Explore Museum Exhibits button
Browse Photos button
Visit Press Room button
Become a Volunteer button
Air Force Museum Foundation button
Donate an item button