×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter)


Prototype Jet-Powered Fighter / Bomber Escort


United States | 1948



"The XF-85 Goblin was to be a bomber-released parasite fighter but was soon found to be much too impractical."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter) Prototype Jet-Powered Fighter / Bomber Escort.
1 x Westinghouse XJ34 turbojet delivering 3,000lbs of thrust.
Propulsion
665 mph
1,070 kph | 578 kts
Max Speed
47,999 ft
14,630 m | 9 miles
Service Ceiling
12,500 ft/min
3,810 m/min
Rate-of-Climb
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter) Prototype Jet-Powered Fighter / Bomber Escort.
1
(MANNED)
Crew
14.8 ft
4.50 m
O/A Length
21.0 ft
(6.40 m)
O/A Width
8.2 ft
(2.50 m)
O/A Height
3,748 lb
(1,700 kg)
Empty Weight
5,512 lb
(2,500 kg)
MTOW
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter) Prototype Jet-Powered Fighter / Bomber Escort .
STANDARD:
4 x 12.7mm Browning M2 heavy machine guns in nose
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter) family line.
XF-85 - Prototype Designation; two prototypes manufactured as s/n 46-0523 and 46-0524.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 01/29/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The XF-85 Goblin was an attempt by the McDonnell bureau to realize the dream of a "parasite fighter" program that was actually feasible for use in a wartime environment. The basic theory revolving the parasite fighter was not a new one for development of such a fighter was already attempted by German scientists during the Second World War. Nevertheless, the XF-85 Goblin was - at least in the eyes of McDonnell engineers - to be the first successful attempt, though in practice the retrieval process proved to be too impractical and the program was therefore limited to just two prototypes and fully scrubbed.

The XF-85 featured a most basic aerodynamically friendly design with very little in the way of external features. The system featured the post-war development of swept back wings (pioneered by the Germans throughout World War Two) and were of 37 degrees sweep. The Goblin was to be air dropped from a bomber, fly to and engage targets as needed, then return to the bomber by meeting up with the bomber's retractable hook and trapeze combination. Should an emergency had arisen for the diminutive Goblin, a steel skid was installed underfuselage (along with runners at the wingtips for additional landing support) for emergency landings. Armament for the XP-85 consisted of a 4 x 12.7mm (.50 caliber) machine gun array. Crew accommodations amounted to a single pilot. Power was derived from a single J34 type turbojet mounted at rear with a noticeable intake front of the fuselage. The first flight of the XF-85 Goblin prototype occurred on August 23rd of 1948.

The XF-85 proved to be a stable platform that required very little extended flight knowledge for any pilot to fly her. The one - and major issue - reported by pilots of the XF-85 was in the aircraft retrieval process which proved to be impractical when put into practice. With only two prototypes constructed and flying, the program was cancelled. One of the two XF-85 Goblin prototypes was shipped to the United States Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio for display. The other resides at the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, Nebraska.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 2 Units

Contractor(s): McDonnell - USA
National flag of the United States

[ United States ]
1 / 8
Image of the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
2 / 8
Image of the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
3 / 8
Image of the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
4 / 8
Image of the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
5 / 8
Image of the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
6 / 8
Image of the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter)
Image courtesy of the United States Air Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio.
7 / 8
Image of the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter)
Image courtesy of the United States Air Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio.
8 / 8
Image of the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter)
Image courtesy of the United States Air Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio.

Going Further...
The McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (Parasite Fighter) Prototype Jet-Powered Fighter / Bomber Escort appears in the following collections:
HOME
AVIATION INDEX
AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE AIRCRAFT
AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT
AIRCRAFT BY TYPE
AIRCRAFT BY DECADE
COLD WAR AIRCRAFT
X-PLANE AIRCRAFT
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)