True identity 46-0524

Slide taken in the outdoor aircraft display area at the old museum on Patterson AFB. The XF-85 Goblin program was a failure, with this a/c only completing one flight on 8 April 1949. The second XF-85, s/n 46-524, only managed to complete four flights and was damaged on the fourth flight. The USAFM received 46-523 in 1950. It was transferred to the new museum and is on display.

The first of 2 prototypes seen beneath wing of RB-36D 44-92088 at the National Aircraft Show in Dayton. Designed to be carried in the bomb bay of a B-36 bomber to provide it's own fighter escort. Now at the National Museum of the Air Force.

The XF-85 was intended to give fighter protection to 'parent' B-36s by carrying the 'parasite' within the bomb bay, lowering and releasing it from a trapeze as required. Testing with a modified B-29 began in 1948 but about half of the Goblin flights ended with emergency ground landings after the test pilot could not re-hook to the B-29. The program ended when aerial refueling of conventional fighter aircraft showed greater promise.

The XF-85 Goblin was designed to be carried by the Northrop B-35 and Convair B-36 bombers for defense against interceptors, much like the Curtiss F9C Sparowhawk did with the US Navy Airships Akron and Macon in 1929. Performance of the jet was marginal and the trapeze set up was difficult to use so only two aircraft were built and the project was cancelled in 1949.