XF-85 Goblin Detailed Photo Essay

The F-85 Goblin, with a wingspan of 21'1.48" and a length of 16' 3.25", is the smallest jet fighter ever built. It was designed to fit inside the B-36 as a parasite fighter in an attempt to solve the fighter escort problem associated with 10,000 mile range bombers. On 10-9-45 McDonnell Aircraft was issued a letter contract for Phase 1 Engineering for their Model 27E to fit in the bomb bay of the B-36 (<15' long and <5' 6" wide). The concept was to have one or more parasite fighters stored internally to be launched and recovered from an extendible trapeze as needed for defense or reconnaissance. Power was supplied by a General Electric J-34-WE-22 of 3000 lb thrust. Armament was to be four .50 caliber M-3 machine guns but they were never fitted. The wings were folded for stowage and the X tail configuration was used to eliminate the need to fold the tail surfaces. The cockpit was pressurized and fitted with an ejection seat.

The subject of this Monograph is the XF-85-MC, s/n 46523. On 5-23-50 it was given to the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB, outside of Dayton, Ohio where it was restored and placed on display next to the B-36 for which it was intended.


by Steve Muth
Peregrine Publishing USA 2000
USAF No1 in a series of booklets featuring 12pp of detail colour photographs, 33 in all, of cockpit, landing gear etc.







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