**Breaking News: America’s TINIEST Fighter – The XF-85 GOBLIN**
In a stunning revelation from the annals of aviation history, the United States Air Force’s XF-85 Goblin emerges as a bizarre yet fascinating footnote in military innovation. Designed in the late 1940s by McDonnell Douglas, this diminutive fighter was conceived to operate from the belly of the colossal B-36 Peacemaker, a bomber with an unmatched wingspan and a staggering 40,000 horsepower.
At just 14 feet 10 inches long and a featherweight under 4,000 pounds, the Goblin was powered by a single turbojet engine, propelling it to a remarkable 650 mph. Armed with four .50 caliber machine guns and boasting an operational ceiling of 48,000 feet, this “parasite fighter” was engineered for aerial combat despite its unconventional design—most notably, it lacked landing gear. Instead, the Goblin was meant to be deployed and recovered by the B-36 via a retractable trapeze system.
Test flights began in August 1948, with the first Goblin released from a modified EB-29B Superfortress. The initial launch was a success, but the pilot’s attempt to reconnect with the trapeze ended in chaos, resulting in a near-disastrous collision that shattered the fighter’s canopy. Miraculously, pilot Edwin Scotch managed a belly landing in the California desert, showcasing the Goblin’s resilience.
Despite some successful mid-air recoveries by October 1948, the concept quickly faded as mid-flight refueling technologies advanced, rendering the Goblin’s unique role obsolete. What started as an ambitious experiment in aerial warfare ended as an oddity, a testament to the relentless pursuit of innovation in military aviation. The XF-85 Goblin stands as a reminder of the risks and creativity that shaped America’s aerial capabilities during the Cold War era.
