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Goblin and B-29

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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

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This was the aftermath of the first (and only) attempted inflight redocking of the Goblin (XP-85) and a B-29 (09 August 1948).

Goblin was attached to the B-29 underbelly prior to takeoff, then was meant to be released for high speed "patrol", then return to the B-29 for docking on the trapeze.

The pilot (Ed Schock) came in to the trapeze a tad too fast in turbulent air at 25,000 feet, (the XP-85 was a tubby handling bird at best), nailed the trapeze with his canopy , crumpled and lost the canopy and darn near took his helmet and head off. The XP-85 fell off, while the groggy pilot attempted to regain control, which is why there is such a distance between the two aircraft. Schock landed the Goblin on its skid back at Muroc rather than bailing out , saving the airplane.

They didn't try it again.
 
There were (and are) some really brave people at Edwards! I hate to say it but there are some foolish ones as well. Some really weird and wonderful things happened there.
Bill
 
I would have to guess that much of the inspiration for this idea came from the WW I US Navy planes that were deployed from a trapeze on Navy dirigibles. The Navy dirigibles could hold a fair number of those little bi-plane fighters.

Akron&plane.gif



I was always interested in blimps and dirigibles because Lakehurst NAS is down the street from my folk's home (they can still see one of the huge blimp hangers from their street). We used to wave at the Navy blimps when they'd fly over our house and you could see the guys waving back.

Apparently they also tried the trapeze deal with F-84s and the Convair;

Republic_YF-84F_inflight_docking.jpg


~Here Is~ a video that show the actual Goblin mishap.
 
They have a Goblin and a B-29 as part of the display at the SAC Museum outside of Omaha. No ropes, you can almost climb on it and you can go poking around the landing gear bays and bomb bays of the B-29 too.
 
I love old Warbirds. Thanks for sharing.
 
Not exactly an American warbird ... but this one takes a nice chunk of change to fill the tanks. Antonov 225.
 
I recall seeing pictures of an idea to dock 2 fighters to the wingtips of a bomber that was tried during the 50's. Imagine trying to link both wings of a B-36 to a pair of jet fighter. I give them credit for thinking outside the box, but some of those ideas really weren't worth the effort.
 
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