The XF-90 was the first USAF jet with an afterburner and the first Lockheed jet to fly supersonic, albeit in a dive. It also incorporated an unusual vertical stabilizer that could be moved fore and aft for horizontal stabilizer adjustment.

The Convair XF-92 (re-designated from XP-92 in 1948) is an American, delta wing, first-generation jet prototype. Originally conceived as a point-defence interceptor, the design was later used purely for experimental purposes and only one was built.

The McDonnell XF-85 Goblin is an American prototype fighter aircraft conceived during World War II by McDonnell Aircraft. It was intended to deploy from the bomb bay of the Convair B-36 bomber as a parasite fighter. The XF-85's intended role was to defend bombers from hostile interceptor aircraft, a need

Feb 14, 2022 · The blast from a 19-kiloton nuclear bomb smashed into the XF-90A, ripping off its tail section and warping virtually every panel on the aircraft. The radioactive wreckage was moved to the desert in Nevada’s Area 11 and left.

The XF-90 was developed to meet a USAF requirement for a long-range penetration fighter. Two prototype aircraft were built. The first was powered by two Westinghouse J34 turbojets without afterburners, but these proved inadequate.

DAYTON, Ohio -- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo) The McDonnell Aircraft Corp. developed the XF-85 Goblin "parasite" fighter to protect B-36 bombers flying far beyond the range of conventional escort fighters.

Dec 21, 2024 · The McDonnell XF-85 Goblin, a prototype “parasite” fighter jet, is shown attached to the belly of a B-29 bomber. This compact aircraft was designed to defend bombers on intercontinental flights. Image: U.S. Air Force

May 19, 2023 · Lockheed built two prototypes, the XF-90 numbered 46-687, and an XF-90A #46-688 with an afterburning J34-WE-15 engine—the first U.S. fighter to be designed with the now standard technology. On June 3, 1949, test pilot and former aerial racing champion Tony Levier took the XF-90 out for its first flight.

The XF-92A was the world's first jet aircraft to fly with the radical delta-wing configuration pioneered by Germany's Dr. Alexander Lippisch. Convair used the knowledge learned from the XF-92 to design the delta-wing F-102, the U.S. Air Force’s first operational supersonic interceptor.

Mar 4, 2025 · Dive into the fascinating story of the Convair XF-92, one of the most groundbreaking experimental jets in aviation history. Explore its design, testing, and the role it played in shaping future...