Flying Aircraft Carriers of the USAF |
From 1948 to 1956, the US Air Force pursued several methods of carrying launching, and retrieving small airplanes from giant bombers.
In 1948 and 1949, a pair of McDonnell XF-85 Goblins were test flown from a Boeing EB-29B Superfortress at Edwards Air Force Base.
In 1949 the Wright Air Development Center conducted wing tip coupling experiments with a Douglas C-47A Skytrain and a Culver Q-14B Cadet at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
From 1950 to 1953, the Wright Air Development Center continued wing tip coupling experiments with a Boeing B-29 Superfortress and a pair of Republic F-84D Thunderjets at the Republic Aircraft Company plant at Farmingdale, new York.
From 1952 to 1956, the Project FICON investigated the potential of carrying various models of the Republic F-84 in the bomb bay of a Peacemaker to perform reconnaissance missions into areas that were too heavily defended for the RB-36 to penetrate.
In 1956 Project Tom-Tom explored wing tip coupling with a Republic RF-84F Thunderflash and a Convair RB-36.
LockettBooks Bookshelf |
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BooksMy books are printed on demand by Lulu.com. When you select one, it is placed in your Lulu.com shopping cart. When you place your order, the items are produced, packaged, and shipped directly to you. Books are 8.5" x 11" with perfect binding, white interior paper (60# weight), white exterior paper (100# weight), and full-color exterior ink. |
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Flying Aircraft Carriers of the USAF: Project FICON Preview the first several pages of the paperback book. Flying Aircraft Carriers of the USAF: Project FICON |
Flying Aircraft Carriers of the USAF: Wing Tip Coupling |
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Project FICON Handbooks |
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You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring historic Air Force and Convair photographs of Project FICON Convair GRB-36 carrier aircraft and Republic F-84 parasites.
A dozen Air Force and Convair photographs of Project FICON Convair GRB-36 carrier aircraft and Republic F-84 parasites from 1952 to 1956:
Convair GRB-36F 49-2707 and Republic F-84E Thunderjet 49-2115 at Forth Worth, Texas and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
Convair GRB-36F 49-2707 and Republic YRF-84F Thunderstreak 49-2430 at Fort Worth, Texas and Dayton, Ohio
Convair GRB-36D 49-2962 and Republic RBF-84F Thunderflash 52-7266 over Washington State
Convair GRB-36D 49-2694 and Republic RF-84K Thunderflash 52-7258 at Edwards Air Force Base, California
Put a copy of the Project FICON - Fighter Conveyer: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.
You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring photographs of Air Force projects investigating the coupling of smaller airplanes to larger airplanes' wing tips.
In the early years of the cold war, the US Air Force attempted to increase the range of airplanes by carrying fuel in hinged wing panels that supported themselves attached to their wing tips. The initial tests used a piloted light plane to simulate the hinged panels. Soon the scope of the experiments expanded to include towing a pair of jet fighters on the wing tips of a giant bomber. Photo sources: Bud Anderson, Air Force, General Dynamics, Lockheed-Martin:
Douglas C-47A 42-23918 and Culver Q-14B 44-68334
Project Tip-Tow: Boeing EB-29A 44-62093 and Republic EF-84D Thunderjets 48-0641 and 48-0661
Project Long Tom: Beechcraft XL-23C
Project Tom-Tom: Convair JRB-36F 49-2707 and Republic RF-84F Thunderflashes 51-1848 and 51-1849
Put a copy of the Wing Tip Coupling: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.
Books about Project FICON
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