The same GRB-36F, serial 49-2707, that was used for the early tests of the FICON program also served as the mothership for the Tom-Tom program. Two RF-84F Thunderflashes, serials 51-1848 and 51-1849, were carried on the wingtips of the Peacemaker. The increased wingspan to wing chord (front to back) ratio was aerodynamically more efficient, so the reduction in induced drag almost made up for the weight of the fighters. Realistically, it was a dangerous feat to hook the fighter to the wingtip of the Peacemaker by flying the fighters' wingtips through the vortices streaming from the bombers wingtips. Then the fighter pilots would have no alternative but to sit in the cockpits of the fighters for the duration of the B-36 mission. Photo #26-2290 courtesy General Dynamics.

Although all the published histories of the B-36 say that the Tom-Tom project was concluded in late 1953, it was actually conducted in the period from April to September of 1956.

Several modifications were made to the GRB-36F for the Tom-Tom project after the FICON tests that were conducted in 1953. Beside the jaw clamps on the wingtips, there is an APX-29 rendevous beacon radome on the upper fuselage and an air data boom on the nose.

Jaw capture mechanism on the right wing of RF-84F 51-1848. Photo #26-1804 courtesy Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems archive via Dennis Jenkins.

Close-up of the left wingtip coupling on the GRB-36F. Photo #26-2294 courtesy Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems archive via Dennis Jenkins.

RF-84F, 51-1849 suspended from a ground test rig which was used to evaluate the functioning of the capture mechanism. Photo #26-2152 courtesy Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems archive via Dennis Jenkins.

Detail of the capture mechanism on RF-84F, 51-1849 about to grab the right wingtip coupling of the GRB-36F during a ground test. Photo #26-2160 courtesy Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems archive via Dennis Jenkins.

RF-84F, 51-1849 approaching the wingtip of the GRB-36F, 49-2707 late in the summer of 1956. Photo #90-3082 courtesy Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems archive via Dennis Jenkins.

Although all published B-36 histories give the date for the end of the Tom-Tom program as late 1953, the Tom-Tom program was concluded following an incident in which a Thunderflash was torn away from the wing of the GRB-36F on September 23, 1956.

Earlier wingtip towing tests using an ETB-29B, serial 44-62093, and a pair of straight winged EF-84B Thunderjets, serials 46-641 and 46-661, ended when a failure of the automatic flight control system caused one of the fighters to flip over and smash upside down on the wing of the ETB-29B, bringing down the two airplanes and their crews on April 24, 1953.

Illustration from a NACA Research Memorandum written at the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory entitled, Calculated Lift Distributions of a Consolidated Vultee B-36 and two Boeing B-47 Airplanes Coupled at the Wing Tips. The memorandum is dated November 30, 1950. If the feat had ever been attempted, the wingspan of that monster would have exceeded 460 feet.

New books about B-36 Peacemakers available from

Convair B-36 : A Comprehensive History of America's 'Big Stick by Meyers K. Jacobsen. Mr. Jacobsen has been compiling this history for at least a quarter of a century. It is certain to be the standard work on the subject.

Dennis Jenkins' new book Warbird Tech: Convair B-36 Peacemaker, is available from Amazon.com

Other Parasite Fighter Programs

In 1948 and 1949, a pair of McDonnell XF-85 Goblins were test flown from a Boeing EB-29B.

From 1952 to 1956, the Fighter Conveyer (FICON) program investigated the potential of carrying various models of the Republic F-84 in the bomb bay of a Peacemaker.

Books about B-36 Peacemakers available from

Dennis Jenkins has produced another large B-36 book: Magnesium Overcast.

Meyers Jacobsen has authored another book about the Convair B-36 Peacemaker: A Photo Chronicle.

Convair B-36 : A Comprehensive History of America's 'Big Stick by Meyers K. Jacobsen. Mr. Jacobsen has been compiling this history for at least a quarter of a century.

Warbird Tech: Convair B-36 Peacemaker . This volume by Dennis Jenkins contains a surprising amount of information that did not get into "The Big Stick".

The history of the efforts to preserve B-36J, 52-22827 at Fort Worth is well documented in "B-36: Saving the Last Peacemaker"; Second Edition, an html book on CD.

Go to the main Convair B-36 page.

Go to the home page of the Goleta Air and Space Museum.

Send a message to Brian.