Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!amdahl!pacbell!att!mcdchg!illusion!marcus
From: marcus@illusion.UUCP (Marcus Hall)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Aurora recovery by C-5
Message-ID: <387@illusion.UUCP>
Date: 31 Mar 89 14:07:48 GMT
References: <7.UUL1.3#5131@mvac.UUCP> <3412@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu> <2953@eos.UUCP> <385@illusion.UUCP> <3014@eos.UUCP>
Reply-To: marcus@illusion.UUCP (Marcus Hall)
Organization: Magic Numbers Software, Bloomingdale, IL
Lines: 45

In article <3014@eos.UUCP> steve@eos.UUCP (Steve Philipson) writes:
>In article <385@illusion.UUCP> marcus@illusion.UUCP (Marcus Hall) writes:
>>There was a project that used a B-36 to carry small fighters around (F-86's?)
>>and they did launch and recover them in flight.
>>...  I believe that they tried out two
>>systems, one carried a single fighter under the belley, another carried two
>>planes, one under each wing.
>
>   The project never got beyond the research stage, and was deemed
>impractical for operational use.  Also, the advent of mid-air
>refuelling helped to kill the "parasite fighter" programs.

No, actually one of the systems was put into service.

The single-fighter version was called FICON (FIghter-CONveyor).  It was
initially designed and flight tested with the XF-85.  This was changed
to the F-84E and the modified B-36F (49-2707) made its first retrieval and
re-launch on April 23, 1952.  By Feb. 20, 1953 it had made 170 aerial launch
and retrievals.  The swept-wing YF-84F was then used in the system.

In May 1953 contracts were given for 10 RB-36D's and 25 RF-84K's modified
for FICON use.  The system was originally intended for bombers to carry their
own fighter escort, but this was changed to providing extended range for
reconnaissance.  The GRB-36D could go out to a 2810 mile radius then the
RF-84K would go an additional 1180 miles over the target area.

This system was in service with the 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (for
the GRB-36Ds) and the 91st SRS's RF-84Ks by the end of 1955.  After about
a year, the 91st SRS was disbanded and the system was discontinued.

Another system that was tried was called Tom-Tom.  This involved using
wingtip hooks to hook up RF-84Fs on the B-36's wing tips.  This system
was very dangerous due to the B-36's slipstream and wingtip vortices.  In
early 1953 the first hookup was made using this system, but later on that
year severe oscillation caused an RF-84F to tear loose from the hookup
arm and the program was terminated.

At any rate, using such a system for recon work does have real-live precedent,
so it isn't unreasonable to suppose that a C-5 could be modified to act as
a FICON-like carrier vehicle for Aurora.  It would need a bomb-bay like
opening for the parasite, but with its high wing (so that most of the structure
is high in the plane) this shouldn't be impossible.

marcus hall
marcus@illusion.UUCP		..!mcdchg!illusion!marcus