Manufacturer: Martin

Model: 233

Name: Mighty Mite

Type: Jet parasite fighter

Date:

Status: Service test

Country: United States of America

Service: U.S. Navy

Designation: XF3M-1

In the immediate afterwar years, the U.S. Army Air Force and the U.S. Navy started a series of joint evaluation programs which for the most part proved unsuccessful.

The Martin Model 233 Mighty Mite was the Navy's own parasite fighter, evaluated in parallel with the Air Force's McDonnell XF-85 Goblin under the designation XF3M-1. Slightly bigger and heavier than the Goblin, the Mighty Mite first flew in August 1948 and handled much better, but fell a victim of changing requirements.

When the Navy's involvement in the program ceased abruptly early in 1949, some of the XF3M-1's successful features were incorporated in the Goblin, but this itself was canceled a few months later.

Although I reused a few elements from the Goblin (hook, wing and wheelcart) the Martin Mighty Mite was created using a Convair Pogo as a start, NOT a Goblin!! Check the images below right and see for yourselves...

• So adorably useless :D (TheRealCJ)
• It's brilliant! (CUTANGUS)
• That is ugly. In a good way! (TBD)
• the Mite is a beautiful piece of work, subtle enough variation that it doesn't immediately register with the mind's eye, but the sort of image that rewards close study. Most of us physical modelers would all but kill to achieve so flawless a finish. (Dr. YoKai)
• very sweet, the 'on the ramp' image gives a direct comparism of the subtle differences between the two, hehe (tsrjoe)
• Thanks for the picture of Goblin and Mite close to one another, this is very interesting and helps a lot to appreciate how much your picture was Creation. When a difference is very obvious (e.g. Goblin biplane), it is easy for everyone to laugh but when the changes are rather subtle, it is useful to see the basis to compare at first sight, without asking Google in another window. (Tophe)
• Tophe's right. I only realised how different the Mighty Mite was when you showed that photo with the Goblin. It looks a really nice aeroplane   (NARSES2)
• I, too, must admit that I thought I was looking at a Goblin that was a little strange, somehow.  I hadn't looked at a Goblin photo for a while, until I saw the side-by-side picture    It was so good we didn't realise it was seriously imaginary. (perttime)
• Excellent work Stephane!   (redstar72)
• Blimp launched? I can't imagine any other Navy plane large enough to carry a parasite fighter.. apart from some massive flying boat like the Seamaster. (1Wyrmshadow1)

Blimp launched? Yeah, that's interesting. I love those big airships of yesteryear, and the idea of an LZ- type carrying a handful of "Mighty Mites" sounds pretty neat!