Landships II

Interesting indeed - in fact the B-36/RF-84F combination (for reconnaissance) was more or less operational (the earlier B-36/XF-85 parasite fighter combination experiment was scrapped but there followed interim trials with the F-84E). And there have been later trials, up the present day for special purposes (hypersonic research and lifting bodies in particular).

All involve the projection of some sort of capability beyond the endurance of the secondary vehicle - not unlike a multi-stage rocket I suppose and that remains the prime technology within its niche.

One could imagine all sorts of tasks for a smaller, faster, more agile and less noisy land vehicle if it could be brought up from the rear and thrust over the heavily-contested front line at virtually any point required. It does make some sense, doesn't it?

Since we all love tracked vehicles, here is the experiment tracked landing gear for a B-36 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-36_tracked_gear_edit.jpg. The weight and landing speed of that aircraft ensured it was at the leading edge of pneumatic tyre capability at the time - I guess trying out a tracked design seemed logical. Turns out the (added) weight and landing speed ensured it was a little beyond the leading edge of track capability at the time. Well, the weight was the real killer for aeronautical design. But now we've seen a track that ran at something like 135 knots = 155 mph = 250 kph.