North American XB-70 Valkyrie

1964

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North American XB-70 Valkyrie

Developed to USAF General Operational Requirement 38 for an intercontinental bomber to replace the Boeing B-52, the Mach 3 North American XB-70A was the subject of an order for three prototypes, awarded on 4 October 1961, although the third was later cancelled. A delta-winged canard design, with wing tips which folded down at 65° to the horizontal to provide improved supersonic stability, and powered by six 13608kg thrust General Electric J93-GE-3 engines, the first prototype was flown by Alvin S. White and Colonel Joseph F. Cotton on 21 September 1964; it first achieved its design speed of Mach 3 on 14 October 1965. The improved second prototype flew on 17 July 1965, but was lost in a mid-air collision on 8 June 1966. The surviving aircraft carried out a number of test programmes, including work in connection with the US supersonic transport programme, but on 4 February 1969 it was flown to retirement at the US Air Force Museum, Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio.

FACTS AND FIGURES

© The Valkyrie's wingtips lowered to trap the shockwave under the fuselage and create 'compression lift', allowing operation at nearly 24,320m.

© Company brochures claimed a B-70 could take off from the western US and intercept Chinese invaders approaching Taiwan before they were halfway across. The Valkyrie was not an interceptor, nor had it any anti-shipping capability.

© The crew's seats became enclosed in individual escape capsules in an emergency. In the XB-70 crash, only one capsule functioned correctly.

© Most of the XB-70 was made of a new type of stainless steel. The different grades of metal used caused electrolytic corrosion.

North American XB-70 Valkyrie on YOUTUBE

North American XB-70 Valkyrie

Specification 
 CREW2
 ENGINE6 x General Electric J93-GE-3, 13608kg
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight249476 kg550003 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan32.0 m105 ft 0 in
  Length59.75 m196 ft 0 in
  Height9.1 m30 ft 10 in
  Wing area565.0 m26081.60 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed3218 km/h2000 mph
  Ceiling21336 m70000 ft
  Range w/max.fuel12000 km7457 miles

Comments1-20 21-40 41-60
Neal Masterswon, e-mail, 28.01.2009 22:22

The collision was with an F-104N during a demonstration flight that also had a T-38, an F-4B and an F-5a in the formation. The XB-70 flipped over, recovered and then went intoa flat spiral and never recovered. The F-104N immediately burst into flames and then disintegrated.

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Doug Sheldon, former USAF, e-mail, 25.01.2009 01:45

I was stationed at Edwards when the B-70 crash occurred, assigned to the F-111A Cat.1 test program. Can you tell me what type of aircraft the other plane was? I'm thinking a T-37 /38, F-104 or an F-5? Thanks. Doug Sheldon

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evets, e-mail, 26.11.2008 16:34

Great aircraft like this have been the victims of foreign intervention in our Political /Business eco systems.

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stephen russell, e-mail, 15.06.2008 03:59

Sat in this planes cockpit when younger, very unique view pre Concorde SST, saw plane at Edwards AFB FTC, mid 60s, what a rush, Still classic for a HST model alone.
Very viable for Supersonic Air Cargo & passenger runs with supercruise engine from F22 Raptor alone.
Be a super civil plane alone.

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russkrom, e-mail, 25.05.2008 06:13

Way ahead of it's time. What an airplane!!!

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1-20 21-40 41-60

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