XB-70

An aircraft ahead of its time, and then lagging far behind it in the end, the XB-70 Valkyrie was an experimental bomber able to cruise at Mach 3, at extremely high altitude. This would allow it to fly out of range of Soviet missile sites, and outrun Soviet fighters, in order to deliver its nuclear payload.

Description
Fitted with six J93 engines in tandem, the XB-70 generated 28,000 pounds of thrust per engine to produce its signature Mach 3+ speeds. With a maximum loaded weight of 550,000 pounds, the Valkyrie could achieve ranges of over 4000 miles, a remarkable achievement.

In 1961, the US Department of Defense canceled plans to mass-produce the B-70 bomber. This was motivated by predictions that this high-flying aircraft would soon become vulnerable to Soviet surface-to-air missile batteries. The Department of Defense also concluded that the development of ICBMs meant that the XB-70 was no longer needed the carry nuclear weapons and deliver them.

Despite its incredible performance, the Valkyrie prototypes were stricken to the boneyard after a GE photo shoot on June 8, 1966 resulted in the destruction of the second prototype due to a mid-air collision with an F-104. The pilot of the F-104 and the pilot of the XB-70 were killed, but the co-pilot of the XB-70 managed to eject and suffered severe back injuries due to the low altitude of ejection and his arm was crushed by the clam shell like ejection pod.

It is interesting to consider the performance of air defense systems against the SR-71 Blackbird (which flew at similar speeds and altitudes) when they engaged in recon overflights; no missile or fighter ever succeeded in bringing an SR-71 down. This leads some to assert that the XB-70's similar speed and altitude would make it equally immune to enemy action, overflying enemy missile sites before they could track the target, and traveling so high that the enemy would have a very narrow window in which to fire a missile and have it climb to the target's altitude before the B-70 was out of range.

The sole remaining XB-70 prototype is on display in the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, USA.

Ace Squadrons/Pilots

 * Wal (Whale) (BAF/ACZ)- Appears in Mission 1 "Glacial Skies".

Comparable Aircraft

 * B-1B Lancer
 * Tu-160 Blackjack

Related Development

 * XF-108A Rapier