North American XB-70 Valkyrie

The North American XB-70 Valkyrie was a United States experimental supersonic strategic bomber prototype developed in the late 1950s and flown in the 1960s.

The North American XB-70 Valkyrie was a United States experimental supersonic strategic bomber prototype developed in the late 1950s and flown in the 1960s. Designed to reach Mach 3 at very high altitude, it became a research aircraft rather than an operational bomber after the B-70 program was cancelled. Two prototypes were built, and one survives in a museum collection.

Development

The XB-70 originated as a prototype for the planned B-70 nuclear-armed strategic bomber. It was designed by North American Aviation in the late 1950s to fly faster and higher than existing bombers.

Design

The aircraft was a large, six-engine delta-wing design built for sustained Mach 3 flight. Its most distinctive features included folding wingtips and a configuration intended to ride its own shock wave at supersonic speed.

Flight testing and research role

After the bomber program was cancelled, the two prototypes were used for flight research by the U.S. Air Force and NASA. The program gathered data on sonic booms, high-speed handling, turbulence, and wind-tunnel validation.

Accident and legacy

One XB-70 was lost in a 1966 collision during a formation flight, leaving one survivor. The remaining airframe became a museum exhibit and the aircraft is remembered as an important supersonic research platform.