B-70 Valkyrie History Released

Started by Spam, November 24, 2020, 12:14:27 PM

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Spam

This just released.
Outstanding graphics... check out the unclassified RCS assessment.

https://media.defense.gov/2020/Nov/23/2002540204/-1/-1/1/B-70%20VARIANTS.PDF

V/r
Spam

PS, while you read, suggest you play "Immigrants Song", bass boosted...

"We come from the land of the ice and snow
From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow
The hammer of the gods
Will drive our ships to new lands
To fight the horde, sing and cry
Valhalla, I am coming..."

PHall

Yep, way back then there was nothing they could not do. At least in the engineers minds....
Of course this was the same period other extreme aircraft were designed such as the Convair B-58, the British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2 and the Avro Canada CF-105.

The only "practical" role for the XB-70 was the research aircraft role.

Of course it did scare the crap out of the Soviets and forced them to develop "defences" such as the MiG-25 and the SA-5 SAM.

Spam

Well, I will speak only for myself in this, but the XB-70 was absolutely one of the major influences on me as a youth (and as a cadet) wanting to make a career in designing aircraft, so that is an inadvertent byproduct of sorts - inspiration.

I'm a fan of Dr. Jordan Peterson, who urges young people to build on inspiration by learning personal responsibility, personal development and iterative goal setting to really make a difference through an effectively lived life. You can't design serious high performance aircraft without buckling down and studying STEM subjects. You won't get anywhere building the next great software suite without learning to code. You shouldn't be tilting at trying to "solve" "global warming" without understanding economics and energetic physics. In short - use iterative goal setting and due diligence to put the sweat in to earn your goals, rather than just sit and dream (or blame others).

So, the inspiration of such cool jets (and Star Trek - to a point - and the original Iron Man comics) prepared me as fertile ground for learning personal responsibility and goal setting and other means to an end through CAP. CAP gives some great tools to cadets, if they want to accept them (I got and started actually using my first day planner through CAP, back in the 80s, and started using it not just for CAP but for school/university assignment tracking... a force multiplier as I fought my way through math and engineering courses).

Thanks, North American Aviation engineers and craftsmen!
Thanks, CAP cadet program!

V/r
Spam

JohhnyD

One of my older friends was a chemical engineer on that project, amazing stories, amazing men and machines. God bless them, everyone.

Paul Creed III

I've gotten to see the XB-70 in person at the National Museum of the Air Force; it is an awesome sight.
Lt Col Paul Creed III, CAP
Group 3 Ohio Wing sUAS Program Manager

docsteve

The history of the B-70 program is forever tarnished by one misguided photo-op.  Nevertheless it has always been a mystery to me why the FAA chose Boeing as the developer of the SST when they had the B-70 already in hand.
Steve Sconfienza, Ph.D.
former captain

PHall

Quote from: docsteve on November 28, 2020, 03:57:18 PMThe history of the B-70 program is forever tarnished by one misguided photo-op.  Nevertheless it has always been a mystery to me why the FAA chose Boeing as the developer of the SST when they had the B-70 already in hand.

Because North American had never built an airliner. The B-70 was the largest aircraft they had ever built.

docsteve

Quote from: PHall on November 28, 2020, 07:27:16 PM
Quote from: docsteve on November 28, 2020, 03:57:18 PMThe history of the B-70 program is forever tarnished by one misguided photo-op.  Nevertheless it has always been a mystery to me why the FAA chose Boeing as the developer of the SST when they had the B-70 already in hand.

Because North American had never built an airliner. The B-70 was the largest aircraft they had ever built.

Point taken, so the question would be was that alone enough to overshadow North American's campaign for the passenger variant (e.g., see the OP).  I remember that passenger B-70 models were available in TWA livery.
Steve Sconfienza, Ph.D.
former captain

PHall

Quote from: docsteve on November 28, 2020, 08:56:39 PM
Quote from: PHall on November 28, 2020, 07:27:16 PM
Quote from: docsteve on November 28, 2020, 03:57:18 PMThe history of the B-70 program is forever tarnished by one misguided photo-op.  Nevertheless it has always been a mystery to me why the FAA chose Boeing as the developer of the SST when they had the B-70 already in hand.

Because North American had never built an airliner. The B-70 was the largest aircraft they had ever built.

Point taken, so the question would be was that alone enough to overshadow North American's campaign for the passenger variant (e.g., see the OP).  I remember that passenger B-70 models were available in TWA livery.

The crash after the photo op came long after they decided to have Boeing build the 2707.
It was after the B-70 program had been cancelled and the aircraft were being used as Test and Research aircraft.
And there was plenty for them to discover.