61/200 SQ Wings (L2080) North American XB70 Valkyrie (20001) Edwards AFB, Ca 1966, N.A.S.A. (Limited Edition)
| North American XB-70A Valkyrie |
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XB-70A Air Vehicle 1 (AV-1) was the first of tw o prototype Mach 3 strategic bombers built by North American Aviation. It made its maiden flight on September 21, 1964 and reached Mach 3.02 at 70,000 feet on October 14th, 1965. In 1966, AV-2 was turned over to NASA to conduct supersonic transport (SST) research flights, studying aerodynamics, propulsion, and sonic boom effects for future SST development. Sadly, AV-2 was destroyed in a midair collision and AV-1 was re-assigned to continue the program.
On February 4th, 1969, AV-1 made its final flight to to Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. It was then retired and put on display at National Museum of the United States Air Force where it can be seen today.
Designed as an experimental prototype for the B-70 supersonic intercontinental bomber, the XB-70A was first flown on September 21st, 1964.To avoid interception on deep-penetration missions, the aircraft was to be capable of Mach 3+ at an altitude of 70,000 feet. These requirements led to a massive, sleek-looking aircraft powered by six afterburning engines and employing an aerodynamic principle known as compression lift, whereby the aircraft effectively rode upon its own shock wave at supersonic speeds. Additionally, the large wing-tips could be folded down to enhance directional stabilty and compensate for the shifting center of lift at supersonic speeds.
