North American XB-70 Valkyrie

[snakeyes]

come ski give it up you no more

 

[super-bee_ski]

Awesome bird developed by USAF.
Unfortunately was made obsolete in a very short period of time by the ICBM. It was fast enough to rip some of the paint off it's fuselage and control surfaces. One of the test planes crashed desert during a test flight when an F 104 chase plane accidently rolled over the back end and clipped one of it's vertical stabilizers.
(Think it was an F104, maybe not)

Not 100 percent correct.
The High Altitude Intercontinental bomber platform was deemed obsolete shortly after we determined "High Altitude RADAR" was in the hands of the U.S.S.R and the advent of the High Speed/High Altitude Interceptor.
Remember the Francis Gary Powers incident?

Then the direction of Strategic Planning began to focus on the "Below the Horizon RADAR"
A) With 'BTH" we developed the FB-111 (Terrain Avoidance) which led to the B-1, All Terrain Following.
B) The B-52 was modified to "Fly Low"

America still relies on the 3 Tier approach:
1. Intercontinental Bomber platform (B-21)
2. Naval ICBM from the Trident platform
3. Below ground based ICBM, MX "Peacemaker" and Minuteman

 

[super-bee_ski]

come ski give it you no more

Well,
Many US. Airline pilots have seen a similar vehicle, Dark Gray in color used as a "Launch Platform" for a Parasite Reconnaissance Vehicle coming out of the "Old Dugway Proving grounds" Utah.
Look it up, Green River Valley
Some "guys" I know all moved there 10 years ago (Lockheed-Martin/Old Rockwell/Northrup guys.
Small remote place Southern Utah
Allegedly the XB-70 Bird has been seen in the past and the platform/program has been deemed: BLACK STAR
I'm surely uncomfortable talking about this....
But it can be researched....
"Areospace and Week Technology" did an article on this "Alleged Vehicle" back in 2007ish?
Lets see if I can find it....

 

[super-bee_ski]

1. Blackstar – First reported on in 2006, it is believed that the secret orbital spaceplane system dates back to the early 1990’s. The primary role of the program was along the lines of ISTAR: information, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. Although, it is thought the craft may possess offensive capabilities, giving it the nickname “Space Bomber.”

Aviation "LEAK" and Space Technology magazine:

 

[super-bee_ski]

So yeah, a Northwest airline crew climbing out of Salt Lake back around 2006 or 2007 said they saw that thing out in the distance climbing out at about FL500 (50,000K)

 

[super-bee_ski]

BTW:
The mission profile for the B-70 was a cruising speed of MACH 3+ at above 70,000 Ft Altitude
Reduced "DRAG", increased efficiency with fuel consumption by a technique called Compression Lift

 

[Nick2317]

The XB70 is in a building now at Wright pat just saw it back in march .......

 

[Bladecutter]

BTW:
The mission profile for the B-70 was a cruising speed of MACH 3+ at above 70,000 Ft Altitude
Reduced "DRAG", increased efficiency with fuel consumption by a technique called Compression Lift

Part of why wing tips were movable...down to create the compression. Am i correct Sir Ski? Going on gut here.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Part of why wing tips were movable...down to create the compression. Am i correct Sir Ski? Going on gut here.

Yeah, quite a design huh?
Called "Compression Lift"


First of:
-The Criteria set by the Customer (USAF) were:

Cruise Speed of Mach 3 (2,000mph)

Cruise Altitude of 70,000 feet

A "shirtsleeve" environment for the crew.

50,000 pound payload

A range of 7,500 miles

Sized such that existing runways, hangars, etc. that had already been built for the B-52 could be used without further modification.

Have flying characteristics suitable for use with average USAF line crewmen

With this in mind, research went into full swing between Boeing and North American (Rockwell).
**It was North American that "found" old research papers from NACA which described the theory of COMPRESSION LIFT.

In flight, the XB-70 could lower the outer wing sections either 25 degrees for flying from 300 knots to Mach 1.4, or a severe 65 degrees for speeds from Mach 1.4 to Mach 3+. Measuring just a bit over 20 feet at the trailing edge, these wingtips represent the largest movable aerodynamic device ever used.

Lowering the wingtips had three distinct effects on the XB-70.

Total vertical area was increased, allowing shorter vertical stabilizers than would otherwise be needed.

The reduction in rearward wing area countered the delta wing's inherent rearward shift of the center of lift as speed increased, keeping drag-inducing trim corrections to a minimum.

Compression lift was 30 percent more effective because the pressure under the wing was better managed

 

[super-bee_ski]

So:
For all you NAY SAYERS out there that think the SR-71 was the "End All" and pinnacle aircraft design...
Think again.

 

[not so famous bob]

So:
For all you NAY SAYERS out there that think the SR-71 was the "End All" and pinnacle aircraft design...
Think again.

I was at wright-Paterson earlier this summer. The tour guide said that it was the for runner to the black bird, and just dam near as fast. It had 6 engines -turbo or whatever sticking out the back. all the leading edges were almost sharp as a knife. Was really impressive !

 

[Bladecutter]

Talking with a Friend Who is retired AF,.... mechanic Who travelled around to various jobs on C-54 Skymaster(DC-4). He told that the SR-71 has actually been plotted @ 4000ish mph & generously beyond 100,000 feet. Not making a statement, just reapeating something heard.

 

[69a100]

America still relies on the 3 Tier approach:
1. Intercontinental Bomber platform (B-21)
2. Naval ICBM from the Trident platform
3. Below ground based ICBM, MX "Peacemaker" and Minuteman

Also known as the Nuclear Triad from my days in SAC.
For Alert Force, for Alert Force, Klaxon Klaxon Klaxon!

 

[ChrycoDUDE]

Not 100 percent correct

Yeh. Was speaking in generalities gleaned from what I've managed to read due to my insatiable admiration for all things mechanical.

 

[ChrycoDUDE]

YeH, The Blackbird is a sinister machine, no doubts there......

But the XB70 just takes your breath away with it's long elegant sleekness

Of course two different types of bird (had the 70' survived) not fair to compare one against the other (?)

 

[Photon440]

Well, one '70 did survive, and was evaluated for many years alongside the '71.

By the way, the 'Blackbird' is a common name, but did you know that the SR-71 is actually a very dark blue?

 

[ChrycoDUDE]

Well, one '70 did survive, and was evaluated for many years alongside the '71.

By the way, the 'Blackbird' is a common name, but did you know that the SR-71 is actually a very dark blue?

"Survive"...maybe I should of said "still flying"...or at least longer than it did fly.
Nope can't say I did know about the blue color.

 

[OK charger]

Also known as the Nuclear Triad from my days in SAC.
For Alert Force, for Alert Force, Klaxon Klaxon Klaxon!

View attachment 494191

A scary thing to hear..no doubt.

 

[Photon440]

As pointed out in super-bee_ski's post, the XB-70 relied on compression lift to aid its aerodynamic efficiency. Not just getting lift from the air under the wings, but by lowering the wingtips it actually rode the supersonic shockwave. What a beautiful design.

And for all those comparisons between the XB-70 and the SR-71, let's not forget that the SR71 max takeoff weight was 170,000lbs, while the XB70 was way up there at 542,000lbs.

 

[ChrycoDUDE]

As pointed out in super-bee_ski's post, the XB-70 relied on compression lift to aid it's aerodynamic efficiency. Not just getting lift from the air under the wings, but by lowering the wingtips it actually rode the supersonic shockwave. What a beautiful design.
View attachment 494238
View attachment 494239

And for all those comparisons between the XB-70 and the SR-71, let's not forget that the SR71 max takeoff weight was 170,000lbs, while the XB70 was way up there at 542,000lbs.

Half a million pounds, wow. If only the Wright Bros. could be around to see that.