I was somewhat surprised (and pleased), to see the picture of the XB-70A Valkyrie with the editor's choice photo today, as well as the very nice shot of the C-119 Flying Boxcar. For a few years back in the 1960s, the C-119 could be seen almost any day flying around in the general area of Dayton, Ohio. Of course, looking at the photo of the C-119 with the "Jet pack" on top, I had to check Wiki to refresh my memory of this great old A/C.

Then, while reading about the C-119, I also had to do a little "catching up" relative to the XB-70A. While I was on the website of the "National Museum Of The United States Air Force" .....( what a ridiculous, cumberson bunch of BS! ) It was the "U.S.A.F. Museum" from the time they first started it out at old Patterson Field, until some "bureaucrat" decided to change it to it's current "more than a mouthful" of nonsense name; So, as far as I'm concerned, it always has been, and always will be....."The U.S.A.F. Museum" to me, and that's how I will continue to refer to it !

Now that we have that matter out of the way.........I noticed a few changes that have taken place at the AF Museum of late, and one of which caused me to start this thread. I know many people have always been very interested in the
XB-70A, so while I was on the site, I thought I would copy a few of the interesting facts regarding this very extraordinary A/C; For anyone having more interest, I'll attempt to include a link, so that others can read about it more "in-depth".

The BIG addition to the Museum which I hadn't heard about before, and which I think is totally awesome, and will be greatly appreciated by airplane aficionados all over the world, is this; The Museum has recently developed a new "app", (which can be down-loaded free), which apparently, right now, only works for desk tops, iPads, and iPhones; (not sure if the desk top has to be a Mac, or if it works with Windows also)...........anyway........if you download this free app, you can take a "virtual tour" of the cockpits of over 30 well known military planes, (with more being developed, as well as an "app" that can be used by Android). Somehow, you're supposed to be able to "scroll around" and find details about different things.


As of right now, I haven't had time to download the app yet, but I did make a "screen shot" which I think is pretty interesting. Also, I copied a photo of the XB-70A which was taken at the Museum, prior to when it was brought inside, and was put on permanent display in the "Research and Development Flight Test Gallery", where it's still at as of now.
I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to have seen the XB-70A in the air on several occasions; (If only I would have had my present camera to have photographed it.)

XB-70A Valkyrie Bomber AT U.S.A.F. Mueseum

Cockpit of B-29 Bomber At U.S.A.F. Museum, Dayton, Ohio

XB-70 Valkyrie Strategic Bomber, Facts & Figures

This A/C, S/N 62-1 Rolled out 11 May, 1964
First Flight, 21 Sept. 1964 Flew total of 83 times; Last flight, 4 Feb. 1969 to Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Oh.

First supersonic flight (mach 1.1) 21 Sept. 1964 on 3rd flight
First flight at mach 2; 12 Oct. 1964 on 15th flight
First flight at mach 3; 14 Oct. 1965 on 17th flight

Engines; Six GE YJ93-GE3 Turbo Jet 31,200 lbs. thrust at sea level
Max Speed; 2,056 mph (mach 3.1) at 73,000 ft.
Cruise Speed; 2,000 mph (mach 3) at 72,000 ft.
Range; 4,288 miles
Service Ceiling; 77,350 ft.
Span; 105 ft,
Length; 185ft,10in. without boom, 192ft.2in. with boom
Height; 30ft.9in.
Distance between main gear struts; 23ft 2in
Weight; 534,700 lbs. loaded
Crew; Two; Pilot and Co-Pilot
Number Built; Two




http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2744

Charley

[Edited 2013-03-07 10:01:53]

[Edited 2013-03-07 10:03:23]