North American XB-70 Valkyrie
This. Thing. Is. HUGE. Seriously, this is just the NOSE. It is sitting on the ground -- you can see the intakes at the bottom of this photo, where the body starts to lower to the ground. It was too big to get a full shot -- you'll see it lurking (or rather, looming) throughout these R&D Gallery photos, so perhaps through that you'll get a sense of its sheer size.
Inside the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/).
From the website:
The XB-70, one of the world's most exotic airplanes, was conceived for the Strategic Air Command in the 1950s as a high-altitude bomber that could fly three times the speed of sound (Mach 3). Because of fund limitations, only two were built, not as bombers, but as research aircraft for the advanced study of aerodynamics, propulsion and other subjects related to large supersonic aircraft.
The Valkyrie was built largely of stainless-steel honeycomb sandwich panels and titanium. It was designed to make use of a phenomenon called "compression lift," achieved when the shock wave generated by the airplane flying at supersonic speeds supports part of the airplane's weight. For improved stability at supersonic speeds, the Valkyrie could droop its wingtips as much as 65 degrees.
The No. 1 XB-70 made its initial flight on Sept. 21, 1964, and achieved Mach 3 flight on Oct. 14, 1965. The No. 2 airplane first flew on July 17, 1965, but on June 8, 1966, it crashed following a mid-air collision. The No. 1 airplane continued in its research program until flown to the museum on Feb. 4, 1969.
North American XB-70 Valkyrie
This. Thing. Is. HUGE. Seriously, this is just the NOSE. It is sitting on the ground -- you can see the intakes at the bottom of this photo, where the body starts to lower to the ground. It was too big to get a full shot -- you'll see it lurking (or rather, looming) throughout these R&D Gallery photos, so perhaps through that you'll get a sense of its sheer size.
Inside the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/).
From the website:
The XB-70, one of the world's most exotic airplanes, was conceived for the Strategic Air Command in the 1950s as a high-altitude bomber that could fly three times the speed of sound (Mach 3). Because of fund limitations, only two were built, not as bombers, but as research aircraft for the advanced study of aerodynamics, propulsion and other subjects related to large supersonic aircraft.
The Valkyrie was built largely of stainless-steel honeycomb sandwich panels and titanium. It was designed to make use of a phenomenon called "compression lift," achieved when the shock wave generated by the airplane flying at supersonic speeds supports part of the airplane's weight. For improved stability at supersonic speeds, the Valkyrie could droop its wingtips as much as 65 degrees.
The No. 1 XB-70 made its initial flight on Sept. 21, 1964, and achieved Mach 3 flight on Oct. 14, 1965. The No. 2 airplane first flew on July 17, 1965, but on June 8, 1966, it crashed following a mid-air collision. The No. 1 airplane continued in its research program until flown to the museum on Feb. 4, 1969.