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The first XB-70 carried out its maiden flight in September 1964 and many more test flights followed. [71] The data from the XB-70 test flights and aerospace materials development were used in the later B-1 bomber program, the American supersonic transport (SST) program, and via espionage, the Soviet Union's Tupolev Tu-144 SST program. [72]
The General Electric YJ93 turbojet engine was designed as the powerplant for both the North American XB-70 Valkyrie bomber and the North American XF-108 Rapier interceptor. The YJ93 was a single-shaft axial-flow turbojet with a variable-stator compressor and a fully variable convergent/divergent exhaust nozzle.
The XB-70 Valkyrie was chosen in 1957 to replace the Hustler but suffered as a result of a switch in doctrine from a high- to a low-altitude flying profile. By the late 1950s, however, anti-aircraft surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) could threaten high-altitude aircraft, [12] as demonstrated by the 1960 downing of Gary Powers' U-2. [13]
It was the XB-70 Valkyrie, an experimental plane developed for the US Air Force. Its inaugural flight — 60 years ago in September 1964 — kicked off a golden era for supersonic aircraft. The ...
Convair B-58A Hustler XB-70 Valkyrie Tupolev Tu-22M3 B-1B Lancer Tupolev Tu-160. A strategic bomber must carry a large bomb load over long distances. Consequently, it is a large aircraft typically with an empty weight exceeding 25,000 kg.
In order to increase range, studies were made of a significantly larger Mirage IVB design, powered by two Snecma license-built Pratt & Whitney J75 engines and having a wing area of 120 m² (1,290 sq ft) compared to 70 m² (750 sq ft) of the prototype IV, as well as a speed of Mach 2.4 and a gross weight of 64,000 kilograms (140,000 lb). [11]
B-58A: Three-seat medium-range strategic bomber aircraft; 86 built; TB-58A: Training aircraft, eight conversions from YB-58A; NB-58A: This designation was given to a YB-58A used to test the General Electric J93 engine, originally intended for the North American XB-70 Valkyrie Mach 3 bomber. RB-58A: Variant with ventral reconnaissance pod; 17 built
A number of aircraft were designed to make use of zip, including the XB-70 Valkyrie, XF-108 Rapier, as well as the BOMARC, and even the nuclear-powered aircraft program. The Navy considered converting all of their jet engines to zip and began studies of converting their aircraft carriers to safely store it.