The XB-70 “Valkyrie” was the prototype version of the planned B-70 nuclear-armed, deep-penetration supersonic strategic bomber for the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command. Designed in the late 1950s by North American Aviation, the six-engined Valkyrie was capable of cruising for thousands of miles at Mach 3 while flying at 70,000 feet. It had its first flight on September 21st, 1964.
This design is based upon Air Vehicle 2 (AV-2) Serial Number 62-0207 which had flown 46 times over 92 hours and 22 minutes. Sadly, this aircraft was destroyed on June 8th, 1966. On that day, AV-2 was in close formation with an F-4 Phantom, an F-5, a T-38 Talon, and an F-104 Starfighter for a photo shoot at the behest of General Electric, manufacturer of the engines of all five aircraft. After the photoshoot, the F-104 drifted into the XB-70's right wingtip, flipped, and rolled inverted over the top of the Valkyrie before striking the bomber's vertical stabilizers and left wing. The F-104 then exploded, destroying the Valkyrie's vertical stabilizers and damaging its left wing. Despite the loss of both vertical stabilizers and damage to the wings, the Valkyrie flew straight for 16 seconds before it entered an uncontrollable spin and crashed north of Barstow, California. NASA Chief Test Pilot Joe Walker (F-104 pilot) and Carl Cross (XB-70 co-pilot) were killed. Al White (XB-70 pilot) ejected, sustaining serious injuries, including the crushing of his arm by the closing clamshell-like escape crew capsule moments prior to ejection.
This design is an all-white shoe; however may appear slightly grey on some monitors or devices.
