Tech & Auto
This Supersonic Bomber Was Designed To Leave Soviet Aircraft In The Dust
By DAVID ROSSIAKY
While the U.S. had two strategic bombers at the end of the 1950s, neither craft possessed the range or speed to reach the Soviet Union and evade their interceptors.
This need resulted in the development of the XB-70 Valkyrie, a marvel of technical innovation that was the largest and heaviest airplane to fly at speeds exceeding Mach 3.
With its six inline turbojet engines with afterburners, the Valkyrie could sustain speeds of over 2,000 miles per hour and a range of more than 4,000 miles.
It could carry a payload weight of up to 50,000 pounds. According to Boeing, the fully loaded plane weighed a remarkable 542,000 pounds.
Perhaps its most advanced feature was its wings, whose outer third could fold down and in up to 65 degrees to use shockwaves from the bomber's speed to provide additional lift.
Despite its potential, the Valkyrie was never mass-produced. However, NASA would use the prototype to research supersonic flight until 1969.