No doubt. But how's this for a slick two-tone paint job?
I hear that if you order the custom two-tone exterior package, they throw in the fine Corinthian Leather.
Posted on 02/15/2002 7:17:20 PM PST by Rebelbase
No doubt. But how's this for a slick two-tone paint job?
I hear that if you order the custom two-tone exterior package, they throw in the fine Corinthian Leather.
What would it look like if 350,000 pounds of take-off weight were crusing at mach 3?
Cheers.
I did'nt know the Russians had one.
Here's another wild ride for ya.
Cheers.
The Germans at least had the other sketched out.
Cheers.
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LoanPalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
The Valkyrie even looked fast when sittin' still . . .
You know why I love this picture the most?
This was taken after the 4th flight, Mach 1.4 sustained for 40 minutes.
To hear the historians tell it,
Upon returning to Palmdale, engineers puzzled over why the Valkyrie had been shedding herself of paint on all but her first flight. Although not overly concerned, no one was especially happy with unexplainable things on a plane that was to test the limits of jet-powered flight! Although some observers wondered if the Air Force was being entirely truthful about the XB-70's top speed, it was finally determined that too-thick paint caused by several re-paintings (in order to pretty the plane up for various VIPs) was being cracked as the Valkyrie flexed in flight, and was then torn away by the airstream. During her winter stay at Plant 42, the XB-70 was carefully repainted with just a single, thin coat of white paint.
Here are the particulars:
Cruise Speed of Mach 3 (2,000mph)
Cruise Altitude of 70,000 feet
A "shirtsleeve" environment for the crew.
50,000 pound payload
A range of 7,500 miles
Sized such that existing runways, hangers, etc. that had already been built for the B-52 could be used without further modification.
Have flying characteristics suitable for use with average USAF line crewmen.
The reason I love this picture the most is that the pickup truck underneath is an early 60's model, and the people driving trucks like that were making planes like this.
Cheers.
The last in a line of aircraft built by Curtiss Wright Corporation which stretch back to the Wright Flyer and the Curtis Flying boats. Sad that this company is now a machine tool and equipment company with no flying product. In 1963 the X-19 was well ahead of it's time and would only see it's equal in the V-22 Osprey, (composites now make the 60s idea embodied in the X-19 achievable)
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