ford4v429,

The XB-70 is by far my favorite aircraft of all time. Built tons of models of B-36, B-1B, B-52, B-29, X-3, etc. but could never find an XB-70 Valkyrie. Heres a pic to refresh you memories.

Its the Bugatti Veyron of bombers.

 

Ive got a very similar picture hanging in my office...its an old original North American Aviation print, found it on ebay long ago...Ive got some 3 view drawings of the b70 saved on my computer too if interested. Heres a link to one of the best videos Ive seen of the b70 in action- shows the tiptoe/folding main gear, the only video Ive ever seen of it flying with the wings folded, some shots after the mach3 flight where they actually burnt the paint off...such a incredible machine...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VZvEc7vvBe8&feature=related

there was a guy in Canada a couple years ago built a 12 foot R/C model of the XB70, think the guys name was 'Dr. Jack Tse' If I recall, think the same guy has a bunch of big SR71 models too.

 

OMG that was freakin' awesome thanks for the link and the info. North American engineered and built some pretty incredible aircraft. P-51, XB-70, and another favorite of mine the A-5 Vigilante (cool name for a Navy craft) plus I liked its over the body wing design, a beautiful jet, and of course the X-15. I spent many a night in Junior High and Elementary pouring over Popular cience articles and Military Aircraft books. At age 11 went and saw The Right Stuff and just became addicted to all things flying fast!

 

 

So, is it bad that I was more interested in the SR-71 in the pics than the car?

 

Nah, I was too.

 

Did you know that, for a while, the air force talked to Lockheed about developing fighter and bomber versions of the 71? It died in the development phase. The 71 was so far ahead of its time - a great example of the Skunkworks doing the impossible.

 

Did not know that actually, but thats really cool. Imagine if they had...

 

Wright Patterson also has a YF-12A, its the CIA's version of the SR71, and its got guns.