Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!amdcad!military From: cirrusl!gopal@decwrl.dec.com (Gopal Ramachandran) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: The XB-70 bomber program Message-ID: <27496@amdcad.AMD.COM> Date: 26 Sep 89 08:20:54 GMT References: <27390@amdcad.AMD.COM> <27408@amdcad.AMD.COM> Sender: cdr@amdcad.AMD.COM Organization: CIRRUS LOGIC Inc. Lines: 28 Approved: military@amdcad.amd.com From: cirrusl!gopal@decwrl.dec.com (Gopal Ramachandran) I've also seen the XB-70 at Wright-Pat. It was made by North American (now part of Rockwell International). The Soviets built the MiG-25 Foxbat to counter the threat posed by the B-70. Eventually, our strategists decided that high-altitude bombers were too vulnerable to SAMs and Foxbat-class interceptors and decided that the way to go was on the deck, under radar cover, a la B-1. A friend of mine used to be a test pilot for North American and later was involved with the flight test program for the B-70. He was part of the ground crew. He told me that one of the Air Force's acceptance criteria was a mission that combined a climb to altitude, a supersonic cruise involving some heading changes, and a descent, and there may have been some holding/loiter requirements too, I dont remember. Anyway, the airplane took off from Edwards, headed down South, turned around over Mexico, headed N up to Canada, turned round and came home. I guess they needed all three countries to complete the mission. At M3+ the aircraft had one hell of a turn radius, especially considering that it would have negligible maneuver margin at speeds close to its Mmo. The accident happened during a GE-sponsored publicity flight (a/c using GE engines). Joe Walker, flying an F-104 ran into and took out one of the vertical stabs of the B-70, and they both went down. I believe they blamed it on Walker, though he was a very experienced test pilot (I think he flew the X-15 as well). I know Walker died, and maybe others, too. Gopal