Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!amdcad!military
From: shafer@drynix (Mary Shafer)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: The XB-70 bomber program
Message-ID: <27494@amdcad.AMD.COM>
Date: 26 Sep 89 08:20:31 GMT
Sender: cdr@amdcad.AMD.COM
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Approved: military@amdcad.amd.com



From: Mary Shafer 

dlj@ark2.att.com (David L Jacobowitz) writes:
>Two XB-70 prototypes were built.  The accident referred to in another
>article occurred during an attempt to get a "group photo" with one

The photo was being taken for GE, with all the airplanes in it powered
by GE engines.  The aircraft were the XB-70, F-4, F-104, T-38, and,
possibly, one other (maybe an F-5).  I have a copy of the last photo
taken before the midair, but my recent move has buried it somewhere.

Joe Walker, the NASA Chief Pilot, was flying the F-104.  He was doing
a cross-over, in trail, and hit the (right?) vertical of the XB-70.
The F-104 and the XB-70 fell out of the sky.  Walker died.  I vaguely
remember that he didn't even try to eject.  

I believe that all recent USAF supersonic bombers have capsules rather
than individual seats--XB-70, F/B-111, B-1A.  The B-52, being firmly
subsonic, has ejection seats.

--
Mary Shafer   shafer@elxsi.dfrf.nasa.gov  ames!elxsi.dfrf.nasa.gov!shafer
         NASA Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA
                    Of course I don't speak for NASA