September 22nd 1964; The XB-70 Valkyrie took to the skies on her first flight test between Palmdale and Edwards AFB. Much like its difficult operational future, the flight was not without complications. One engine had to be shut down shortly after take-off, due to an undercarriage malfunction that caused the flight to be flown with the gear down as a precaution, limiting speed to only 390 mph. On landing, the rear wheels of the port side main gear locked, the tires ruptured, and a fire started.
The North American Aviation XB-70 Valkyrie was the prototype of the B-70 nuclear-armed, deep-penetration strategic bomber for the U.S. Air Force's Strategic Air Command. North American Aviation designed the Valkyrie as a mammoth, six-engined air breathing aircraft capable of reaching Mach 3+ while flying at 70,000 feet.
Although only two aircraft were built, and the program was eventually cancelled, the XB-70 remains one of the most loved of all aircraft designs due to its sheer beauty, impressive scale, and undeniably futuristic design
I sure hope my wife does not mind my rearranging the furniture.
