Changes

The bomber was intended to operate at high altitudes so as to avoid Soviet missiles.  It made its maiden flight on [[September]] 21, 1964.  On the very first flight, the hydraulic mechanism to raise the landing gear went awry, forcing the prototype to fly landing gear down.  It suffered fuel leaks also, and the engine construction proved unsuitable for such high speeds.  The first aircraft attained a speed of Mach 3.02 at 70,000 feet on [[October]] 14, 1965, but the speed damaged the engine badly and ripped two  feet of wing off the left side.   

The bomber was intended to operate at high altitudes so as to avoid Soviet missiles.  It made its maiden flight on [[September]] 21, 1964.  On the very first flight, the hydraulic mechanism to raise the landing gear went awry, forcing the prototype to fly landing gear down.  It suffered fuel leaks also, and the engine construction proved unsuitable for such high speeds.  The first aircraft attained a speed of Mach 3.02 at 70,000 feet on [[October]] 14, 1965, but the speed damaged the engine badly and ripped two  feet of wing off the left side.   

On Air Vehicle Number Two, the problems were mostly fixed.  The engine was better constructed and the hydraulic gear was repaired.  On [[January]] 3, 1966, the second prototype achieved Mach 3.05 at 70,000 feet.  The tests continued to go well until [[June]] 8, 1966.  That day, Air Vehicle Number Two was flying on another test flight, with an [[F-4]], an [[F-104]], a [[T-38]], and an [[F-5]] as chase planes.  The F-104 rolled over the top of the bomber and collided with the plane's tail.  The F-104 pilot,[[NASA]] pilot and [[X-15]] test pilot Joe Walker was killed in the collision, as was Carl Cross, the copilot of the XB-70. However, Al White, the pilot of the bomber, ejected safely, to be later picked up with minor injuries.   

On Air Vehicle Number Two, the problems were mostly fixed.  The engine was better constructed and the hydraulic gear was repaired.  On [[January]] 3, 1966, the second prototype achieved Mach 3.05 at 70,000 feet.  The tests continued to go well until [[June]] 8, 1966.  That day, Air Vehicle Number Two was flying on another test flight, with an [[F-4]], an [[F-104]], a [[T-38]], and an [[F-5]] as chase planes.  The F-104 rolled over the top of the bomber and collided with the plane's tail.  The F-104 pilot, [[NASA]] pilot and [[X-15]] test pilot Joe Walker was killed in the collision, as was Carl Cross, the copilot of the XB-70. However, Al White, the pilot of the bomber, ejected safely, to be later picked up with minor injuries.   

The XB-70 program was cancelled in 1969.  The [[US Air Force]] planned a reconniscance version, the RS-70, but it never went into production.

The XB-70 program was cancelled in 1969.  The [[US Air Force]] planned a reconniscance version, the RS-70, but it never went into production.

[[Category:Aircraft]]

[[Category:Aircraft]]