| | 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 and was 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 and was later picked up with minor injuries. |
| − | The XB-70 program was cancelled in 1969. The [[United States Air Force]] planned a reconniscance version, the RS-70, but it never went into production. | + | The XB-70 program was cancelled in 1969. The [[United States Air Force]] planned a reconnaissance version, the RS-70, but it never went into production. |