Product Description

The North American XB-70 Valkyrie was an attempt to build the ultimate offensive weapon for the Cold War--a heavy bomber capable of flying at Mach 3 and reaching targets deep inside the Soviet Union. The aircraft that emerged to satisfy the requirement was one of the most graceful large aircraft ever to fly, and one that looked every bit as fast on the ground as it was in the air--over 2,000 mph at high altitude. It was years ahead of its time. But politics and changing requirements ultimately doomed the Valkyrie program to only two aircraft. Neither was a true prototype of a weapons system, and instead was used to test the concept of such a large aircraft flying so fast.

The authors have uncovered a great deal of new material on the XB-70 program--both on the aircraft as flown, and on what the proposed production aircraft would have looked like had they been built. Many never-before-seen photographs and drawings are included in the book. Details of the defensive and offensive weapons systems are included. The authors also attempt to place the aircraft in historical perspective with the politics and economic realities that caused its cancellation.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #466298 in Books
• Published on: 2002-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 104 pages

Customer Reviews

Finally
For years I have been waiting for a decent book on this airplane. Several earlier books were less than ideal, but I was beginning to think that perhaps there was no other data available to authors, hence the constant rehash of the same things (to be fair, the Jeannette Remak book contains a lot of interesting programmatic information, but remarkably little the hardware). Because of that, I have been avoiding purchasing this book.

Well, I finally saw a copy of it in a store so I picked it up. I was very surprised. The authors have found a great deal of data that is not in the other books, along with a great collection of photos, many of which are either new, or at least seldom seen.

Considering the minimal price of the book ($16.95) it is a remarkable bargain with good printing on smooth, glossy paper. The only disappointment was that there are only 8 pages of color photos, but given that the airplane was essentially all-white, this is not a major problem.

If you want a good book on the B-70, but this one and skip the others.

A Refreshing Change
I have always been a fan of this aircraft and have traditionally picked up every book written on it. However, I ran out of steam when the same material began showing up in all the books - the same stories, the same photos, the same everything. So I initially passed on purchasing this one.

A friend told me I should give it a try, and the purchase price was minimal so I ordered it. What a surprise. Lots of new photos, new information in the clearly-written text, good paper, and great printing. Well worth the effort.

Wow!
What a great airplane! Despite the fact that is is over 40 years old, this is one of the most exciting aircraft to ever take to the skies. The authors have done a fantasic job documenting why the airplane was wanted and why it was never put into production. There are lots of details about its construction, systems, and troubles, as well as its triumphs (30 minutes at Mach 3 in a 500,000-pound airplane!) and tragedies (the mid-air collision of the number two airplane). This is easily the best book ever written on the subject, especially considering its under-$20 price. Highly recommended for anybody interested in the subject.