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North American XB-70 Valkyrie

North American · Bomber · USA · Early Jet (1946–1969)

North American XB-70 Valkyrie — Bomber
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The North American Aviation XB-70 Valkyrie is a retired prototype version of the planned B-70 nuclear-armed, deep-penetration supersonic strategic bomber for the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command. Designed by North American Aviation in the late 1950s, the Valkyrie was a large six-engine, delta-winged aircraft able to fly Mach 3+ at an altitude of 70,000 feet.

Specifications

Category
Fixed Wing
Sub-Category
Bomber
Domain
Defence
Era
Early Jet (1946–1969)
Country
USA
Manufacturer
North American
Operator
USA (experimental)
Primary Role
Bomber
Status
Retired
Service Entry
1964
Produced
2
Propulsion
Electric
Engine
6x General Electric YJ93-GE-3 turbojets with afterburner
Thrust / Power
30,000 lbf each
Launch
Ground
Length (ft)
196
Wingspan (ft)
105
Empty Weight (lb)
210000
MTOW (lb)
550000
Service Ceiling (ft)
77350
Range (mi)
4288
Max Speed (mph)
2056
Max Speed (Mach)
3.1
Armament
Nuclear bomb bays (design intent, never operational)