The XB-70 Valkyrie was a groundbreaking aircraft in the history of aviation, designed by North American Aviation in the 1960s as a high-speed, long-range strategic bomber. Capable of cruising at ...

It was faster, higher, and more advanced than anything in the sky. The XB-70 Valkyrie promised to change warfare forever—until the Cold War shifted. Here’s how this Mach 3 marvel flew straight ...

North American XB-70A Valkyrie just after collision. Note the F-104 is at the forward edge of the fireball and most of both XB-70A vertical stabilizers are gone.

While the XB-70A is cruising at Mach 3, its fuel will circulate, cooling the interior, absorbing enough heat every minute to evaporate four gallons of water.

It was the XB-70 Valkyrie, an experimental plane developed for the US Air Force. Its inaugural flight — 60 years ago in September 1964 — kicked off a golden era for supersonic aircraft.

What makes this especially impressive is that the futuristic-looking XB-70 “Valkyrie” took to the skies just a mere six decades after the Wright Brothers made their first flight.

The XB-70 Valkyrie, the most advanced American bomber of its era, made its maiden flight in clear blue skies over the Mojave Desert.