The XB-70 Valkyrie, a supersonic aircraft developed by the US Air Force, has left a lasting impact on the world of aviation. With a top speed of 3,218 km/h and innovative design features, it inspired later civil supersonic aircraft like the Concorde and Tupolev Tu-144.
The XB-70 Valkyrie’s development began in 1964 as a competition between Boeing and North American Aviation to create a bomber capable of reaching high speeds. However, military strategy shifted towards high-speed flight research, leading to the repurposing of the XB-70 Valkyrie as a research aircraft instead.
Despite its military focus, designers explored the possibility of creating a transport version for both military and civilian purposes. This idea was similar to the Concorde, which later became one of the most successful supersonic passenger aircraft in history.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck in 1966 when one of the XB-70 Valkyries crashed during a photo shoot. This marked the end of its operational life but not its legacy as a symbol of supersonic flight innovation.
