tggsu@resonex.UUCP (Tom Gulvin Root) (09/04/84)
Now that the B-36 has been trashed around, how about another famous bomber? In the 1950's, the USAF was starting its first of a series of proposals to replace the B-52. A much later proposal gave us the B-1B, but only to assist the B-52, not replace it. In the '50s, higher - faster - bigger was better. Intercontinental range, mach 3 sustained, massive bomb load - these were the requirements of North American's XB-70. Originally designed with 'miracle zip fuels' in mind, this monster used the actual supersonic shock wave for 'compression lift' at high speeds. Its wing tips folded down in flight. One survives to this day in a museum. Ok, try to answer these questions: - Why did the wings fold down? - What was it made out of? - What wiped out prototype #2? - What was the original fuel (and why was it dropped)? - What (and who) killed it? Fantastic machine - Disney even put it in a cartoon for the DOD (what pseudo popular recent movie had a clip of this film?). Tom Gulvin - Resonex, Inc. - Sunnyvale, CA.