A 40+ Year Dream Came True

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H_Rocket

Death by Powerpoint
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On my recent biking trip to Wisconsin, I made a side trip to the Museum of the Air Force in Dayton. There I got to see 40+ years after building the plastic model - the XB-70 Valkyrie. I have always had a soft spot for it and wondered why aircraft don't look like that today - or even more futuristic. Keep in mind, this aircraft is over 50 years old.

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From the mezzanine of Building 4

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Karen said, on seeing this, that she knew where George Lucas got the idea for the Star Destroyer...

If I was into this kind of craftsmanship, this has got some sort of clustered rocket written all over it.
 
About 35 years ago, when I was in 5th or 6th grade, I made a cardstock model of one of these for a school project. The lines of this beast have always grabbed me!

My methods were crude, my skills not up to the task, the end product: probably unrecognizable. But I've always had a soft spot for this vehicle!
 
That's awesome. I too really love its lines. Micromeister has a clustered PMC of it.
 
One of the design features of the B-70 is that it would ride it's own shock wave in supersonic flight. I wonder if the wing airfoil has much camber. In supersonic flight a flat plate and a wing with with camber have the same amount of lift. A flat plate with an angle of attack in supersonic flight generates lift by the shock waves and expansion waves that are set up on the upper and lower sides of the plate.
 
Always have been a big fan of the XB-70. Have done plastic models, flying models and collected books about it.

When I was 10, in 1966, the USAF had a huge airshow at Carswell AFB in Fort Worth, in conjunction with the 20 anniversary of the birth of the USAF as a seperate branch of the military. They made a huge effort to have one of every aircraft in their inventory present at the event. My father took me and my brother to the airshow, which was incredible.

The XB-70 (number 1) was there, the only time it traveled away from Edwards AFB, untill the surviving aircraft was delivered to Dayton. It completely blew me away. We were able to watch it depart at the end of the airshow. Wow.

Have been fascinated by it ever since. Have made it by the USAF museum to see the sole survivor several times.

Built the old free flight model kit of the B-70 produced by Competition Models that flew with a pusher Cox .020. Great fun.
A few years ago, I scored a 70mm electric ducted fan RC XB-70 that I still have.

Last summer, still having the old Valkyrie bug, I designed and built a profile Depron RC RG of the XB-70 for AT E6 power. Pics below. Love to see that incredible shape in the air.

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The XB 70 has a nice six pack but all the motors are in the back! But what is compression lift compared to ground effect when it comes to making flying model rockets of the XB 70 and Ekranoplan?

Yeah the one problem with an XB-70 rocket is all the motors are on the wrong end :roll:
 
Yeah the one problem with an XB-70 rocket is all the motors are on the wrong end :roll:

Saw a nice PMC XB-70 launch at NARAM 38 in Evansville, IN in 1996.

6x C6-3. If he had put just a little more nose weight in it, it would have been awesome. Plenty of power to lift a little more weight and be stable.
 
Saw a nice PMC XB-70 launch at NARAM 38 in Evansville, IN in 1996.

6x C6-3. If he had put just a little more nose weight in it, it would have been awesome. Plenty of power to lift a little more weight and be stable.

That is what I hate about silly airplane rockets. Just a little more nose weight! Nose Weight- Nose Weight - Nose Weight!

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