Death of a Valkyrie: The 1966 XB-70 Midair Collision
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- In June 1966, a photo shoot involving abXB-70A No. 2, an F-4 Phantom, an F-5, a T-38 Talon, and an F-104 Starfighter, went terribly wrong. It is a piece of forgotten aviation history that deserves to be remembered.
This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As images of actual events are sometimes not available, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.
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Script by THG
#ushistory #thehistoryguy #XB70Valkyrie
The plane in Dayton, OH sat outside on display for years. After they added more indoor display hangers it was moved inside. I remember seeing it there as a child. It is beyond impressive. I just revisited the museum in December, and among so many amazing aircraft, the XB-70 remains the most stunning at the museum.
My father, BLS, was the project manager of the XB-70. The day of the crash my mother gathered the kids together in the living room and, through tears, told us about the horrific accident. My father arrived home very late that night. The sadness on his face and in his countenance in losing two of his close friends, Cotton and Cross, was too much for myself and my siblings. Tears were shed as the family hugged my father.
Sad Story... I have Been to The Air Force Museum, When I was in the Air force, and have seen That Awesome Aircraft. That being said, You Are an Incredible Historian. Not only because of Your Breath of Historical Knowledge, but bringing that knowledge in a way that Is interesting to listen to. I'm addicted to Your series, and Never get tired of all The "History, That Deserves To Be Remembered" ... Well Done, Governour...
Awesome this guy is. He deserves to be remembered.
Being a military aviation enthusiast I remember the XB-70. Having lived in Dayton OH for several years literally across the street from the current location of the Air Force Museum I visited there and saw the XB-70 many times. It is indeed a monstrous and impressive aircraft that fuels the imagination. Thank you so much for this wonderful video on the XB-70. All the best to you.
Lance,
Great video and telling of the story of the Valkyrie - thank you!
God bless
Paul
I was a child in 1966 and I remember this incident. Against the backdrop of the "space race" American children seemed to be obsessed with speed. At least my brothers and all of my friends were. Equipment like the X-15 and the XB-70 were part of our everyday vocabulary along with the names of American astronauts. But is wasn't just aircraft. Names like Craig Breedlove, Art Afrons, The Spirit of America and the Blue Flame came out the Bonneville Salt Flats to enter the mythos of my childhood. It was a great time to grow up in the United States. There was lots of tragedy but oh so many accomplishments.
Your sensitivity to this kind of disaster is noted.
My dad was an engineer for North American-Rockwell in the 50's and 60's. He was a design engineer for the controls of the B-70. He had 3 patents on this aircraft. He did not like Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense, who cancelled this aircraft. The B-52 is still flying and more disadvantages than the B-70. I'm biased of course, those patents would likely have had benefits for me if the B-70 had replaced the B-52. I understand why production of this aircraft was cancelled, but also know the B-52 has not been replaced either. I really don't know much about all of this though, I'm just an old man whose cognitive skills are not what they used to be.
It would be an interesting comparison to look at the technological similarities and different solutions between the xb-70 and the Canadian Avro Arrow. Another super sonic aircraft of this era scrapped before it could reach its potential.
For me, by far, the most beautiful aircraft in existence.
🇺🇸A Very Sad Sao in our history. Rest In Peace🙏
Thank You , very interesting part of history, which I no knowledge of, I want to see this aircraft in the museum so on our next holiday to America , I'll make a point of going to Ohio and to the Museum
Any time science/engineering and PR get mixed together, PR seems to win. That's a sad story.
Usually when a video goes silent I check my volume, .... not this time.
My father, Edwin J Black, was in the back seat of the F4 Phantom on that fateful day. He remembers it like it was yesterday.
0
That's cool if it's true
Hey Norman, It your Cus Marv. We had the Life Magazine with the story on the front, when growing up. Tell Uncle Jay hi.
@@garywilliams2769 ...if it is true, indeed! 😆
@Gary Williams why don't you idiots Google it. Its easy enough to find out if it's true. What an ahole.🖕
Joe Walker deserves to be remembered in his own episode. Joe flew himself into space on the X-15, crossing the Karman line and earning astronaut wings. This wasn’t the Air Force’s 50-mile standard, but the international Karman-line standard that Walker flew above. The aircraft had to be controlled with RCS because the air was too thin and aero surfaces wouldn’t have control authority. In that era largely automated capsules got all the press, and manually controlling a craft into space was considered far to dangerous to be practical. But on August 22, 1963, Joe Walker did, earned his unconditional astronaut wings, becoming the first civilian for fly into outer space. The Mercury astronauts were criticized at Edwards as “not being real pilots,” but passengers. Joe the pilot and his rocket plane deserve to be remembered as America’s 7th man in space.
I live in Ohio and have been to the Dayton Air Force museum a number of times. They should just have your videos playing constantly. They don't do justice to the aircraft on display the way you do
Ever make it further east to Auburn IN? The Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg festival & museum has a TON of history from motor development to cars to airplane + battleship + submarine engines & much more.
I'm from the Dayton area, practically grew up in that museum and remember it fondly. So many great examples of history in those old hangers
The best part is the museum is free! I too, live in Dayton and have made my fair share of trips there.
@Big AL I seen the one and only 1968 Z28 convertible to roll off the production line (Chevy CEO wanted one, so they made ONE) as well as a 60's Shelby w/17 original miles, title was still in Karl Shelby's name. The Shelby sold for $1.7M and the camaro started bidding at $1.2M but only got to 1.575 & the owner turned it down, said no way a one off Chevy was worth less than a Ford. It was of course a joke, but he was wanting 1.8-2M... well worth the time to go if you can stand the heat. Take my Advice if u go, rent a golf cart, probably 150-200 acres of cars & cool stuff, looong way to walk
That is a great idea to have your video there.
"...several Air Force officers, ... were faulted for allowing the flight to occur...." You can bet your pay check that if they had refused to do this dog and pony show they would have had their backsides so chewed on they would not be able to sit for a week, in the least. Much better to find fault with a dead man. Welcome to the early years of the corporate military complex. Everything is worth sacrificing for shareholders, including you.
Thinking of The Challenger, not sure it's all behind us. In fact, history really does repeat itself with each new generation.
More that the Air Force Chief of Staff probably thought it was a good idea - and crossing HIM was a good way to end your career.
People who prevent problems are always unpopular.
not a word on whether those suits ever faced any kind of repercussions
I hope you are making a good living off of your work here, because you ‘do history’ better than any channel on cable and any other history forum that I know of. It’s obvious that you do “love history.” Thank you.
My Uncle Bud Johnson worked on the F-4 Phantoms early 60's, I thought he did sheet metal stuff, little more than that...He told my dad that the F-4's had a cockpit error that was preventing a clean ejection, with pilots already dead because of it. Him and his team located AND fixed the trouble, later in a week or so a group of men approached them,ALL Phantom pilots ...come to thank them personally, Langley AFB early mid-sixties
Thanks 4 sharing!
As good as his speaking is, the rare moments of silence by THG can be at least as powerful.
I read your comment before the silence break. Got chills. The sacrifice of those men deserves to be remembered.
Took the text right out my hand, was thinking the same exact thing. The pauses are so strategically placed i almost began to tear up. I wish my history teachers back in the day were even half as good as THG.
Yes, articulate silence indeed.
Yes, that's one of the things I like about THG. He's a professional!
Agreed. When that moment occurred I thought, "He's doing this purposefully. And it's the right thing to do." Thank you "History Guy." Hand salute!
The XB70 has been my favorite bomber since I first saw a photo of it in a book when I was 16. I traveled to Wright-Patterson with my best buddy after we graduated from high school. At that time the Valkyrie was outside, with only cables around it for security. Bypassing that I walked up to the gleaming white bird. I touched its landing gear, wondering what it was like to be roaring down the runway just at the moment of V1. It was an emotional moment for me, knowing the history of the aircraft, its triumphs and tragedy. I for one was elated when the Air Force Museum finally built a hanger for that incredible flying machine to live out the rest of its days, free from the elements. No more rain, no more snow, no more sun baking it. Just preservation so that everyone could see this truly magnificent plane. I still have my B70 tie and tie tack from when I visited.
My Father was an aircraft sheet metal worker on bird #1. I clearly recall waiting in line to climb up the ladder where one of the pilot’s waited, asking us if would like a better look inside! At eight years of age you can well imagine how impressive it was. This was on the day of rollout for the families of the worker’s too get a look at what was then a secret. Thanks for the coverage History Guy, the X-B70 resulted in great strides in technologic aircraft development.
I was 14 the day my Mother told me she had been married to a pilot who got killed, in training, during WWII. She was crying when I got home from school that day. The day that Joe Walker died. He had been her military escort for her husband's remains and she spent four days, on a train, in the worst grief she had ever experienced with the kindest man she could have ever met. That was the story she told me, through tears, on the day Joe Walker died.
Heartbreaking! God rest his soul.
It’s an incredibly small world. When one serves or is connected to the military it’s amazing how much history one comes in contact with. I bet Joe Walker did his best to represent his service and comfort your mother. Sometimes heroes are heroes in more than one sense. Thanks for that story. I was an Army Chaplain for 20 years. I never saw a Soldier treat a funeral detail with anything less than the honor deserved. They all knew their brothers and sisters would treat them with dignity and respect were the roles reversed.
@@johngalt3568 Thank you for acknowledging and confirming. She was truly grateful for how she was treated by the military and Joe Walker himself. That was before he became famous.Our military's treatment of the fallen is truly famous.
Wow, I. Always say that men are equals and then you hear a story like this. So I try to better.
@@williamwoodrow6556 ,
We are born as equals.
It is the examples we set,
That makes us different.
A story I've heard before, but never in such a manner as to be a tribute to the men who were lost. Thank you.
Best description of the Valkyrie incident I've ever seen. Well done 👌
As a husband to a USAF officer stationed at WPAFB, I went to the museum many times in the 90s. As part of the XB-70 display at that time, they played the video of the actual crash, probably on a loop. I was hoping to see it again. As always, this is a great and interesting video. Thanks for all you do.
I was flying an F-111A flight test plane out of Carswell AFB that day. It was a sad time for all of us in USAF.
That's a very badass plane too! Never really got the Fighter designation when it looks to be more of an Attack/Bomber style design. It must have been fun to fly.
@@gringogreen4719 The 111 was arguably the best weapons platform this country, or any other for that matter, ever built. Amazing technology for a system built in the early 1960s.
@@raymondkoonce5827
It's a very cool plane! I got to see those at Nellis during the Red Flag and Gunsmoke events. Living on that base you saw everything there. The weekend wheee they opened up the flightline to the public, thise were great as a little boy! The designs were and are so inspiring for anything. I mainly grew up around Fighter Wings so mainly F-16s and F-15s. The Ardvark was a really cool "other" plane I got to see time to time. It was massive too compared to the other fighters.
I will ask again, why Fighter? Why not an Attck designation like the A-7?
@@gringogreen4719 The fighter designation was not really appropriate, though I did get jumped by MiG-21s a couple of times. Easy enough to get away clean, just pulled a few maneuvers to gain a little room and outran the suckers. The 111 was a lot faster than I ever saw published. Yes, it was fun to fly. Not as much as the F-104, but fun and very easy. And big. Combat gross varied around 100,000 pounds and she carried over 7,000 gallons of JP-4.
Nice! The MIG 21 looked to be a fun plane to fly in it's own right. Completely different philosophy from western designs. Did you hear about the Spark-Vark that got a kill in Desert Storm? That one is a cool Dogfight video here on TH-cam.
Another story well told. Thank you again History Guy.
I was a 7 year old child when my parents brought me to the Air Force Museum in Dayton in 1969. All displays were outside at the time! The Valkyrie was my favorite plane that day, B-36 a close second! I have seen this plane 3 times since and my jaw hits the floor every time! Thank you for this video!
I remember the first time I saw a picture of it when I was a teen back in the early eighties. I didn’t know it ever existed. I went from excitement to sadness when the photos caption read, “Picture taken of the Valkyrie seconds before the F-104 chase plane rolled into and collided with the Aircraft, destroying both.”
I live 40 mins from the AF Museum and everytime I go I enjoy sitting and taking in the majesty of the XB70.
The national museum of the USAF is arguably one of the best museums in the country, especially for air craft.
I agree with you sir
I was there 2 years ago
What a beautiful plane
It took 3.5 days to see the entire facility
It was a once in a lifetime trip
I even met the assistant to the director while on the floor
We are very blessed to have so many fantastic aviation museums in this country. USAF Museum is fantastic, but so is Udvar-Hazy (and if they ever allow visitors again, the Garber restoration facility is beyond belief). But there's also the Navy's museum in Pensacola, Paul Allen's museum in Seattle, the Pima museum, Fantasy of Flight in Florida. So many places one can visit across the country. Anyone with an interest in aviation owes it to him or herself to try to get to as many of these great aviation museums as they can.
Is that the one on static display at Wright-Patterson? I saw that on a field trip in high school a bunch of years ago, and have never forgotten the imposing bird standing there...insanely impressive.
@@clintcannon1902 Yep. The sole surviving Valkyrie.
@@chuckschillingvideos it's nice to see they moved it indoors. Ohio winters are not good for retired airplanes.
They didn't _really_ give their lives for the development of science and technology - not on this flight, at least - they gave their lives for a photo op . . . which makes the tragedy even worse, imho.
I just keeping about that Sabaton song The Price of a Mile, and thinking "What's the price of a photo op?".
It's called "waxing poetic."
I agree, I work in marketing/PR and the lengths people will go to get a picture can be insane.
don't get too hung up on the fact it was a photo op, get hung up on the fact it changed nothing and corporate America still operates this way today. that's the real tragedy.
I've always been troubled by the line, "they gave their lives..." I can't imagine anyone giving their lives with so little to gain as research or records or testing or even a photograph. They lost their lives.
I had a patient years ago who was one of the electrical engineers that worked on this project. He said that from a design standpoint it was an extremely complex and amazing aircraft.
Any chance you are still in touch with him
The XB-70 is one of my favourite aircraft design, such a beautiful futuristic plane
I think it influenced a ton of science fiction artists too. I've seen so many "spaceplane" looking star ships from 70s and 80s art that look like the XB-70 or SR-71 (or some hybrid of the two). It's easy to see why, as you said, it's beautiful.
Ikr? At first, I thought it was the Concord.
Check out the Canadaian AVO Arrow...1957 and very advanced delta wing.
Program cancellation in 59 is still a sore point with Canadians- who were leaders in aerospace.
NATO (U.S.) politics ! I'm a proud American, but I have much respect for the Arrow and it's developers.
Just discovered your channel. I think one of the things I’m liking the most is how quietly respectful you are of the lost. Nothing dramatic or overt just quiet moments to observe that people lost their lives in these moments of history. Thank you and please keep it up in this day and age of “glorified” death.
To simply say, 'Thank you for your service,' of the outstanding men who fill these positions for our Country is not enough. However, it is all I can offer.
I wish that my high school had someone like the History Guy. Everybody would have gotten an A! Thanks History Guy!
Just wanted to thank you for your content. You amaze me by your ability to make content on anything including political related events without making it political. It's a breath of fresh air in a crazy world
I remember seeing the XB-70 that day in December 1968. I was walking home from school in Dayton when I heard the roar overhead. I looked up and there she was - the last Valkyrie. I will never forget that magnificent sight!
One senator remarked that the plane had cost more than it's weight in gold. I heard it said that one of the pilots who made the final flight to deliver it to Wright Patterson quipped "he would do anything to keep it in the air apart from pay
the fuel bill".
The loss of Joe walker was tragic. He was one of the greats.
That worth its weight in gold comment was when the price of gold was pegged by the U.S. government at $41 an ounce.
I'm sure it cost more than it's weight in gold when you consider only two were made... The return on design / engineering investment doesn't come into play until you build a few hundred of them.
@@cesarebeccaria7641 $35 an oz
History Guy I'm only sorry I don't have any influence on Netflix or even Disney +
You should have your own programme in which you could extend your videos into maybe 30min episodes. I still wouldn't miss one. Your narration is relaxing, educational and never patronising. Your tone, and voice has the ability to add focus, emotion and importance where necessary. You are truly in a class of your own in this field. Even to British ears. If you had been my Professor... I would have attended University 👍👍👍
My dad worked on this project
My dad also, led the Sperry Gyroscope team that built its inertial guidance system.
An incredible Story....i remember hereing it on the news when i was a young man...I do believe there is one error in the Story....The XB-70 gain compression lift from the Supersonic shockwave with the wing tips in the Lowered position....They were meant to be used at "High Speed"...They lowered the wing tips...purely for the GE photo op....because it would look better... Lowering the tips at "low speed"....caused the increase in wing tip vorteces...Which may have pulled Walkers F-104 into the wing...All high altitude Mach 3 videos of the XB-70 are with wing tips Down...
@cromwell2007
He doesn't understand how compression lift works...it traps the supersonic shockwave under the wing between the engine cowl and the lowered wing tips...this only occurs at Supersonic speed..and increases lift...which allowed the XB-70 to operate at a higher altitude....The concept was proven "sound"..by North American Aviation....Has nothing to do with low speed flight....The wing tips were lowerd simply for ascetics for the GE photo Op....
My Father worked on a number of projects in the 60’s that had him spending time at Edwards. I was only a teenager but I still recall hearing him mentioning the thinking at Edwards AFB was just what you said- tip vortices pulled Walkers F-104 up and across the XB-70, taking out the vertical stabilizers. Somewhere put away I think I still have the issue of Aviation Week and Space Technology that had the pictures in sequence showing this tragic event. I’ll never forget that. I did get to see the plane take off once- absolutely the loudest thing I have ever heard!
Because there are men who dare, we are who we are Thank you, Sir.
servico100 That is a powerful turn of phrase. I thought it must be a quote from someone, but it seems you are the first.
@NPCs Can’t Laugh The feminists have had a huge fight in the 19th century in my country. But most people have no idea what real freedom is. Just like homosexuality, it is none of your business what other people do. Back off, why do you want to know about other peoples private life? Who the fuck are you? People have freedom. All people. What's different for women? What's different for the GLBT-alfabet? There is only one problem, we live in a hardcore sexist society. Girls are supposed to be so flipping different from boys, women and men seldom work together in a 50/50 ratio, the boss is a man, the president is a man, gay marriage is a problem. And that BS has been that way for a 1000 years.
So, don't wait for feminists, teach your daughter that she does not have to turn into a weak, timid, clothes and haircuts obsessed moron, married to a fool who rules HER life. Everone is a person and being man or woman has some practical implications, but teach her to be aware of the cultural and social influence and choose for herself what to accept and what to decline. One can comply and one can fight them, be aware what is expected from you. Exampe, if everybody in your villages gets married early and get children, moving to New York and going to university is not considered normal. What do she want?!
So, you do not even need feminists, if enough people start breaking that suffocating oldfashioned hyperconservatice society of yours. When women are not getting an equal chance, you can raise your voice, no matter if you are a man. Just watch around you and do a little count, when you do not see 50/50 in quite a bunch of people, there is something wrong. Do something about it yourself. Not only the women will benefit, you will see things are better when that sexist culture has changed.
And we are who? Semicivilized primates with baseball caps and automatic weapons. Nothing to be particularly proud about.
A little added information: From it's arrival in '69 until at least '78 (when I first saw it) the XB-70 sat outside at Wright-Pat. At the time, I thought it was a shame to be out there wasting away. Glad it was restored and put inside where it is a much more impressive sight. Thank you History Guy...
It was still outside in 83 when I went to Wright-Patterson. It hurt my heart to see it outside, but it did allow me the ability to sneak past the cables and go up and touch the front landing gear. Something I probably couldn't do these days now that it is indoors.
As he stated a visit to the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH is well worth it. It is larger than the Smithsonian section on flight. If you take the guided tour it can take up to 6 hours to walk through. It is free and open to the public. I live not more than 5 miles from there and I frequent it often. New aircraft are added constantly and new buildings are built every few years.
Just up the road from the museum is Wright Hill where there is memorial and an overlook. From the overlook you can see Huffman Prairie where the Wright Brothers built and tested their flyers after the successful flight at Kittyhawk, NC. The field is on the base next to an active flightline and can only be accessed by the public with a day pass and at certain times. Near downtown Dayton you can see the Wright bicycle shop where the brothers first designed their first flyer.
As a kid, the XB 70 was my favorite thing at the AF Museum It has expanded greatly since.If you get a chance, visit the mueseum. Out of towners have often said it is a worthy destination alone.We kinda wrongly take it for granted.
I love Aviation history so many interesting things to learn.
Ash oh hey you watch THG too? I saw your comments in Mark Felton’s vids.
And it's still being written today. I started working Aircraft in 1962, and retired two years ago, and never got bored because the field continuously advanced. Learning curve was always steep. Opportunities always there.
I just saw it at the NMUSAF last weekend, along with many other historic aircraft including Memphis Belle and Bockscar.
The Valkyrie was the main reason I would go to the USAF Museum in Dayton. Impressive up close!
I have been to Lackland AFB, Pope AFB, Charleston Joint Base, and Little Rock AFB and seen their static displays. They are all amazing.
I'm lucky to live only 15 minutes from the USAF museum and, holy hell that plane is massive. Also two SR-71's (tho technically one is an A-12 but the display calls it a SR-71) and one X-15
@@richardmillhousenixon That museum may well be the eighth wonder of the world.
@@dmutant2635 I'm not even that much of an aviation enthusiast and I still 100% agree with that statement. It is absolutely fascinating
I can't remember how much history I have learned here... Love these lessons! Thank you.
I built a plastic model of this as a kid. Beautiful plane!! I wish more were built but I understand why they weren't. Happy that there is one left and on display. Thanks for the video.
I worked at Edwards AFB for two weeks short of 30 years. For the last 20 of those years I was the Community Relations Chief for the base. I retired in 2017.
A large part of my community relations work was to run the tour program for the base. I personally conducted from 150 to over 200 tours per year during those 20 years. As such I was familiar with the XB-70 story. I’ve got to say that your explanation of the program and the events around the final flight of the aircraft lost was the best I’ve ever heard.
I also grew up in the Antelope Valley area and attended church with Joe Walker. Thank you for your skillful telling.
//Dennis Shoffner
And people laugh for me for always carrying a paperclip.
Heroic pilots died during a photo op sometimes there is no justice
Truer words were never spoken. Thank you, Madison Avenue and corporate America.
Owned the model as a kid, and as a teenager, I went to see the Valkyrie at the museum in Dayton. Magnificent plane with a tragic past. Thanks for recounting it.
I too had a 1:144 scale model. Wish I could have found a 1:72 version. No internet search in the early 80s. Only the catalogues at the local hobby shop.
@@johnhutchison9782 I had the model too, lol. Bought it in the gift shop at the Wright Patterson USAF Museum.
At 11:15 you state that the wingtips had been "lowered, configured for low-speed flight". Wingtip "droop" was for high-speed flight, not low speeds. No doubt the wingtips had been lowered to get more dramatic pictures.
The B58 was the first supersonic bomber. Deployed in 1960, it was two years ahead of the Russian bomber.
That Hustler still has some of the most sexy curves ever wrapped onto an airframe.
It could have been twenty years in advance of the Soviets for what good it did
Awesome as always!!! Thank you for a dignified review of a tragedy.
Went there from Britain in 99, a truly wonderful museum and I hear it has been expanded since then, would love to go again but it's a long drive!.
Enough cannot be said about those incredibly brave pilots who regularly climbed into experimental aircraft that could(and often did) take their lives upon every single flight they took. We owe the technology and safe aircraft that we have today because of these incredible people. May they eternally rest in peace, and their enormous contributions never ever be forgotten
I really appreciate your aviation videos and this one is especially interesting. The XB-70, along with the X-15, brought me into aviation. It was an amazing aircraft though flawed.
Thanks for your work.
The loss of the aircraft was disappointing but the loss of two brave men was the real tragedy.
The elementary school near my house is named after on of the pilot's who died during this event. Joe Walker
Joe Walker was born on a farm on Old Scales Road. When Tom Walker bought the Orchard Farm, Joe was enlisted in the Army Air Corps. The Walker Farm on Route 18 (Park Avenue) is not the birthplace of Joe. Us old-timers went to the Lagonda School and remember it as so. We don't mind the name change, but we will still call the school Lagonda.
Why is Jolly School Rd named that? Was there a Jolly School?
@@johnnyt3972 The land to the west of Route 18 (the "Plank Road") at Lagonda was owned by the Jolly Family. At the time when schools were being built in the late 1800's, the Jolly family donated the land. A school was built there. It still remains and is now housing the pizza shop.
Park Place. Just like you find on the Monopoly Board. I love Washington County and loved working there.
Your school will eventually be renamed MARTIN LUTHER KING OR JESSE JACKSON. PEOPLE WHO COULDNT FLY A KITE.
The History Guy is one of my top 10 youtubers.
History Guy, is the best history channel on youtube.
For me in my top 5 youtubers.
I wont rate them any closer than that because each of them cover different subjects.
History Guy, Paul Harrell, Forgotten Weapons, Bushcraft Radical, Corporals Corner.
@@shawnr771 ko
Thank you so much for doing this video. The Valkyrie has always been, and always will be, one of my favorite aircraft. It has always saddened me very deeply to know that due to some very poor decisions, 2 lives were lost, along with one the world’s greatest aircraft. I visited the remaining Valkyrie in Dayton with my son a few years back. I could hardly take my eyes off of her. The USAF Museum itself is fantastic, but the Valkyrie steals the show. I highly recommend a visit for all who appreciate aircraft history. RIP Carl Cross and Joe Walker. 😢
I was assigned to WPAFB while in the AF and in 1972 was working in Aeronautical Systems Division in Area B traveling daily to the BOQ in Area C on a base shuttle bus (I had no car at the time). After picking me up, the shuttle swung by the AF museum and, in doing so, drove right under the forward section of the one remaining XB-70. This was a real bus, like a school bus only shorter. When you realize that the "nose" gear on the XB-70 comes down from right at the beginning of the air inlet, I was probably directly under the cockpit as the bus was going under it. I got a real good look at the plane and I remain impressed to this day at its size.
The silence at the end was moving. A tribute in itself.
" I put out my hand and touched the face of God".
I began watching the first of your episodes with only mild interest, but quickly became impressed with the succinct and detailed way you frame the story. Big thumbs up and keep em coming, from a fellow history buff. Great job!
I would say that aerospace technology advancing so quickly was more a function of aircraft, computers and propulsion all becoming mature technologies at the same time. We had a cold war in the 80s and Reagan spent plenty of money. And we still use systems that have their roots in the 50s and 60s.
@Michael Miller Its also worth noting that the research money that was being spent was mostly on the SDI boondoggle.
@@ComradePhoenix which bankrupted the Soviets
The problem of technologies is if they don't mature at the same time, there is always a flaw. Example: The science of shipbuilding in the early 1900's allowed the building of ships like the Titanic. Unfortunately the science of metallurgy and of ship design had not kept up with the science of shipbuilding.
@@milantrcka121 They were already basically bankrupt.
The Soviets never slowed their warhead production, they were experimenting with space based weapons and ICBM countermeasures, they were clandestinely bypassing treaty obligations. They were obviously intent on retaining a massive 2nd strike capability. The US knew this via intelligence channels at the time, and this has since all been confirmed after the collapse of the USSR. So, SDI wasn't some grand provocation or a simple boondoggle. At the very worst, it was Reagan calling them on their bullshit and publicly acknowledging that the US knew what they were up to and were willing to keep the pace.
And even after all that, SDI was just some R&D projects and not some massive money pit. Military spending as a percentage of GDP barely rose under Reagan and was far lower than the 50s Cold War buildup or 60s Vietnam War eras. In the grand scheme of things, SDI get massively blown out of proportion both as the USSR killer and as a bottomless pit of government spending.
I've written and said for a couple of decades that one of the greatest flight-safety hazards is a camera. Guys' egoes tend to encourage them to take silly risks and/or chase planes get far too close. History is, so sadly, full of tales of such events. BTW... Raising U/C units and changing any other configurations is rather silly on any first flight.
I saw this at the museum when I was a kid still one of my favorite aircraft ever. Oddly enough iut was taken out by my other favorite aircraft...the starfighter.
The Starfighter was also known as the widowmaker.
I was raised in Southern California and my dad would take me to Edwards AFB for armed forces day weekend every year. I was lucky enough to see both of the XB70s. Thank you for this great video. It brought back a lot of memories both good and bad.
Did you ever see the shuttle land there?
@@sidv4615 No, we moved out to NJ in the late 60"s and I didn't get back to Edward's until 81 when I was stationed at Nellis in Las Vegas and that was the last time I was there.
@@ihave1god were you in the air force?
@@sidv4615 yes, from 1974 -1990.
Engine changes must have been a nightmare! And I worked on Harriers!
Given that they pretty much could just open the entire engine bay from the bottom and lower the engines down without even putting the aircraft on chocks, I don't think it'd have been bad.
Of course it's quite possible the prototypes wouldn't have had systems like built in winches and stuff that I'd design into a production aircraft for rapid operation, but it'd still be a lot easier than say changing the center engine on a KC-10 or Tristar.
In fairness to the Harrier though, Hawker-Siddeley's / BAe's lack of using an equiviant of Uniplug did make maintainance longer than it could have been. One could say that they were wired up like a 1970's Lotus ;) .
@@jimtaylor294 Have done a GR3 engine change in one morning, that's Jack up to wing back on, then shift change. We may have skimped on the bay checks!
@@jwenting All I see is a tight space and hard to get to connections and mounts, then again the US companies were always ahead of the curve on accessibility.
The engines in the six pack were palletized- and (according to my Father who worked on both the intakes and nacelles) could be removed relatively quickly. He had prior engine experience on the B-36’s enormous and complex radials while in the USAF in the mid 50’s. As a sheet metal worker, they found more confounding the use of titanium and inconel-X around the intakes and at the exhaust nacelles. New materials and new tooling techniques, honeycomb brazing- the list went on and on. It was a great place to be a kid.
This was arguably the most useless crash in test flight. All for a photo op.
I clicked "like" and play almost as fast as this thing flies.
I clipped the unsubscribe wing accidentally and crashed in to a trending now section. To my luck i hit Return button on time and safley landed in the comments section to tell about it.
You just won the internetz
I've been fortunate to have visited Dayton AFB, and got to see the remaining Valkyrie. She's gorgeous. Just sitting still on the ground, she looks like she's about to break the sound barrier.
Reminds me tangentially of the Tale of the Avro Arrow, here in Canada.
But the arrow lives on....
Just look at the Mig 25, and 31.
And that is the real reason the arrow was canceled. The Russians had totally compromised the program.
Knut Der Gross
Nope
The Mig 25 and 31 are a perfect example of why we were right and never built an Arrow in the first place. Aside from one lucky hit in the Gulf War... they were almost useless in combat.
Not to mention they had very little in common with the Arrow except they were both interceptors. The Arrow was made of aluminum, the Mig -25 out of mild steel. The Arrow was a delta. The Mig 25 was a conventional aircraft with a twin tail. The Arrow was limited to about Mach 2.2 because of its aluminum construction and intake design. The Mig 25 could go Mach 2.8. The Arrow weighted about 50,000 pounds. The Mig 25 tipped the scales at over 80,000 pounds.
@@Bartonovich52 If the Arrow was made out of aluminium why did Avro go to all the trouble and expense of inventing the methods for working with titanium as part of the Arrow project?
Another high speed ahead of its time mighty bird cancelled before it could shine... the difference is an original is in a museum 😔.
Fantastic plane design.....tragic political interference. It deserves to be remembered.
When you realize that at the end of the day these test pilots are guys who strap themselves to controlled bombs and hope they can physically survive the trip - or atleast learn why they did not survive.
“Nuclear fueled aircraft”... Glad they didn’t opt for that. That’s one midair no one would ever forget.
The aircraft used for that project was a B-36, which flew with a running nuclear reactor aboard, but never under nuclear power.
Two remarkable airmen. One beautiful aircraft. R.I.P.
Walker and Cross had their lives taken by a PR stunt.
Nicely done! One of the best descriptions of the XB-70 I’ve ever heard. Thank you
To the brave folks who's names we yet to know that will die in the Human expansion of our solar system and beyond. Thank you.
40 minutes of flying for a photo op? What were they using, a daguerrotype? I have no words for how senseless the loss of these two brave men was. But I'll bet they got some great pictures!
Richard McAvoy I was also surprised but you have to understand the amount of stupidity companies can take in order to please the stock holders even if it costs them more money than they can save or make.
They probably took motion picture as well but destroyed it due to embarrassment...
@@s.marcus3669 The USAF probably confiscated and buried it under the shroud of "national security". We couldn't have the Sovs looking at our flops and the results of our bad political and corporate decisions, could we? As a side note, rumor has it that what the Russkies knew about this bomber scared the hell out of them. Stupidity isn't our own private purvue.
That was a great narration. Love the XB-70 great aircraft, just past its time. The test pilots and more importantly the engineers behind it, who used only slide rules, no computers to bring it to life, should never be forgotten.
Still damn impressive.... During those days, everything was flight tested before analytical tests.
Also, I cant remember how many dumb and dangerous ideas marketers come up with.
Powerful story told very well. The loss of these exceptional men who did exceptional things, is such a truly sad thing.
Shout out from Dayton! The Valkyrie is one amazing aircraft to see in person. A shame of a waste of life for a brochure.
Another Golden Nugget of history that deserves to be remembered! Thank you History Guy! And while that golden nugget only cost $35.00 in 1966, it would cost you $2000.00 for that nugget in 2020 fiat currency dollars. 🤣
I attended Joe Walker Middle School out here in the Antelope Valley! I never knew about this tragic backstory, though... Thank you for making this video.
Another exceptionally told, though sad story. Thank you, History Guy, for telling this story. It is by far the best version I have ever heard. May those brave men rest in peace, and their families and loved ones find solace in the fact that they passed while doing what they loved. Thank you!
This is one of your better videos. It should be required study for anyone getting a degree in business or marketing. So often bad things happen when senior management, in this case those at GE, refuse to listen to people who know better. This really IS history that deserves to be remembered and could help avoid a lot of expensive mistakes and even loss of life.
Another side to that coin is the upper brass in the Air Force that was wanting that plane. I believe Gen. Curtis LeMay was one wanting it.
Jason Bowman It’s easy to say someone should object to those higher up but the reality is that’s not the way things work in the military. And opposing management is often job suicide in private industry. So management expects to get their way whatever their ignorance and the ultimate costs.
I have two favorites at Wright-Pat. The Valkyrie and the B58 Hustler. I'm sure those ships helped influence my decision to be a career pilot. Thanks History Guy, as usual very well done.
This was the most incredible bomber ever built. Such a tragedy and all just for a stupid photo OP. Sickening.
If you knew how many aircrew are lost in training mishaps.... some quite silly and totally avoidable. A training flight can kill you just as dead as a Combat sortie.
@@Bigsky1991 I remember before the start of the Gulf war in the 90's my father echoed the same sentiment. He said just moving all the people and equipment over to Iraq region would cost American lives before combat even started due to accidents.
@@Wallyworld30 , a wise man.
I'm from Dayton and have seen it many times. My dad was there the day the second one landed there for the last time. Very Impressive machine even to this day.
Can you do a video on the "Mare Island Mud Puppy". The USS Guitarro (SSN-665) that the Mare Island Ship Yard sank with open hatches next to the pier on May 15 1965. The USS Guitarro also had a Battery Fire on May 17 1984 on her way back to Mare Island Ship Yard.
This story brings me to tears every time I hear it. While from a military standpoint the Valkyrie was obsolete, it was a monolith of technology and aerospace research. Losing it and veteran test pilots over a photo shoot... I'm just glad that growing up in Ohio I was able to see the surviving sample.