Xb-70 visits Ft. Worth March 1966 plus Airshow pics

[Ztex]

Here is what I have found on-line about the trip.
(Several sources with the same info)


Later that same month, to the joy of a great many Texans, it was decided that AV/2 would be flown down to Carswell AFB for the airshow there. It was to be the only airfield that Ship Two would fly to and return.

With Fitz Fulton at the controls, the Valkyrie spent only 13 minutes at Mach 2.6 before slowing up, winding up at 6,000 feet over Carswell AFB just 59 minutes after takeoff! For the next half hour, AV/2 thundered around the skies of Texas before landing. The return flight two days later was the only flight during the entire program where performance data was not recorded, as Cotton (in the pilot's seat) and White flew back at subsonic speeds, taking a little over three hours to return to Edwards.

Last edited by Ztex on Tue May 01, 2007 9:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Phantom1200]

Drooling over these photos, awsome stuff, loads of history here.
I posted a link to this thread on my forums as well, it's a real must see.
If you have more cold war stuff please post it.

[JDK]

Build your own, without a Federal budget.

http://www.ken-tucky.com/LEGO/WORKS/0008e.html

[tom d. friedman]

the way the pentagon / u.s. military is wittled down financially in iraq, that lego xb 70 is fiscally feasible!!!! .........if the type was re-started w/ todays electronics implemented.........it sure it would be an ass kicker anywhere!!!

[drgondog]

At first I thought you were referencing the crew of the B-70 when it went down so I will respond with a side note.

Al White was NA chief Test pilot and just passed away last year. Walker and Cotten (sp?) were the two pilots killed that day but I don't recall which one was right seat with White and which one slid over the rear and knocked off the vertical stabilizer of the B-70.

White only managed to eject the flat spinning B-70 hundreds of feet off the deck and severely damaged his back on landing - which ended his test pilot career at NA. Walker (or Cotten) was unable to get the clamsheel doors on the ejection pod to close and was unable to eject.

I was at this show with Al White and my father who was a VP at LTV at the time. White often flew wing to my father before becoming a flight leader in the 354th FS/355th FG. Very good lifelong friends along with General (now) Bob White the X-15 test pilot who also flew with my father and Al white in WWII.

Bob White later received a DSC (oops AFC) while flying with his old group in Viet Namabout one year after this airshow.

Carswell always put up great Memorial Day shows.

Regards,

Bill Marshall

[bipe215]

White was the pilot. Cross was the copilot unable to get completely into the ejection pod. Cotton was flying a T-38 in the formation. Walker, in the 104 was thought to have been caught in the vortex, flipped over, rotated 180 degrees and went through a vertical stab.

Go to www.labiker.org/xb70.html#midair


Steve G

[Django]

GREAT photos! Thank you for sharing them!

[wendovertom]

I agree with the flightline comment - if it was today all you would see is Vipers and Eagles and maybe a QF-4. <sigh> Awesome photos - those are just incredible - and what an opportunity to get up close - it would be a dream come true to see a Hustler and Valkrie that close (steaming up the cockpit window)

Tom P.

[mjanovec]

White was the pilot. Cross was the copilot unable to get completely into the ejection pod. Cotton was flying a T-38 in the formation.

And just to add, Cotton is still with us. In fact, I just heard from him yesterday.

[drgondog]

Steve - good catch on Cotton/Cross - too long ago for me, I shoulda looked it up.

Regards,

Bill

[jaybird]

Fantastic time capsule of photos here, and one of my favorite posts of the year! It just always amazes me how far in the future aviation design is compared to the rest of the world around it. The XB-70 looks futuristic even today, and I think is one of the most impressive aircraft to see at the museum.

Here's a link to interesting info about the YF-12 pictured:
http://www.habu.org/yf-12/06934.html

[Ztex]

Thanks for all the comments. I was fortunate to run into Mr Williams and be allowed to play with his photos.

I have been doing a little research on the airplanes in the photos.

The YF-12 crashed a few months after this show. The rear half was used in the construction of SR-71C #61-7981. It is at the Hill AFB Museum.
http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/blackbird/17981/

The U-2 was converted into a U-2CT Trainer and then had a accident and was reconverted. It is now on display at the Norwegian Air Museum
http://www.luftfart.museum.no/Engelsk/Exhibitions/Images/U2B.jpg

The B-58 was scrapped in 1977

The F-111 was ship 7 and was used for F-111 weapons testing.
http://www.f-111.net/images/63-9772/index.htm
The front half still exists at China Lake
http://www.chinalakealumni.org/IMAGES/Relics-w/xx-xxxx%20F-111%20ddJAN96%20CLK%20J-Cupido.jpg

The RB-57 is still flying! with NASA!
N926NA
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1202093/M/

[Chris Brame]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned the B-26K behind the U-2... in that lineup it must have looked prehistoric! Are there any other shots of it?

[Ztex]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned the B-26K behind the U-2... in that lineup it must have looked prehistoric! Are there any other shots of it?

I saw that tail...I have no other pictures of it.

Found this info..
17667 (ex 44-35468) to SEA June 1966.
Shot down by AA Mar 23, 1969

[spiteful]

These images are wondeful. I attended this show as a child with my father.

We had moved to FTW less than a year before this open house at the base. The photos do bring back great times.

Thanks for the shots.

CFM