Warbird Information Exchange

You are correct. There were only two built and after the mid-air the only remaining one went to the NMSUAF. It looks like something out of starwars.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

**swoons**

What a tremendous series of pics... one of the most amazing static lineups I have ever seen in photos. Thanks SO much for posting these- between these pics and the simply GORGEOUS B-58 prototype photos earlier this week, I've been getting a serious AF buzz lately!

Lynn

Amazing photos. Love the B-58 photos also.

Great shots! That shot of the row of century series tail feathers reminds me of all the models I built as a kid. Awesome!

This may seem like a stupid observation, but everyone appears to be dressed so nicely for an airshow! Very unlike some of the sights I've seen at shows in the past few years!

Great photos!! I remember my dad had some shots of the 70 from the day she landed at WPAFB to be retired to the museum. Unfortunately he passed away in 1992 and I haven't been able to locate them. Maybe one day I'll finally find their hiding place!

Boy, does that bring back memories! We need more photos from years past to be posted.

Those photos are really cool. They actually built three XB-70 prototypes but Defense Secretary "Mack the Knife" MacNamara cancelled the program before the third plane was completed. The third plane was to have a revised cockpit for 4 crewmen according to the book XB-70 Valkyrie: The Ride to Valhalla by authors Jeannette Remak and Joe Ventolo Jr. Last I heard assemblies of the third plane were placed in storage somewhere. These photos of the 2nd XB-70 clearly show the increased dihedral on the wingtips that the number one prototype does not have.

Those photos of the Thunderbirds flying F-4 Phantom II's is way cool. I can only imagine what those more powerful J-79 engines sounded like back then. They later revised the J-79's so they would not leave a smoke trail behind, but this came at a price of less powerful engines.

Jim

Hmmm, never heard that the later smokeless J-79s had less power. The -17s run a higher EGT at the expense of slightly less engine life. But as far as I know they all put out the same thrust.

We run the -15Es, which are considered semi smokeless, I've been told they are souped up models. No one has ever told me what is different from the -15s and 15As.

The power difference between the two J-79's was only minor. It was mostly attributed to when the Air Force converted the F-4's to running on JP-9 synthetic fuel, which is mainly comprised of chemicals, over the original JP-4 fuel that the earlier F-4 engines ran on back in the late 1960's, early '70's.

Jim

JP-9 ? My understanding is that this synthetic fuel was used primarily in cruise missiles but has been replaced with JP-10

We currently run JP-8 because that's what is readily available.

JP-4 was more volatile as it contained a high percentage of Avgas. It might cause any jet engine to run a little stronger due to increased BTU output but the fuel controllers are set for fuels with different specific gravity so it is probably a moot point.






The Navy went to JP-5 because it was less flammable. It is primarily used on carriers.

Those aren't F-4's. They are F-100's. The Tbirds didn't switch to
F-4's until 1969.

Steve G

These are F-100's !

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Zane Adams
There I was at 20,000 ft, upside down and out of ammunition.
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Yor're right, those are definitely F-100 Super Sabres now that I see them better in a close up shot. My bad! From a distance they looked like F-4's to me.

They did run JP-9 in the F-4's during Desert Storm. A buddy of mine was a crew chief on them in Saudi Arabia and the fumes from that fuel would sometimes make him sick to his stomach when he had to service the engines. Its nasty stuff from what I have heard. He said even the B-52's ran on JP-9. Its true, cruise missiles run on the JP-10 fuel.

Jim

Anyone recall who were in the cockpit of the XB-70 on this day?