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The XB-70 (2019)

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Re: The XB-70 (2019)

#11

Post by lizknope »

ben7799 wrote: post #6

I have a love/hate relationship with this plane. In 2014 I got to visit the AF Museum in Dayton, OH. With all the exceptional exhibits there it is completely obvious the XB-70 is THE crown jewel in that museum. And it snowed while we were visiting and they shut down the hangar with the XB-70 because it required a shuttle ride. So now I still have on my bucket list to see it.

I went in 2010. Took the bus onto the air base to the experimental plane hangar. We only had 1 hour. I could have easily spent 3 hours there.

I mainly wanted to see the YF-23 but here's a pic I took with a fisheye lens of the back of the YF-23 with the XB-70 above. I think they have since moved the planes to a different hangar.

https://imgur.com/a/yf-23-xb-70-above-GFZDaYy

Re: The XB-70 (2019)

#12

Post by rqtwteye »

runjake wrote: post #4

As someone who once worked on B-52s, I find it amusing how many "successors" it has outlasted. And I know why, because I worked on many of those, too. It has taught me to be skeptical of unproven claims and promises, especially when someone is particularly passionate about them. Also that simplicity is king. Complexity is the enemy. I have great respect for the XB-70. It's the only strategic bomber I haven't worked o…

"Also that simplicity is king. Complexity is the enemy."

That's what worries me about a lot of the shiny, super high tech, super expensive weapons systems of the US. These are fine against an overmatched enemy when you can fly back to a safe place for doing the necessary maintenance. This may change when there is a war against a capable enemy that can strike closer to home. The US has always had the advantage that the homeland was safe but that may change in the future. And once you lose a B-2 bomber it's very hard to replace.

Re: The XB-70 (2019)

#13

Post by pinewurst »

yabones wrote: post #8
ben7799 wrote: post #6

I have a love/hate relationship with this plane. In 2014 I got to visit the AF Museum in Dayton, OH. With all the exceptional exhibits there it is completely obvious the XB-70 is THE crown jewel in that museum. And it snowed while we were visiting and they shut down the hangar with the XB-70 because it required a shuttle ride. So now I still have on my bucket list to see it.

Go back, it's so worth it. I stood under those six massive turbojets and looked up in absolute awe. It's a miracle that they didn't cut it up for scrap and left a really fabulous museum piece when the project ended.

Because we're not the British or Canadians who felt they had to make their military R&D decisions irreversible by destroying all the evidence (e.g. TSR2, Avro Arrow, etc).

Re: The XB-70 (2019)

#14

Post by JKCalhoun »

ben7799 wrote: post #6

I have a love/hate relationship with this plane. In 2014 I got to visit the AF Museum in Dayton, OH. With all the exceptional exhibits there it is completely obvious the XB-70 is THE crown jewel in that museum. And it snowed while we were visiting and they shut down the hangar with the XB-70 because it required a shuttle ride. So now I still have on my bucket list to see it.

Always good to have a reason to return.

(I tell my family that on every stop on our road trips & vacations.)

Re: The XB-70 (2019)

#15

Post by ferguess_k »

The Cold War era was the dream of engineers of all participant countries, I figured. Are we close to another one? Just wanna make sure it doesn't turn into a hot one.

Re: The XB-70 (2019)

#16

Post by bdamm »

Enginerrrd wrote: post #7
runjake wrote: post #4

As someone who once worked on B-52s, I find it amusing how many "successors" it has outlasted. And I know why, because I worked on many of those, too. It has taught me to be skeptical of unproven claims and promises, especially when someone is particularly passionate about them. Also that simplicity is king. Complexity is the enemy. I have great respect for the XB-70. It's the only strategic bomber I haven't worked o…

> Also that simplicity is king. Complexity is the enemy. As someone that has managed engineering teams for large projects, I 100% agree. One of the issues with computers IMO is that it has made bad engineering easier. Back when you had to check everything with a slide-rule, you had a real appreciation for the skill and engineering prowess and experience to make things absolutely dead simple.

True, but also modeling and iteration does lead you to unexpected solutions that can in turn solve complex problems that you couldn't have imagined could be solved. Landing rockets being an easy one, but that kind of iterative approach has been put to work in all kinds of fields.

Re: The XB-70 (2019)

#17

Post by gedy »

runjake wrote: post #4

As someone who once worked on B-52s, I find it amusing how many "successors" it has outlasted. And I know why, because I worked on many of those, too. It has taught me to be skeptical of unproven claims and promises, especially when someone is particularly passionate about them. Also that simplicity is king. Complexity is the enemy. I have great respect for the XB-70. It's the only strategic bomber I haven't worked o…

I agree with you, but the issue afaik is that B-52 was more flexible whereas the B-70 was basically single purpose and basically obsoleted by ICBMs.

B-52s were able to pivot to new roles so have stayed around.

I'm humbled for us laughing at the one guy assigned to B-52 maintenance role when was in USAF training over 30 years ago "That old thing? Ha!". Who would have guessed..

Re: The XB-70 (2019)

#18

Post by tqi »

"got a job with the Flight Propulsion Division of General Electric in Evendale (just outside of Cincinnati), initially working night shift in the Controls and Accessories department... the engine required the efforts of hundreds of engineers to design everything from a new turbofan and compressor, to new fire-suppression systems, to a special high-temperature fuel. Exactly what part my dad worked on is unclear; I always thought it was an oil pan, but my older brother was sure it was an oil pump."

This small detail peaked my curiosity - did GE have white collar workers on the night shift? If so, that is super interesting to me.

Re: The XB-70 (2019)

#19

Post by runjake »

gedy wrote: post #17
runjake wrote: post #4

As someone who once worked on B-52s, I find it amusing how many "successors" it has outlasted. And I know why, because I worked on many of those, too. It has taught me to be skeptical of unproven claims and promises, especially when someone is particularly passionate about them. Also that simplicity is king. Complexity is the enemy. I have great respect for the XB-70. It's the only strategic bomber I haven't worked o…

I agree with you, but the issue afaik is that B-52 was more flexible whereas the B-70 was basically single purpose and basically obsoleted by ICBMs. B-52s were able to pivot to new roles so have stayed around. I'm humbled for us laughing at the one guy assigned to B-52 maintenance role when was in USAF training over 30 years ago "That old thing? Ha!". Who would have guessed..

> I'm humbled for us laughing at the one guy assigned to B-52 maintenance role when was in USAF training over 30 years ago "That old thing? Ha!".

That guy may have been me. I was pretty bummed, but quickly learned about its awesomeness (avionics-wise, anyway).

Re: The XB-70 (2019)

#20

Post by gedy »

runjake wrote: post #19
gedy wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with you, but the issue afaik is that B-52 was more flexible whereas the B-70 was basically single purpose and basically obsoleted by ICBMs. B-52s were able to pivot to new roles so have stayed around. I'm humbled for us laughing at the one guy assigned to B-52 maintenance role when was in USAF training over 30 years ago "That old thing? Ha!". Who would have guessed..

> I'm humbled for us laughing at the one guy assigned to B-52 maintenance role when was in USAF training over 30 years ago "That old thing? Ha!". That guy may have been me. I was pretty bummed, but quickly learned about its awesomeness (avionics-wise, anyway).

Ha, at Lowry in 1993?
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