The futuristic XB70A was originally conceived in the 1950s as a highaltitude, nuclear strike bomber that could fly at Mach 3 (three times the speed of sound) any potential enemy would have been unable to defend against such a bomber.

By the early 1960s, however, new SurfacetoAir Missiles (SAMs) threatened the survivability of highspeed, highaltitude bombers. Less costly, nucleararmed ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) were also entering service. As a result, in 1961, the expensive B70 bomber program was canceled before any Valkyries had been completed or flown.

Even so, the USAF bought two XB70As to test aerodynamics, propulsion and other characteristics of large supersonic aircraft. The first XB70A, on display here, flew in September 1964, and it achieved Mach 3 flight in October 1965. The second Valkyrie first flew in July 1965, but in June 1966, it was destroyed following an accidental midair collision. The third Valkyrie was not completed.

The first XB70A airplane continued to fly and generate valuable test data in the research program until it came to the museum in 1969