Aviation: What’s in a Name?

First it was known as the B-70—the Air Force’s manned bomber of the future. But in the age of the missile, both the Eisenhower and the Kennedy Administrations turned it down.

Then it became the RS-70—RS meaning reconnaissance strike. It would, its adherents claimed, not only be a bomber but a wizard observation aircraft. But Defense Secretary Robert McNamara was dead set against it.

Next it became the XB-70A—with the X standing for experimental. Under congressional pressure, McNamara finally agreed to spend $1.4 billion to build two prototypes.

And then it was dubbed Cecil the Seasick Sea Serpent, not only because of its long, subtly curving fuselage and odd little canard wing, but because of its unenviable test record. On its first test last October, a brake locked on landing, sending up a spectacular shower of sparks and flame. Six subsequent tests were not much more impressive.

Finally, last week, the huge plane began to live up to the far-out name by which the Air Force had christened it—Valkyrie. At California’s Edwards Air Force Base, North American Aviation Test Pilot Al White took the XB-70A off the runway, weighing 500,000 Ibs., the heaviest at which an aircraft has ever flown. During the 1-hr. 40-min. test, the plane set a new record for continuous supersonic flight: 74 min., at speeds ranging from Mach 1.4 (920 m.p.h.) to Mach 2.1 (1,425-m.p.h.) at a peak altitude of 56,000 ft.