Originally Posted by
tdracer
There is a popular myth that the XB-70 did the drooped wing thing when supersonic to 'trap' the shock wave and create lift. However I read a rather good book on the XB-70 a while back ("VALKYRIE North American's Mach 3 Super Bomber" - I recommend it if you share my fascination with XB-70). According to the book, while the wing design did in fact create lift from the shock, the drooped wing tips were related to improving high speed stability, not the trapped shock wave lift.
RE your fascination with the XB-70. As a relatively new engineer working for a possible subcontractor on the Alert Pod - I suggested a simple switching mechanism ( based on a pushbutton car radio ) for doing several things. The requirement was as I recall a 10 minute or less time from alert to takeoff roll. So a turbine powered pod with ' landing gear' was to be attached to the underbelly. What it did was to power startup of all engines, power up flight hydraulics, run control checks, etc. And at completion as brakes released, would drop off on its landing gear .
Never found later much publicity about that part of the ' rapid launch' capability ..
As part of that wound up with one push button on front gear to activate the whole sequence. Another issue was to figure out how to pressurize with nitrogen the hydraulic system reservoirs- which used a then special hi-temp hydraulic fluid while allowing for heat expansion and zip oxygen in the ullage at any time as fluid was used/leaked.
But for standby checkout - each of a half dozen systems could also be activated by ground crew via panel pushbuttons with certain mechanical/electical linkages to prevent inadvertent activation of other systems. We did not get the contract, and the division which was also closing down its other missile related work shortly closed, thus I came to BA
