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North American XB-70 Valkyrie
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===Mid-air accident=== On 8 June 1966, XB-70A #2 was in close formation with four other aircraft (an F-4 Phantom II, Northrop F-5, T-38 Talon, and F-104 Starfighter) for a photo shoot at the behest of General Electric, manufacturer of the engines of all five aircraft.{{#tag:ref|The photographs were taken from a Learjet powered by GE engines, whose crew were in control of the formation.<ref name="WAIF F809 S05"> WAIF File 809 Sheet 5 (Air Accidents:Military Accidents - Last ride of the Valkyrie)</ref>|group="N"}} With the photo shoot complete, the F-104 drifted into contact with the XB-70's wing, flipped over, rolling inverted, passed over the top of the Valkyrie, struck it and exploded, destroying the Valkyrie's rudders and damaging its left wing. The Valkyrie entered a flat spin, <ref name= "Check Six">[http://www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/XB-70_crash_site.htm "The Crash of the XB-70 Valkyrie"]. check-six.com.</ref> hitting the ground in an almost level attitude about four miles north of the city of Barstow.<ref name="WAIF F809 S05"/> NASA Chief Test Pilot Joe Walker (F-104 pilot) and Carl Cross (XB-70's co-pilot) were killed, while Al White (XB-70's pilot) successfully ejected. The U.S. Air Force conducted the accident investigation and released an accident summary report.<ref>Jenkins and Landis 2005, p. 163.</ref> The report stated that given the position of the F-104 relative to the XB-70, the F-104 pilot would not have been able to see the XB-70's wing, except by uncomfortably looking back over his left shoulder. The report concluded that Walker, piloting the F-104, likely maintained his position by looking at the fuselage of the XB-70, forward of his position. The report estimated that the F-104 was 70 ft to the side of, and 10 feet below, the fuselage of the XB-70. In addition, the report found that from that position, there would be no suitable alignment points to maintain a precise position relative to the Valkyrie. The report concluded that due to the unavailability of appropriate sight cues, Walker was unable to properly perceive his motion relative to the Valkyrie, leading to his aircraft drifting into contact with the XB-70's wing.<ref>''Summary Report: XB-70 Accident Investigation''. USAF.</ref><ref name="Jenk_Land p60">Jenkins and Landis 2002, p. 60.</ref> The incident led to PR exercises and aerial photography involving the US armed forces being prohibited for many years.{{#tag:ref|Although the prohibition was eventually lifted, it is still more difficult to organise air-to-air photo shoots involving USAF aircraft than it was before the Valkyrie incident.<ref name="WAIF F809 S05"/>|group="N"}}
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