Of the many futuristic military aircraft concepts created in the 1950s the North American XB-70 still stands out as the most awe-inspiring. With its huge, white partially-folding delta wing, its fuselage resembling a striking cobra, and its extraordinary performance, it was one of the foremost technological achievements of the 20th Century. A strategic bomber built to outrun any Soviet fighter jet, it could reach Mach 3 with a full nuclear payload--as fast as the legendary SR-71 Blackbird but more than three times the size. However, its role as a nuclear bomber was limited after the introduction of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, and defense cuts eventually led to the project being scrapped in the mid-1960s. The Valkyrie had a brief, costly decade of life but it proved the continuing value of developing manned bombers. Using full color artwork and rigorous analysis, this is the complete story of the ultimate US Cold War military X-plane. “Peter E. Davies provides a good introduction to the North American XB-70 Valkyrie with an easy to read style. I especially appreciated his use of first person accounts throughout the book as it puts the reader in the driver's seat. I ravaged the 80 pages in one night, staying up quite late.” ― IPMS / USA “Extended captions and informative sidebars illumine the account. Color and B&W photos, color profiles, interior details, and action illustrations further augment the effort. And a selected bibliography and index neatly tie things up. Recommended!” ― Cybermodeler Online “This book satisfies! The book contains a great deal of technical and other data and information. The text is supported by an amazing gallery of photographs and color artwork.” ― Aeroscale Peter E. Davies has specialized in the aircraft of the Vietnam and Cold War periods, analyzing tactics, background politics and technologies in combat situations. His books are always enriched by original first-hand interviews and unpublished illustrative material. Peter has also been a contributor to publications such as Aeroplane Monthly , Aviation News and Aircraft Illustrated . He lives in Bristol, UK. Wiek Luijken is an artist based in England but born and raised in the Netherlands. He has been a professional artist and director for more than 20 years. Aviation has been a big part of his life since childhood. Adam Tooby is an internationally renowned digital artist and illustrator. His work can be found in publications worldwide and as box art for model aircraft kits. He also runs a successful illustration studio and aviation prints business. He is based in Cheshire, UK. To buy artwork, or contact the artist, visit http://www.adamtooby.com/.