My imp
Well-Known Member
It's ALL politically motivated. That's what killed the B-58, SR-71, XB-70, B-1A, etc.. They always come back to manned bombers. Even the satellite network, no matter how good the resolution gets, is still many miles out of the atmosphere. The SR-71 could fly anywhere snapping roll after roll of film that's only 80,000 ft away vs. 25 mi. away. Penny wise, pound foolish! The electronics & alloys weren't up to the designs expected to carry them. A food processor has more computer power than the B-58's computer. If you're into this plane, Monogram makes a 1/48 scale B-58 Hustler that's friggin awesome! For all the detail it has, there aren't even cockpits for the rear two crew members. But Lone Star makes a retrofit kit that adds not only working hatches, but very detailed cockpits. The ejection capsule that the show credited to the XB-70, was what the 58 used. It was designed for the B-58. Wanna see some cool footage, the sled they used to test the capsules (with sedated bears) at full speed on a track that was rocket powered was outstanding! PETA hadn't gotten started yet! No one would volunteer to test the ejection capsule! Traveling at 2 Mach, then launched into the air by a rocket powered egg!