New XB-70 Valkyrie book.

I note that it is available new for about $25, (and also $360), and second hand for $520 and higher. I just don't get this.
 
Don't know anything about this book either, but note that last fall the author's book Mosquito: The Original Multi-Role Combat Aircraft http://www.amazon.com/MOSQUITO-Original-Multi-Role-Combat-Aircraft/dp/1848844263/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328579128&sr=1-1
was published and next June his book Concorde Conspiracy: The Battle for American Skies 1962-77 is due out. From the description, the latter sounds particularly interesting.
 
sferrin said:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1848845464/ref=s9_newr_co_g14_ir01?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=left-2&pf_rd_r=1BAJ14BCHX6F0TK2FYSZ&pf_rd_t=3201&pf_rd_p=1280661782&pf_rd_i=typ01

Anybody know anything about this?
Click to expand...

I do now!
Got a copy yesterday.
Did a good skim and read here and there.
Graham Simons, the author, seems like a genuine XB-70 enthusiast!
Beautiful cover!
Subtitle: "The USA's Ill-fated Supersonic Heavy Bomber" kind of bothers me. Not sure why yet.
Initial impression, is it's a beautiful book. Lots of pictures. Printed well. I'm enjoying photos I don't
recall seeing before, as well as some I have. I think I have all the XB-70 stuff out there, plus some
stuff that is from the 60's that you just kind find anymore. This book is a good addition to the collection.
I'm enjoying all the manufacturing shots. I love to see all the components that makeup such an amazing
machine. Lots of discussion on structure and materials. Lots of info on what was to become AV-3 which
I don't recall elsewhere. Figures and info from the flight manual are used in the discussion
to drive home the experience, it came off pretty well for me. Some stuff is missing that you can find
in other books, for example he discusses inlet operation but without diagrams. Most readers would be
lost by that. Discussion of J93 misses variable stator contribution, but he does discuss other aspects
of the engine from a high level. He has some interesting things to say about politics during the
years of the project. Interesting aspects of the fuel system and how it is used to cool components and
how, when fuel is low, other aspects of the system are employed, and even the process to remove oxygen from contaminating the JP6 fuel when refuelling. Seeing the manufacturing shots made me think of
North American Aircraft and what amazing aerospace vehicles they did, the P-51, the F-86, F-100,
Apollo CSM, XB-70, Space Shuttle, ... and they're gone! Through Scott's recent blogs we are seeing some
of their hypersonic ideas. Jeez, they're gone! Anyway, Mr. Simons also discusses how the blackbird
relates, and near the end of the book is a large discussion on how the XB-70 related to the American
SST effort. Graham also discusses the state of AV-1 at the USAF Museum and he includes some photos
of its cockpit that he took in the 1990's when he was allowed in there. I also enjoyed a discussion of the
service vehicles employed to service the aircraft. An amazing aircraft! It's like a starship from the 1960's!
 

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