[XB-70 VALKERIE SUPERSONIC BOMBER THIRD TEST FLIGHT MACH 1 EDWARDS AIR FOFCE BASE]

This silent, raw footage from North American Aviation shows the third test flight of the XB-70 Valkerie, tail #62-00001 This took place on October 12, 1964 at Edwards Air Force Base, and was notable as its first supersonic flight (Mach 1.1). The primary crew for this and other initial test flights was NAA Chief Test Pilot Al White and USAF Colonel Joe Cotton. During this flight, as can be seen in the film, roughly 15% of the white paint on the fuselage peeled off due to skin friction and heat. The incident, often referred to as the "first supersonic flight" or "painted peeling flight," demonstrated the extreme structural loads and temperatures the aircraft faced, causing large patches of paint to tear away from the skin. This was a significant milestone in the XB-70 (AV-1 prototype) flight test program, as the plane exceeded Mach 1 for the first time, reaching supersonic speeds. However, the aerodynamic heating and stress caused structural vibrations, causing nearly 15% of the special anti-corrosion/white coating to delaminate and depart. This led to a development program to create a new type of coating that could sustain speeds up to Mach 3.

The aircraft shown tail number 62-00001 (often referred to as AV-1), is the first of two prototype Mach 3+ strategic bombers built by North American and the sole survivor from the program. It made its maiden flight on September 21, 1964, and served as a crucial high-speed, high-altitude research vehicle before its retirement in 1969. This airplane completed 83 test flights, accumulating 160 hours and 16 minutes of flight time before being mothballed.