This picture, part of a 1966 photoshoot requested by GE, which made the engines for all five aircraft, was taken moments before a fatal midair collision. The orange-tailed F-104 drifted too close to the XB-70’s right wingtip, rolled up and over, taking out both of the Valkyrie’s vertical stabilizers and exploding in the process.
The F-104 pilot, Joe Walker, was killed instantly. The XB-70 flew for a few more seconds before entering an unrecoverable roll. Pilot Al White was able to eject and survived. Co-pilot Carl Cross could not and was killed.
