In the 1950's, Curtis LeMay, then head of the US Air Force's Strategic Air Command had envisioned a bomber force flying at high speed above enemy defenses able to deliver a nuclear attack anywhere on earth.

The XB-70 Valkyrie was North American Aviation's answer, designed to fly above 70,000' at Mach 3 speeds which would have made interception by enemy aircraft, the only effective weapon at that time, impossible.

After two XB-70 prototypes were built, the high development costs and the introduction of effective high altitude surface to air missiles led to the cancellation of the B-70 production program in 1961.

This painting illustrates LeMay's dream of a B-70 bomber force flying high above the earth on a mission of deterrence expressed by their motto "Peace is Our Profession".