| B-377-SG/SGT Super Guppy | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Super Guppy Turbine used byNASA | |
| General information | |
| Type | Outsizecargo aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Aero Spacelines /Boeing |
| Status | Active, operated byNASA |
| Primary users | Aero Spacelines[1] |
| Number built | 1 SG, 4 SGT[1] |
| History | |
| First flight | August 31, 1965[1] |
| Developed from | Boeing 377 Stratocruiser |
TheAero Spacelines Super Guppy Turbine is a large, wide-bodied four engine turbopropcargo aircraft used for transportingoutsize cargo components. It was the successor to thePregnant Guppy, the first of the Guppy aircraft produced byAero Spacelines. Five were built in two variants, both of which were colloquially referred to as the "Super Guppy".
The Super Guppy is the only airplane to carry a completeS-IVB stage, the third stage of theSaturn V rocket.[2] It did so several times during theApollo program.
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The first Super Guppy, or "SG", was built directly from a retired USAFBoeing YC-97J Stratofreighter.[3] The fuselage was lengthened to 141 feet (43 m), and ballooned out to a maximum inside diameter of 25 ft (7.6 m), the length of the cargo compartment being 94 ft 6 in (28.8 m). The floor of the cargo compartment was still only 8 ft 9 in (2.7 m) wide, as necessitated by the use of the Stratocruiser fuselage.[1]
In addition to the fuselage modifications, the Super Guppy usedPratt & Whitney T-34-P-7WA turboprop engines for increased power and range,[1] and modified wing andtail surfaces. It could carry a load of 54,000 pounds (24,000 kg) and cruise at 300 mph (480 km/h).
After a month of tests, Super Guppy suffered fuselage collapse on September 25, 1965, when undergoing high speed dives during certification tests. After starting a dive at 10,000 feet the upper fuselage collapsed. The plane had been carrying 30,000 pounds of borate in 100-pound sacks, which were damaged and spilled powder that temporarily blinded the crew. With the help of aDC-9chase plane, the crew was able to land on the dry bed ofRogers Dry Lake and save theaircraft. After that, Guppy's upper superstructure was redesigned and rebuilt atEdwards Air Force Base.[4]
The second version was officially known as the Super Guppy Turbine (SGT), although the first Super Guppy also used turboprop engines. However, this variant usedAllison 501-D22C engines. Unlike the previous Guppy, the main portion of its fuselage was constructed from scratch. By building from scratch, Aero Spacelines was able to widen the floor of the cargo compartment to 13 ft (4 m). The overall cargo-compartment length was increased to 111 ft 6 in (34 m), and the improved fuselage and engines allowed for a maximum load of 52,500 lb (23,800 kg).[5] These design improvements, combined with apressurized crew cabin that allowed for higher-altitude cruising, allowed the SGT to transport more cargo than its predecessors.[1]
The SGT retained only the cockpit, wings, tail, and mainlanding gear of the377. The nose gear was taken from aBoeing 707 and rotated 180 degrees. This dropped the front of the aircraft slightly, levelling the cargo-bay floor and simplifying loading operations.
In the early 1970s, two SGT aircraft were used byAirbus to transport airplane parts from production facilities to the final assembly plant inToulouse. In 1982 and 1983, two additional Super Guppy Turbines were built byUnion de Transports Aériens Industries in France after Airbus bought the right to produce the aircraft. The four Super Guppies were later replaced in this role by theAirbus Beluga, capable of carrying twice as much cargo by weight.
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One Super Guppy remains in service with NASA. Three are on display, and one was scrapped.
Data from Encyclopedia of The World's Commercial and Private Aircraft,[10] NASA.gov[5]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
