Aero Spacelines Super Guppy
{{short description|Larger turboprop version of outsize cargo aircraft Pregnant Guppy}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox aircraft
| name = B-377-SG/SGT Super Guppy
| image = Super Guppy N941 NASA landing (crop).jpg
| caption = Super Guppy Turbine used by NASA
| type = Outsize cargo aircraft
| manufacturer = Aero Spacelines / Boeing
| first_flight = August 31, 1965
| status = Active, operated by NASA
| primary_user = Aero Spacelines
| more_users = NASA, Airbus, Aeromaritime
| unit cost =
| developed_from = Boeing 377 Stratocruiser
}}
The Aero Spacelines Super Guppy is a large, wide-bodied cargo aircraft that is used for hauling outsize cargo components. It was the successor to the Pregnant Guppy, the first of the Guppy aircraft produced by Aero 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 complete S-IVB stage, the third stage of the Saturn V rocket.{{cite book |title=Apollo Expeditions to the Moon, The NASA History: 50th Anniversary Edition |editor=Edgar M. Cortright |publisher=Dover |page=53}} It did so several times during the Apollo program.
Design and development
{{more citations needed|section|date=August 2017}}
File:1700 ATG Boeing KC-97G-26-BO Stratofreighter 52-2693.jpg
File:Apollo 11 CM loading into Super Guppy aircraft (S69-41985).jpg being loaded aboard a Super Guppy at Ellington AFB, August 1969]]
The first Super Guppy, or "SG", was built directly from a retired USAF Boeing YC-97J Stratofreighter. The fuselage was lengthened to {{convert|141|ft|m}}, and ballooned out to a maximum inside diameter of {{convert|25|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}, the length of the cargo compartment being {{convert|94|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}}. The floor of the cargo compartment was still only {{convert|8|ft|9|in|m|1|abbr=on}} wide, as necessitated by the use of the Stratocruiser fuselage.
In addition to the fuselage modifications, the Super Guppy used Pratt & Whitney T-34-P-7WA turboprop engines for increased power and range, and modified wing and tail surfaces. It could carry a load of {{convert|54000|lb|kg|}} and cruise at {{convert|300|mph|-1|abbr=on}}.
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 a DC-9 chase plane, the crew was able to land on the dry bed of Rogers Dry Lake and save the aircraft. After that, Guppy's upper superstructure was redesigned and rebuilt at Edwards Air Force Base.{{Cite journal |last=Smith |first=Lt. Col. P.G. USAF |date=April 1971 |title=The Day The Super Guppy Blew Her Top |url=http://airpigz.com/blog/2011/1/9/1965-super-guppy-dive-test-goes-bad-not-a-bird-strike.html |journal=Air Force Magazine}}
File:SuperGuppy-F-BPPA.jpg in 1981]]
The second version was officially known as the Super Guppy Turbine (SGT), although the first Super Guppy also used turboprop engines. However, this variant used Allison 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 {{convert|13|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}. The overall cargo-compartment length was increased to {{convert|111|ft|6|in|m|0|abbr=on}}, and the improved fuselage and engines allowed for a maximum load of {{convert|52500|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. These design improvements, combined with a pressurized crew cabin that allowed for higher-altitude cruising, allowed the SGT to transport more cargo than its predecessors.
The SGT retained only the cockpit, wings, tail, and main landing gear of the 377. The nose gear was taken from a Boeing 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 by Airbus to transport airplane parts from production facilities to the final assembly plant in Toulouse. In 1982 and 1983, two additional Super Guppy Turbines were built by Union 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 the Airbus Beluga, capable of carrying twice as much cargo by weight.
Variants
- Aero Spacelines B-377-SG Super Guppy, prototype of a much enlarged version of the Guppy using C-97J components, powered by four Pratt & Whitney T-34-P-7WA turbo-prop engines.
- Aero Spacelines B-377-SGT Super Guppy Turbine (Guppy 201), production version powered by Allison 501-D22C turbo-prop engines, using an enlarged cargo section built from scratch instead of being converted from original C-97J components.
Aircraft
File:Pima Air & Space Museum - Tucson, AZ - Flickr - hyku (79).jpg]]
One Super Guppy remains in service with NASA. Three are on display, and one was scrapped.
- Super Guppy N940NS (previously N1038V), serial number 52-2693, is on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum near Tucson, Arizona.{{cite web |url=http://www.pimaair.org/visit/aircraft-by-name/item/super-guppy |title=Super Guppy |publisher=Pima Air & Space Museum |access-date=May 19, 2014 |archive-date=May 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521181058/http://www.pimaair.org/visit/aircraft-by-name/item/super-guppy |url-status=dead }}
- Super Guppy Turbine F-BTGV (formerly N211AS), serial number 0001, was on static display at the former British Aviation Heritage Centre at the Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome. The aircraft was broken up in December 2020 with the cockpit preserved by the South Wales Aviation Museum.{{cite news |url=https://www.cavok.com.br/imagens-primeiro-super-guppy-da-airbus-comeca-a-virar-sucata |title=Primeiro Super Guppy da Airbus começa a virar sucata |work=Cavok |first=Fernando |last=Valduga |date=December 20, 2020 |access-date=January 12, 2021}}
- Super Guppy Turbine F-BPPA (formerly N212AS), serial number 0002, is on static display at Aeroscopia near the Airbus factory at Toulouse–Blagnac Airport in France.{{cite web |url=http://www.musee-aeroscopia.fr/fr/d%C3%A9couvrir-le-mus%C3%A9e/la-collection/les-a%C3%A9ronefs/aero-spacelines-super-guppy-sgt-201 |title=Aero Spacelines Super Guppy SGT 201 |publisher=Musée Aeronautique Aeroscopia |access-date=12 January 2021 |archive-date=January 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114063631/http://www.musee-aeroscopia.fr/fr/d%C3%A9couvrir-le-mus%C3%A9e/la-collection/les-a%C3%A9ronefs/aero-spacelines-super-guppy-sgt-201 |url-status=dead }}
- Super Guppy Turbine F-GDSG, serial number 0003, is on static display near the Airbus factory at Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport in Germany.{{cite web |url=https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/F-GDSG/758169 |title=Registration Details for F-GDSG (Airbus Industrie) Aero Spacelines 337SGT-201F Guppy |website=Planelogger.com |access-date=12 January 2021}}
- Super Guppy Turbine N941NA (formerly F-GEAI), serial number 0004, is still in service with NASA as a transport aircraft and is based at the El Paso International Airport.
Operators
=Current=
=Former=
Specifications (Super Guppy Turbine)
File:Aero Spacelines 377SG Super Guppy 3-view.svg
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Encyclopedia of The World's Commercial and Private Aircraft, NASA.gov
|prime units?=kts
|crew=4
|capacity=
|length ft=143
|length in=10
|length note=
|span ft=156
|span in=3
|span note=
|height ft=48
|height in=6
|height note=
- Cargo bay dimensions: {{cvt|111|×|25|×|25|ft|2}}
|wing area sqft=1965
|wing area note=
|swept area sqft=
|swept area note=
|volume ft3=
|volume note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=root: Boeing 117 (22%); tip: Boeing 117 (9%){{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=April 16, 2019}}
|empty weight lb=101500
|empty weight note=
|gross weight lb=54500
|gross weight note=(payload)
|max takeoff weight lb=170000
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|lift lb=
|lift note=
|more general=
|eng1 number=4
|eng1 name=Allison 501-D22C
|eng1 type=turboprop engines
|eng1 shp=4680
|eng1 kn=
|eng1 lbf=
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=4
|prop name=constant-speed fully-feathering propellers
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop dia note=
|max speed kts=250
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kts=220
|cruise speed note=economical cruise at {{cvt|20000|ft|0}}
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range nmi=1734
|range note=
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling ft=25000
|ceiling note=certified
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|wing loading lb/sqft=86.5
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass={{cvt|0.11|hp/lb}}
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
See also
File:Aero Spacelines 377SGT Super Guppy Turbine, Airbus Skylink AN0592517.jpg
{{Aircontent|
|related=
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress
- Boeing 377 Stratocruiser
- Boeing C-97
- Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy
- Aero Spacelines Mini Guppy
|similar aircraft=
}}
References
{{Reflist |refs=
}}
Sources
- {{cite magazine|last=Taylor|first=H. A. "Tony"|title=Stratocruiser... Ending an Airline Era |magazine=Air Enthusiast |date=April–July 1982|issue=18 |pages=37–53 |issn=0143-5450}}
External links
{{commons category multi|Aero Spacelines Super Guppy|Aero Spacelines Super Guppy Turbine|width=25em}}
- {{Cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/multimedia/imagegallery/Guppy/Guppy_proj_desc.html |title=B377PG Super Guppy |last=Calzada |first=Ruby |date=March 25, 2013 |website=NASA |language=en |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-date=March 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200316160501/https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/multimedia/imagegallery/Guppy/Guppy_proj_desc.html |url-status=dead }}
- [https://jsc-aircraft-ops.jsc.nasa.gov/guppy.html#top Super Guppy website] by NASA Aircraft Operations
- [https://web.archive.org/web/19990909044046/http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/assembly/superguppy/index.html Super Guppy website] by NASA Human Spaceflight
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120606024948/http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/m377.html Boeing B-377 historical website] at Boeing.com
- [http://www.allaboutguppys.com AllAboutGuppys.com]
- [http://www.superguppy.co.uk Super Guppy F-BTGV restoration project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100309164555/http://www.superguppy.co.uk/ |date=March 9, 2010 }}
{{Aero Spacelines aircraft}}
{{B-29 family}}
{{Outsized cargo aircraft}}
Category:1960s United States cargo aircraft
Category:Four-engined tractor aircraft
Category:Four-engined turboprop aircraft