The Aero Spacelines Super Guppy is a large, wide-bodied cargo aircraft used for ferrying outsized 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 last produced Super Guppy remains in service; a Super Guppy Turbine (SGT) version with with high-performance Allison 501-D22C turboprops flown by NASA (currently used to ferry components for the International Space Station and Project Orion). It is stationed in and operated from Ellington Field in Houston, Texas.
The other four are mothballed; one at Pima Air and Space Museum, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, United States, the first SGT, which has recently begun a restoration project, at Bruntingthorpe, United Kingdom, the second outside Airbus’ factories at Blagnac Airport, Toulouse, France, and the third at Finkenwerder, Germany.
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The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force will be getting a Crew Compartment Trainer that NASA used to prepare astronauts for their space shuttle missions. Learn about the move and some challenges that have come up.
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This time-lapse video from Aug. 20 2012, shows the Crew Compartment Trainer as it is loaded into NASA’s Super Guppy aircraft at Ellington Field.
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Loaded with the crew compartment of NASA’s space shuttle Full Fuselage Trainer, the last remaining Super Guppy takes flight from Ellington Airfield in Houston, TX. Video filmed by Nathan Moeller for Max-Q Entertainment.
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NASA’s Super Guppy airplane recently visited Seattle, delivering the first part of the Space Shuttle Trainer to the Museum of flight.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD5kznvi2_w
NASA Super Guppy Fly-By, Boeing Field in Seattle
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NASA’s Super Guppy lands at Boeing Field with the nose of the Space Shuttle simulator inside.
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NASA’s Super Guppy aircraft landed at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Aug. 22 to deliver the Shuttle Crew Compartment Trainer.
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Rare NASA Super Guppy Aerial shots with loading door open
