Aero Spacelines Super Guppy is a large-size cargo aircraft designed for American aviation and space programs. Produced by modifying the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser passenger aircraft, the Super Guppy was developed for the purpose of transporting large and bulky components that could not fit into standard cargo aircraft.

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Design and Development Phases

The development of the Super Guppy began when Jack M. Conroy, the founder of the Aero Spacelines company and a former US Air Force pilot, identified the logistical need for transporting rocket components for NASA's space program. Conroy developed a solution for this need by widening the fuselage of a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser.

• Pregnant Guppy (1962): In the initial phase of the project, the Pregnant Guppy model was produced, converted from a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser. In this model, the aircraft's fuselage was lengthened and an additional upper section with a 6.1-meter diameter was added. The Pregnant Guppy became the first application of the Super Guppy's basic design.
• Super Guppy (1965): The Super Guppy model, developed after the Pregnant Guppy, was built using parts from Boeing C-97G and KC-97J aircraft. The nose of this model was designed to open 110 degrees with a hydraulic system, and loading/unloading operations could be carried out through it.
• Super Guppy Turbine (SGT) (1970): The Super Guppy Turbine, an improved version of the Super Guppy, was equipped with Allison 501-D22C turboprop engines. Five units of this model were produced; four were purchased by Airbus, and one continued to be used by NASA.

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Technical Specifications and Performance

The Super Guppy has a design optimized for voluminous cargo. The main features of the Super Guppy Turbine model are:

• Category: Oversized Cargo Aircraft
• Origin: USA (Aero Spacelines)
• Engine: 4 x Allison 501-D22C turboprop
• Crew: 4 people (2 pilots, flight engineer, and navigator)
• Length: 43.84 m
• Wingspan: 47.62 m
• Maximum Speed: 460 km/h
• Maximum Takeoff Weight: Approximately 77,000 kg
• Carrying Capacity: It can carry over 24,000 kg of cargo, while the cargo section is 7.62 meters in diameter and 33.8 meters long.

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Operational Role and Historical Significance

The Super Guppy has been used for transporting large components in various aviation projects.

• Apollo Program: It served within NASA's Apollo Program during the 1960s and 1970s. It was utilized to transport the third stage sections of the Saturn V rockets (S-IVB), Skylab space station modules, and other spacecraft components. In these missions, it offered an air transport alternative to road and sea transport for moving parts.
• Airbus Operations: Following its use by NASA, the Super Guppy took on duties in Airbus production processes. It transported aircraft components (especially wings and fuselage sections) manufactured at facilities in England, Germany, and Spain to the assembly line in Toulouse, France. In later years, the Super Guppy aircraft were replaced by the Beluga cargo aircraft developed by Airbus.

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Current Status

Today, four of the produced Super Guppy aircraft are exhibited in museums. One of these aircraft is located at the Pima Air & Space Museum in California, and another is at the Museum of Outdoor Cargo in Washington. The fifth and final Super Guppy Turbine model produced is still operational and is used for missions by NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.