Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy
Aero Spacelines · United States · first flew 1962 · transport aircraft
The Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy was the world's first large-format outsized-cargo aircraft, created to transport Saturn rocket stages for the NASA Apollo programme by dramatically expanding a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser fuselage.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Enormous bulbous upper fuselage lobe for outsized cargo — the original Guppy |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Enormous bulbous upper fuselage lobe for outsized cargo — the original Guppy
- Boeing 377 Stratocruiser lower fuselage with dramatically enlarged upper section
- Four Pratt & Whitney radial engines on low-swept wings
The extreme upper-fuselage bulge above a conventional 377 lower structure is unmistakable; the combination of four radial engines and a vast rounded cargo section makes this one of the most distinctive aircraft ever built.
Specifications
- The Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy has a length of 38.71 m (127 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 43.053 m (141 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 407 km/h (253 mph).
- Typical crew: 4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Converted from a Boeing 377 by Jack Conroy and Aero Spacelines and first flown in 1962, the Pregnant Guppy proved the concept of bulbous-fuselage aircraft for outsized cargo. It was purpose-built to transport Saturn booster stages between NASA manufacturing facilities, solving a critical logistical problem in the Moon programme. The success of the Pregnant Guppy led to the larger Super Guppy.
Variants
Followed by the Mini Guppy and Super Guppy; the Pregnant Guppy was the first and least capable of the family.
Where you'll see it
Used exclusively by NASA as a contractor aircraft for Apollo programme logistics; not a commercial type.
Related aircraft
- Aero Spacelines Super Guppy
- Aero Spacelines Mini Guppy
- Aero Spacelines Mini Guppy Turbine
- Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon
- BAe 125 / HS.125
- Boeing CH-113 Labrador
- Nord 262D Frégate
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.