View source for 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|Outsize]] [[cargo aircraft]]
| manufacturer = [[Aero Spacelines]] / [[Boeing]]
| first_flight = August 31, 1965<ref name="Janes"/>
| status = Active, operated by [[NASA]]
| primary_user = [[Aero Spacelines]]<ref name="Janes"/>
| more_users = [[NASA]], [[Airbus]], [[Aeromaritime]]<ref name="Janes"/>
| number_built = 1 SG, 4 SGT<ref name="Janes"/>
| unit cost = 
| developed_from = [[Boeing 377 Stratocruiser]]
}}

The '''Aero Spacelines Super Guppy Turbine''' is a large, wide-bodied four engine turboprop [[cargo aircraft]] used for hauling [[outsize cargo]] components. It was the successor to the [[Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy|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.<ref>{{cite book |title=Apollo Expeditions to the Moon, The NASA History: 50th Anniversary Edition |editor=Edgar M. Cortright |publisher=Dover |page=53}}</ref> It did so several times during the [[Apollo program]].

==Design and development==
{{more citations needed|section|date=August 2017}}<!--3 paragraphs have no citations-->
[[File:Guppy 2 Sep 65.jpg|thumb|Super Guppy September 1965, Lancaster, CA, USA]]
[[File:1700 ATG Boeing YC-97J-26-BO Stratofreighter 52-2693.jpg|thumb|USAF Boeing YC-97J Stratofreighter 52-2693, seen in 1952, before conversion to the first Super Guppy]]
[[File:Apollo 11 CM loading into Super Guppy aircraft (S69-41985).jpg|thumb|right|[[Command module Columbia|Apollo 11 Command module ''Columbia'']] 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 C-97 Stratofreighter|Boeing YC-97J Stratofreighter]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Guppy |url=https://www.nasa.gov/specials/jsc-aircraft-ops/guppy.html#aircrafthistory |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=www.nasa.gov}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Janes"/>

In addition to the fuselage modifications, the Super Guppy used [[Pratt & Whitney T34|Pratt & Whitney T-34-P-7WA]] turboprop engines for increased power and range,<ref name="Janes"/> and modified wing and [[Empennage|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 [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|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]].<ref>{{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]]}}</ref>

[[File:SuperGuppy-F-BPPA.jpg|thumb|Super Guppy Turbine F-BPPA at [[Paris–Le Bourget Airport]] 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 T56|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}}.<ref name="sfnasa-jscsg" /> These design improvements, combined with a [[Cabin pressurization|pressurized crew cabin]] that allowed for higher-altitude cruising, allowed the SGT to transport more cargo than its predecessors.<ref name="Janes"/>

The SGT retained only the cockpit, wings, tail, and main [[landing gear]] of the [[Boeing 377 Stratocruiser|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.<ref name="Janes"/>
*'''Aero Spacelines B-377-SGT Super Guppy Turbine''' (Guppy 201), production version powered by Allison 501-D22C turbo-prop engines,<ref name="Janes"/> using an enlarged cargo section built from scratch instead of being converted from original C-97J components.

==Aircraft==
[[File:N941NA.jpg|thumb|NASA Super Guppy N941NA in-flight, July 2022]]
[[File:Pima Air & Space Museum - Tucson, AZ - Flickr - hyku (79).jpg|thumb|Super Guppy on display at [[Pima Air & Space Museum]]]]
[[File:SuperGuppy.jpg|thumb|NASA Super Guppy N941NA at its home base in El Paso|alt=Picture from the rear of a Super Guppy Turbine airplane]]
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.<ref name="pimaguppy">{{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 }}</ref>
*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]].<ref name="cavok20201220">{{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}}</ref>
*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.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>
*Super Guppy Turbine F-GDSG, serial number 0003, is on static display near the Airbus factory at [[Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport]] in Germany.{{cn|date=November 2025}}
*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]].<ref name="elpaso20110804"/>

==Operators==
===Current===
*[[NASA]]

===Former===
* [[Aero Spacelines]] 
* [[Aeromaritime]]
* [[Airbus]]
* [[Boeing]]

==Specifications (Super Guppy Turbine)==
[[File:Aero Spacelines 377SG Super Guppy 3-view.svg|thumb|300px|right|Orthographic diagram of the 377-SGT]]
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Encyclopedia of The World's Commercial and Private Aircraft,<ref name="Mondey1981"/> NASA.gov<ref name="sfnasa-jscsg"/>
|prime units?=kts
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|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=<br>
*'''Cargo bay dimensions:''' {{cvt|111|×|25|×|25|ft|2}}
|wing area sqft=1965
|wing area note=
|swept area sqft=<!-- swing-wings -->
|swept area note=
|volume ft3=<!-- lighter-than-air -->
|volume note=
|aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|airfoil='''root:''' Boeing 117 (22%); '''tip:''' Boeing 117 (9%)<ref name="Selig">{{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}}</ref>
|empty weight lb=101,500
|empty weight note=
|gross weight lb=156,000
|gross weight note=(54,500 lb/24,721 kg payload)
|max takeoff weight lb=170,000
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|lift lb=<!-- lighter-than-air -->
|lift note=
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=4
|eng1 name=[[Allison 501-D22C]]
|eng1 type=[[turboprop]] engines
|eng1 shp=4680
|eng1 kn=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
|eng1 lbf=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
|eng1 note=

|prop blade number=4
|prop name=constant-speed fully-feathering propellers
|prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia note=
<!--
        Performance
-->
|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=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling ft=25000
|ceiling note=certified
|g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
|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=<!--<br />
*'''Take-off run:''' {{cvt||ft|0}}
*'''Take-off distance to {{cvt|50|ft|0}}:''' {{cvt||ft|0}}
*'''Landing run:''' {{cvt||ft|0}}
*'''Landing distance from {{cvt|50|ft|0}}:''' {{cvt||ft|0}}-->
|avionics=
}}

==See also==
[[File:Aero Spacelines 377SGT Super Guppy Turbine, Airbus Skylink AN0592517.jpg|thumb|Super Guppy Turbine F-GDSG at Paris–Le Bourget Airport in 1984]]
{{Aircontent|
|related=
*[[Boeing B-29 Superfortress]]
*[[Boeing 377 Stratocruiser]]
*[[Boeing C-97]]
*[[Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy]]
*[[Aero Spacelines Mini Guppy]]
|similar aircraft=
*[[Airbus Beluga]]
*[[Airbus BelugaXL]]
*[[Boeing Dreamlifter]]
*[[Conroy Skymonster]]
*[[Myasishchev VM-T]]
}}

==References==
{{Reflist |refs=

<ref name="Janes">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/janesencyclopedi01tayl/page/176 |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation, Volume 1 |publisher=Jane's Publishing Company |location=London |first=Michael J. H. |last=Taylor |page=176 |year=1980 |isbn=0-7106-0710-5}}</ref>

<!-- Not in use
<ref name="aag">{{cite web |url=http://allaboutguppys.com/ |title=All About Guppies |access-date=April 1, 2011}}</ref>
Not in use-->

<ref name="sfnasa-jscsg">{{cite web |url=http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/assembly/superguppy/stats.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991006070213/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/assembly/superguppy/stats.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 6, 1999 |title=Johnson Space Center Super Guppy |work=NASA.gov |date=April 7, 2002 |access-date=July 18, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="elpaso20110804">{{cite news |url=http://www.elpasoinc.com/news/local_news/article_bd0dd738-beb1-11e0-bbd9-001a4bcf6878.html |title=After shuttle, NASA's plans for El Paso |work=El Paso Inc |first=Robert |last=Gray |date=August 4, 2011 |access-date=July 18, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="Mondey1981">{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of The World's Commercial and Private Aircraft |publisher=Crescent Books |location=New York |first=David |last=Mondey |page=9 |year=1981 |isbn=0-517-36285-6}}</ref>

}}

==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://www.nasa.gov/specials/jsc-aircraft-ops/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:Aero Spacelines aircraft|Super Guppy]]
[[Category:NASA aircraft]]
[[Category:1960s United States cargo aircraft]]
[[Category:Four-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Low-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Four-engined turboprop aircraft]]
[[Category:Boeing B-29 Superfortress|Guppy, Super]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1965]]
[[Category:Aircraft related to spaceflight]]