B377PG
Image source: wikipedia.com
Aero Spaceline’s B377PG is known as the Pregnant Guppy because of its bloated appearance. Aero Spaceline built the Pregnant Guppy in the United States. It flew for the first time in 1962.
The Pregnant Guppy was manufactured to meet the cargo transporting needs of NASA to fulfill their missions. This plane shipped large rocket stages to contractor facilities. The Guppy assisted NASA in reaching launch schedules beginning with the Apollo Program moon missions. Before air transport, boats were the only means of moving rocket stages. The Guppy sliced months off of NASA’s schedules.
The Guppy helped Aero Spacelines fly over two million miles for NASA’s Apollo, Gemini, and Skylab programs.
Aero Spacelines capitalized on its need in the marketplace by developed a larger new aircraft model to succeed the Pregnant Guppy. In 1965, the Super Guppy took flight. Aero Spacelines’ Guppy planes inspired the future design of the Airbus Beluga.
