Aero Spacelines Mini Guppy

The Aero Spacelines Mini Guppy was a purpose‑built, wide‑body cargo transport derived from the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser airframe. In 1968 Aero Spacelines began converting a surplus Stratocruiser into a short‑fuselage “Mini” version to meet NASA’s growing demand for oversized freight. The prototype, registration N725NA, made its first flight on 23 May 1970 and entered commercial service in 1971, later followed by a second machine equipped with turbofan powerplants that became known as the Mini Guppy Turbine. Its most distinctive feature was a greatly enlarged, bulging cargo bay that measured roughly 73 feet in length and 13 feet in diameter, allowing it to carry large spacecraft structures, rocket stages, and massive industrial components that would not fit in conventional freighters. The aircraft was powered by four Pratt & Whitney T34 turboprops (later PW‑PT6 turbofans) and featured a rear‑hinged cargo door for straight‑through loading. Over a service life of more than three decades the Mini Guppy supported the Apollo program, the Viking Mars landers, and numerous commercial satellite projects, proving the practicality of dedicated “super‑freight” aircraft. Its success directly inspired the later Super Guppy and today stands as a milestone in the evolution of heavy‑cargo aviation.

Aero Spacelines

Aero Spacelines Mini Guppy

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