Air - Super Guppy No.1

Had the opportunity to venture inside this today. I'm sure it's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside:

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The exception to, "If it looks right, it will fly right"? ; )

Nice shots! I've always wanted to see one of these up close.

How did that ever fly??

Im still amazed these can fly without helium. I wonder what the power-to-size ratio this plane has compared to a normal shaped aircraft? I would guess the engines would have to be a bit overkill to keep it flying. You would think there would be a lotttt of drag.

I'm guessing its parked at a museum right?

Mark H

Yes - it's at Bruntingthorpe Aviation Museum (UK), well its actally out doors, allthough there are a couple of English Electric Lightenings in their own hanger.

Have a look around the area where we parked up (I arrived with my friend in the red Landrover): Photosynth (Scrolly/zoomy panarama)

I was invited by a volunteer, although I believe there is an "open day" each Sunday for a small fee - some of the exibits are open, in that you can climb into the cockpits (and bash your knees or head). A couple of days of the year they do a "fast taxi" of the working jets down the 3k (almost 2 mile) runway, and later in the year there is a "twilight run".

I'm not really an aircraft enthusiast (My Father being in the RAF did'nt rub off on me), but the knowledgeable staff and volunteers can really paint a picture. I doff my cap to the guys who flew these things.

Lawrence

Great shots!


Wow, that think is archaic!

It's always nice to be able to record anything that was a No.1 because they tend to disappear so quickly. Nice job.

Hillbille

Really neat set. I would love to see one in flight.

Nice panorama shot! Did you use the GigaPan to make it? Looks like a very nice collection at the museum.

used to see those all the time at Manchester Airport years ago, must dig out my film prints.

Brian - no special hardware, just the Sigma at 17mm on the 7D, 3-way head (tilted over to portrait) and a Manfrotto.

Processed through DPP to TIF, resized in Paint Shop Pro X4 to JPG, stiched in Microsoft ICE and uploaded to Photosynth.

Lawrence

Five of these extreme variations on the Boeing B-29 were constructed by Aero Spacelines and others.

They fly but not very quickly. When NASA was delivering parts of the shuttle simulator to the Seattle Museum of Flight they used one of these to move the parts. Seem to recall that it took three days to get here, I'm assuming from Florida, and wasn't the most agile thing once it was on the ground. It parked on our flightline but all I have are some cruddy cell phone snaps from outside the fence since we're not allowed cameras on company property.

Found the pic from my cell phone...funny story about the plywood in the blue crew shelter on the left side of the pic. The Blue Angels park on our flightline when they come up for the Seattle Sea Fair. The way they line up the exhaust from number 1 and 2 are pointed towards that crew shelter and a few guys were standing in the doorway watching them taxi. Engines spool up and blow directly into the crew shelter. Popped the windows right out of the building, hence the plywood. Guess the guys didn't see that one coming.

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