Tinker History Office photo

The Aero Spacelines Inc.’s B-377PG “Pregnant Guppy” shown at Tinker Air Force Base in the mid-1960s with well-worn markings as the aircraft provided outsized cargo transport in support of the Apollo program. Barely visible on the nose is the wording, “Largest Airplane In The World.” The C-97 variant was flown to NASA’s Dryden facility at Edwards Air Force Base for tests and evaluation by pilots Joe Vensel and Stan Butchart in October 1962. The outsized cargo aircraft incorporated the wings, engines, lower fuselage and tail from a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser with a huge upper fuselage more than 20 feet in diameter. The modified aircraft was built primarily to carry portions of the Saturn 5 rockets from the manufacturer to Cape Canaveral.

PHOTO BY: Tinker History Office photo

VIRIN: 190719-F-AF789-1001.JPG

FULL SIZE: 1.09 MB

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IMAGE IS PUBLIC DOMAIN

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