The Snapshots in Time Collection

Aero Spacelines 'Guppy' Outsized-Cargo Aircraft with Hinged Nose Open, Early 1960s

Aero Spacelines 'Guppy' Outsized-Cargo Aircraft with Hinged Nose Open, Early 1960s

This photograph shows one of the remarkable 'Guppy' series of outsized-cargo aircraft developed by Aero Spacelines from Boeing Stratocruiser airframes. With its hinged nose swung open, the aircraft reveals the enormous cargo bay that allowed it to transport oversized rocket stages and spacecraft components for NASA during the 1960s Space Race, a vital but often overlooked link in America's journey to the Moon. Project: 218474