Did you know?

Vought built the aft fuselage of the B-1B Lancer? The aft intermediate and aft sections were produced in Texas and shipped to Palmdale, California for assembly on the B-1Bs. Basically aft of the wing box with the exception of the tail cone, vertical and horizontal stabilizers were constructed by Vought.

Here are some images of an aft intermediate section being unloaded from Super Guppy N940NS at Palmdale. This is the first delivery to support the B-1B program. Notice the gathering in the hangar including a film crew that are visible in some of the photos.

Super Guppy in position

Cargo section open on the Super Guppy and the loading platform moved into position

 The aft intermediate section of the B-1 is moving forward onto the platform

The aft intermediate section is completely on the platform.

 Nice side view of the after intermediate section on the platform

 Final view with the aft intermediate section preparing to be towed away from the Super Guppy.

It is not clear how many sections were transported by air. Rail was the economic, preferred method of transportation. There were specially designed rail cars for transporting the B-1 sections. I will gather some up for a later post. Vought's other subcontract work like S-3 Viking sections and 747/757/767 tail assemblies all ride the rail.

This was yet another example of an interesting payload carried by Super Guppy aircraft.
Photos from the VAHF Archives.

Flag Plane SBU-1 Bureau Number 9815

Here is another excellent example of a Flag Plane for a Senior US Naval officer.
This SBU-1 (9815) photographed about four years after the SU-2 I posted in a earlier installment. (here)

Chance Vought photo of SBU-1 9815 on April 10, 1936.

The aircraft is Admiral Blue with Aluminum tail surfaces. It differs from a standard SBU-1 having wheel pants, a rank placard holder on the fuselage side and changes to the rear cockpit. Unlike the SU-2 photos there is no hiding the tailhook on this beauty!