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Author
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Topic: Photo of the week 291 (May 29, 2010)
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heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 05-30-2010 11:57 PM
   
 Boeing technicians install one of the aft support struts for the Shuttle orbiter on top of the Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft in August 1976, in preparation for the Approach and Landing Test program with the Enterprise at the Dryden Flight Research Center. Ed Hengeveld |
sts205cdr
Member Posts: 649
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Jun 2001
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posted 06-01-2010 02:42 PM
I seem to recall seeing a notice painted near the strut that read something like:"Attach Orbiter black side down" --John |
star51L
Member Posts: 340
From: Vilano Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 06-01-2010 03:03 PM
I remember that, thought it was funny as heck! |
gliderpilotuk
Member Posts: 3398
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 06-03-2010 02:44 AM
This is a massive piece of structure to place on the thin outside skin of the 747. Anyone know what sort of bracing was required INSIDE the aircraft to enable the fuselage to bear the weight, considering that it had to carry the full Enterprise mass on the ground and then bear the extra lift forces when airborne? |
Henk Boshuijer
Member Posts: 450
From: Netherlands
Registered: May 2007
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posted 06-03-2010 05:17 PM
Great photograph. Still looking for pictures of the Enterprise Flight Deck and Mid Deck. So far I was unsuccessful. |
Michael Davis
Member Posts: 528
From: Houston, Texas
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 06-03-2010 05:35 PM
I just have to ask, was the "black side down" sign a really great joke, or did some over zealous bureaucrat decide that this precaution was required? |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 06-03-2010 05:40 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Henk Boshuijer:
Great photograph. Still looking for pictures of the Enterprise Flight Deck and Mid Deck. So far I was unsuccessful.
I believe the book "Enterprise," which has a foreword by Michael Collins, has a depiction of Enterprise's instrument panels. |
gliderpilotuk
Member Posts: 3398
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 06-04-2010 05:02 AM
I think you refer to: "Shuttle: The World's First Spaceship" written by Robert M. Powers in 1979, f'ward by Collins. |
ea757grrl
Member Posts: 729
From: South Carolina
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 06-04-2010 10:45 AM
Page 68 of "Shuttle" by Powers has a nice picture of the flight deck of Enterprise. In contrast, Dennis Jenkins' "Space Shuttle: The First 100 Missions" has a few shots of the interior of Enterprise in its more recent somewhat stripped state, including a cockpit view from roughly the same point as the photo in Powers' book."Shuttle" is an interesting book, not just for its 1979 view of the Shuttle program, but because it has a lot of interesting pictures I've never really seen elsewhere. Well worth having, if you can find a copy. I've seen at least one non-flight-deck interior picture of NASA 905 on Airliners.net, but it was looking forward into what used to be the first-class cabin. I have yet to see any pictures showing any internal modifications made to support the Orbiter. But, according to Jenkins' "Space Shuttle," permanent modifications to the 747 included the installation of bulkheads to strengthen the fuselage, skin reinforcements at critical stress areas, and reinforcement of the horizontal stabilizer structure, among other things. (Pages 196-202 go into very good detail on NASA 905 and NASA 911 and have many great pictures, including a neat pre-ALT picture of NASA 905 wearing the yellow tail band.) |
gliderpilotuk
Member Posts: 3398
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 06-04-2010 12:36 PM
Thanks, I just picked up a nearly new copy of "Shuttle" on Amazon for $1! There are a few on eBay too. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 06-05-2010 10:30 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Henk Boshuijer:
Great photograph. Still looking for pictures of the Enterprise Flight Deck and Mid Deck. So far I was unsuccessful.
Henk, I have several of those. Contact me if you want them. |
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