Categories: Spacecraft : Boeing : US Air Force : 747 : Dragon
Boeing 747 Piggyback Transporter with Enterprise Space Shuttle (1:400 scale by Dragon DR56183)
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The Space Shuttle Enterprise (OV-101) was the first Space Shuttle orbiter commissioned in 1976. It was a significant craft built for NASA used purely for atmospheric test flights and it never flew in space but it was crucial to the Space Shuttle programme. Enterprise was originally to be named Constitution but the US President Gerald Ford requested that NASA change the name of it from Constitution to Enterprise in honour of the original series - Star Trek. The 747 was extensively modified by Boeing in 1976, its cabin was stripped, mounting struts added and the fuselage strengthened; vertical stabilizers were added to the tail to aid stability when the Orbiter was being carried. The avionics and engines were also upgraded and an escape tunnel system similar to that used on Boeing's first 747 test flights was added. The flight crew escape tunnel system was later removed following the completion of the Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) due to concerns over possible engine ingestion of an escaping crew member!
1:400 scale (approx. 15cm wingspan) - made by Dragon.
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