Dolphin-shaped plane
 

Am new to Flyertalk so am not sure if I am posting in the right place. I was in the Chester/Liverpool/Manchester area (UK) today and noticed an all-white plane flying around as though pilot training. Very big. No livery painted on it, upturns at the end of the wings and a small set of 'wings' near the rear. My immediate reaction was, it looked like flying dolphin. Anyone know what this could be?

Is this it?

If so, do a search here on FT for Beluga. It is an interesting plane.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_Beluga

Yes, it could very well be. I thought it odd though, that it was completely white with no airline markings of any kind.

Since Travel News is for

I'm going to move this to Travel Buzz

cblaisd
Moderator, Travel News

It could have been the Antonov 225, I know that it's been in and out of Manchester a few times this month! (See link below) :)

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=an...&client=safari

looks like an A300 that has been modified as a freighter to transport sections of the A380 fuselage from wherever they are built to the Airbus assembly line in Toulouse

Boeing has a handful of 747s that serve a similar function on the 787 program (look up 747LCF, Dreamlifter)

edit Beluga has been used to ferry Airbus aircraft components between sites since 1995, as well as other outsize cargo on a charter basis ... it was initially built to replace the Super Guppy fleet (ex-NASA converted Boeing Stratocruisers)

The aircraft shown is used to transport wing segments from the Airbus factory at Broughton near Chester

This was spotted in ANC a day or two ago....

Thank you, mdevans, we were on the motorway not far from Broughton when we spotted it. Looks like its the plane used to transport wing parts. I knew someone on this forum would know!

I've seen it while driving along the M56 - you do definitely give it a second look!

not sure if this is creative marketing or creative use of Photoshop
http://farm1.staticflickr.com/153/35...445_z.jpg?zz=1

First time I saw the Dreamlifter was at Boeing Field in Seattle...just driving by on my way from SEA into the city. It was bright green at the time.

Love it!!

^^^^

There's often a Dreamlifter parked in Charleston SC. I've yet to see one take off or land though.

A unit of C-17 Globemasters are stationed at the same airport and even they look small by comparison to this.

Yes it is the Airbus Beluga, one of the ugliest Airbuses out there, lol but great for accommodating cargo and pax. :)