Please feel free to contact us via Email with any requests or inquiries you may have. If you would like to talk with me please include your phone number.
If you have any information about any photo or page and would like to add your comments please do so in the “Write a comment” area under that particular photo. Your comments will come to me prior to being posted. Your input is welcome!
UPDATE NEWS
August 9, 2014
Two updates have been added.
The first update is to the CL-44 Construction page which now has a total of over 200 photos. The page is now titled “N447T CL-44 Construction”. The photos were taken in 1969 on the East side of hangar one at Santa Barbara Airport. They cover the complete photographic history of the construction process of the last Guppy conversion performed by Jack Conroy.
The second update is titled “CL-44 Flight Test Damage”. This page has the list of damage dated 4/8/1970 and the corresponding photographs that occurred during the test flight.
A few planned updates are to include Airbus, artwork and magazine articles.
It has been brought to my attention that Jack Conroy has been nominated for induction to the Aviation Hall of Fame. I’ve contacted them and they have copied pages from this site to add to his file for the induction process. We all hope that this honor to Jack and his legacy will happen.
July 3, 2014
Many photos have been added to the Stolifter and CL-44 pages.
The Stolifter page includes many more construction photos and several of its recovery and repair after it went into the Pacific Ocean shortly after takeoff from Santa Barbara Airport for its intended trip to Paris.
The “CL-44 N447T Construction” page was added to the CL-44 main page. There are about 120 photos which were taken in 1969 and show the progression of its modification.
These pages were added a few days ago and I quickly received an email from Patrick Dean letting me know that I missed a few photos of the CL-44. I had sent him some photos for his research and he informed me that those were not included in the page. I checked my files and sure enough I had missed a complete file of 70 or so photos. Many of those photos are being integrated into the page and should be posted soon.
Patrick Dean is currently researching a book on “Guppy Class” aircraft that has a working title of “Heavy Lift Hybrid and Guppies, The Evolution of Volumetric Aircraft” to be published by McFarland & Company. It‘s in the same style and format as his current book “The ATL-98 Carvair, A Comprehensive History.” The Guppy book will review all “Guppy Class” aircraft built to date and include the “Conroy Class” B-377 and CL-44, A300 Beluga, 747 LCF the ATL-98 Carvair and several others.
June 28, 2014
The Turbo Three page has been updated which includes a page of photos of the Super Turbo Three. Most of the Turbo Three photos are of its construction. All photos are prior to the addition of the third engine.
An Albatross page was added.
The Stolifter page will be updated soon. The CL-44 is in the works.
June 21, 2014
I was able to collect more photos and negatives for the site. I think there are about 400 to 500 photos in the collection. Most are negatives so I’ve spent many hours scanning and should have some good updates posted soon.
This collection is from Clyde Bourgeois and was given to Bob Kirby for the use in his book about Jack Conroy called “Aviation Visionary”. Shy Bourgeois and Bob Kirby graciously released the collection to me to post for the world to enjoy.
The updates will include a new section on the Albatross, more photos of the two Turbo Three modifications and of the Stolifter construction. There are also photos of the Stolifter after it crashed in the Pacific Ocean off the Santa Barbara coast just after takeoff for a planned trip to the Paris Air Show.
A large majority of the photos are of the construction of CL-44 N447T. This was the only CL-44 converted into a Guppy by Jack Conroy. The CL-44 is now in the UK and is undergoing restoration.
Another addition to the CL-44 page will include a list with corresponding photos of the damage that happened during a test flight that was to demonstrate the ability to go to VNE. The aircraft began to shake with what appeared to be tail flutter. The aircraft proceeded to Edwards AFB where repairs were completed. I located these photos in the original collection that I salvaged in 1994.
Guppy Photos 
i met henry fechtman the other day at the high sierra. he was a special man who was full of history with this area.. glad to run into him.. i hope to see him again now that the high sierra will be changing hands soon. i am looking forward to your opening soon. thanks for doing what your doing..
bruce heitz a goleta guy.