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The Airbus Beluga: World’s oddest-looking airplane?

September 16, 2013: Beluga Airbus 300-600ST Supertransporter Approaching Airbus Plant Finkenwerder'
September 16, 2013: Beluga Airbus 300-600ST Supertransporter Approaching Airbus Plant Finkenwerder'
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BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07:  An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft is loaded with wings at the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France.  (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631559
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft is loaded with wings at the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631559
Christopher Furlong Getty Images
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07:  An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft is loaded with wings at the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France.  (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631545
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft is loaded with wings at the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631545
Christopher Furlong, Getty Images
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07:  An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft is loaded with wings at the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France.  (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631568
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft is loaded with wings at the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631568
Christopher Furlong Getty Images
Birds fly past an Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft, loaded with wings, as it takes off from the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013, in Broughton, England. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France.  (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631528
Birds fly past an Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft, loaded with wings, as it takes off from the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013, in Broughton, England. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631528
Christopher Furlong, Getty Images
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07:  An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft, loaded with wings, takes off from the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France.  (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631566
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft, loaded with wings, takes off from the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631566
Christopher Furlong Getty Images
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07:  An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft, loaded with wings, as it takes off from the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France.  (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631571
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft, loaded with wings, as it takes off from the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631571
Christopher Furlong Getty Images
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07:  An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft, loaded with wings, as it takes off from the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France.  (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631543
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: An Airbus A300 Beluga aircraft, loaded with wings, as it takes off from the Airbus SAS wing assembly factory on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631543
Christopher Furlong, Getty Images
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07:  An exterior view of the Airbus SAS wing assembly plant on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France.  (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631567
BROUGHTON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: An exterior view of the Airbus SAS wing assembly plant on November 7, 2013 in Broughton, United Kingdom. The Airbus wing plant assembles the wings for all Airbus civil aircraft, including the new A350 XWB. The facility produces over 1,000 wings a year and employs more than 6,000 people. Completed wings are transported by the purpose built Beluga aircraft for final assembly in Toulouse or Hamburg. The giant A380 wings are transported by road and then by river craft to Mostyn harbour, where they are loaded onto a custom-built roll-on, roll-off ferry for the trip to France. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 187470391 ORIG FILE ID: 187631567
Christopher Furlong, Getty Images
The Airbus Super Transporter at the Berlin Air Show on Sept. 14, 2012.
The Airbus Super Transporter at the Berlin Air Show on Sept. 14, 2012.
Getty Images
The cockpit of an Airbus A400M military transport airplane is unloaded from an Airbus A300-600 ST "Beluga" at the airport in the eastern German city of Dresden on January 5, 2010.
The cockpit of an Airbus A400M military transport airplane is unloaded from an Airbus A300-600 ST "Beluga" at the airport in the eastern German city of Dresden on January 5, 2010.
Norbert Millauer, AFP/Getty Images
A Beluga Super Transporter, used to transport large aircraft parts between the EADS and Airbus Factories in different European countries, leaves the Airbus plant at Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport in Germany, with another Beluga in the background.
A Beluga Super Transporter, used to transport large aircraft parts between the EADS and Airbus Factories in different European countries, leaves the Airbus plant at Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport in Germany, with another Beluga in the background.
Getty Images
Two cockpit elements are unloaded from an Airbus Beluga at the Airbus plant at Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport in Germany.
Two cockpit elements are unloaded from an Airbus Beluga at the Airbus plant at Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport in Germany.
Getty Images
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