Grumman G-1159 Gulfstream II

The success of the Grumman Gulfstream I led to the development of an improved jet powered version in May 1965.  The G-II shares the forward fuselage with it’s turboprop powered predecessor but differs with a swept wing and tail and two rear mounted jet engines.  The G-II proved to be even more successful than the G-1 and over 250 were built.  The National Aeronautics and Space Administration uses several G-II’s for transport and experimental flights and two of them were converted to serve as pilot trainers for the Space Shuttle.  In those aircraft half of the G-II cockpit was replaced with an exact replica of the Shuttle’s cockpit and the aircraft was flown in such a way that it mimicked the flight characteristics of the Shuttle.

Manufacturer
Grumman

Markings
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, 2007

Designation
G-1159

Registration
N948NA

Serial Number
222