The largest propeller-driven aircraft. The largest passenger and cargo aircraft in the world. Rating of the fastest planes in the world. "Mriya" and small cars

The dimensions of the first aircraft with an engine were more than modest. Its length was 6.4 meters and its height was 2.7 meters. Flyer 1, designed and built back in 1903 by the Wright brothers, was capable of lifting only one person into the air. The wingspan of the first aircraft was just over 12 meters, and the wing area was 47 square meters. Of course, aviation has come a long way since then. Modern airliners amaze with their dimensions, power, and carrying capacity. The most large planes in the world are capable of transporting several hundred tons of cargo, and passenger giants carry more than 800 passengers per flight. Let's talk about the heavyweights of modern aviation.

Leader in wing length

Before moving on to the giants, let's remember the unique Hughes H-4 Hercules. It is he who has held the lead in wingspan for more than 70 years, and only the modern Airbus A380-800 has equaled it in height.

The aircraft has a complicated history. At the beginning of World War II, the US government ordered Hughes Aircraft to build an amphibious aircraft for cargo and passenger transportation. Yes, he had to not only fly, but also be able to swim. the main objective, stated by the customer - to spend a minimum of strategic raw materials, that is, to make it not from metal, but from wood.

The "flying boat" was intended to be the largest aircraft in existence. But the search for an ideal solution dragged on, and the amphibious aircraft was built only two years after the end of the war. The device, which received the famous nickname “Spruce Goose,” was made entirely of plywood. It is estimated that the development and construction of the aircraft required $22 million from the US budget, with another $18 million contributed by company owner Howard Hughes.

The dimensions of the Hercules were seven times greater than those of any aircraft. The length was 66.45 meters, height - 24 meters, and wingspan - 97.5 meters. It weighed 136 tons, the carrying capacity was 59 tons. The flying boat was capable of carrying more than 700 soldiers.

According to the project, the aircraft could reach speeds of up to 378 km/h, gain an altitude of more than seven thousand meters and fly 5.6 thousand km. But it was never possible to test its extreme capabilities. The Hercules made its first and only experimental flight in November 1947 in Los Angeles Harbor. After making several passes around the harbor, the amphibious aircraft took off from the water and flew about two kilometers at an altitude of 21 meters and a speed of about 120 km/h. After a perfectly perfect landing, the Hercules returned to its hangar, where it was maintained in working order until 1976. Today you can see the wooden giant at the Oregon State Museum in the USA.

Passenger transportation record holders

Among the largest modern aircraft in the segment passenger air transportation There are two competing aircraft models: the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A380. The first holds the palm in terms of length, the second has become the undisputed leader in capacity.

Leader in size

The longest passenger airliner today is the Boeing 747-8. It is also the largest commercial aircraft ever built in the United States.

The wide-body, double-deck Boeing 747-8 is almost a meter longer than the previous leader, the Airbus A340-600. The fuselage length is 76 meters, height - more than 19 meters. The wingspan of this giant is almost 68.5 meters.

The airliner was announced in 2005, and the first flight took place five years later. Its key differences from previous Boeing 747 models were the extended fuselage, new wing, engines and on-board systems. Significant improvements have led to it becoming the quietest and most economical airliner in the family. Business card The Boeing, the hump at the front of the hull, remains; this is where the upper deck is located.

The ship can accommodate up to 581 passengers. The airliner is capable of traveling up to 14.1 thousand kilometers at a speed of 917 km/h. The maximum speed of the Boeing 747-8 reaches 950 km/h, which makes it the leader among subsonic passenger airliners.

The Boeing 747-8 is available in three versions: cargo, passenger and presidential. Today, the longest aircraft in the world are used by Air China, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific Airways, UPS Airlines and others. It is he who holds the lead in orders for VIP versions of the aircraft, intended for flights of top officials of the state, statesmen and politicians.

Record holder for passenger capacity

For 37 years, the leadership in three parameters: size, weight and capacity was held by the passenger Boeing 747. Everything changed in 2005, when the Airbus A380 took off into the sky. Since then, it has held the lead in passenger capacity.

The aircraft can carry up to 853 passengers at a time, while the Boeing 747 can accommodate up to 600 people.

It took about ten years and 12 billion euros to develop the airliner. As stated by Airbus S.A.S, in order to recoup the project, 420 aircraft need to be sold. At the end of 2017, 317 aircraft were ordered, more than 220 of them are already in service with airlines.

The A380 made its first commercial flight in 2007 from Singapore to Sydney under the flag Singapore Airlines. In honor of this event, passengers were treated to champagne and presented with memorable certificates.

The record holder’s dimensions are no less impressive: height 24 meters, length almost 73 meters, wingspan almost 80 meters. It weighs 280 tons, and can lift the same amount. The most difficult question, according to the developers, was how to make such a giant as light as possible. To solve the problem during construction, lightweight composite materials were used.

Despite its size, the A380 is the most economical among the giants, fuel consumption is 20% lower than the Boeing 747. It can travel up to 15.4 thousand kilometers without landing at a speed of 1020 km/h.

Heavyweights in the world of aviation

Let's move on to the largest and heaviest cargo aircraft. The line of leaders here has not changed since the 80s of the last century, when the An-225 entered the “pedestal”. Among the production versions of cargo models, its prototype, the An-124, holds the lead. Although American aircraft designers are already catching up with the leaders with their latest developments.

Record holder for cargo transportation

The An-225, called “Mriya” (“Dream”), is officially recognized as the most load-lifting aircraft in the world. The pinnacle of thought of Soviet designers set about 250 world records, many of which have not been surpassed to this day.

The An-225 was designed and built at the Antonov Design Bureau. The aircraft was intended to solve specific problems during the implementation of the Soviet space program "Buran". In particular, it was supposed to transport heavy components of the spacecraft and launch vehicle, and also be used as the first stage of the spacecraft launch system.

The designers took the An-124 as a basis, this gave it the qualities of a universal cargo aircraft. And fundamental improvements have made it possible to achieve record carrying capacity: Mriya can transport up to 250 tons over a distance of up to four thousand kilometers.

The An-225 made its first flight in 1988, and a year later the demonstration of its capabilities created a sensation at the Paris Air Exhibition.

The An-225 is amazing in size. Its length is 84 meters, its height is more than 18 meters (the height of a five-story building), and its wingspan exceeds 88 meters. The empty weight of the aircraft is 250 tons.

"Mriya" is capable of transporting super-heavy loads both in a sealed cabin and outside on the fuselage. The length of the cargo compartment is 43 meters, width - 6.4 meters, height - 4.4 meters. This area will freely accommodate 50 cars. The second deck accommodates 6 crew members and 88 passengers.

Today, “Mriya” exists in a single copy. The aircraft is used to transport cargo and carry out rescue operations. The second aircraft was planned for release, but remained in a half-assembled state. Due to the lack of a customer, the completion and modernization of the second An-225 is still in question.

Largest serial heavyweight

Of the mass-produced heavyweights, another development of the Design Bureau named after them is considered the most load-lifting in the world. Antonov An-124, or "Ruslan". Before the advent of the Airbus A380, its size was second only to the Boeing 747.

"Ruslan" was originally created for military purposes. With its help they planned to transport ballistic missile launch systems, heavy military equipment and military personnel. The first test of Ruslan took place in 1982. For three years it was used exclusively in the interests of the army. The heavyweight was capable of transporting up to 120 tons of cargo, up to 440 paratroopers or 880 soldiers with equipment.

Since 1985, Ruslan switched to servicing civil transportation, making the first “delivery” of a 152-ton mining dump truck from Vladivostok to Yakutia. Among the unusual “orders”, it is worth noting the delivery of 140 tons of equipment from the legendary Pink Floyd from London to Moscow, and the transportation of more than 50 tons of gold from the UAE to Switzerland. Michael Jackson also took advantage of the Ruslans' capabilities, transporting 310 tons of his cargo on three aircraft.

In terms of size, the An-124 is somewhat shorter than the Mriya (69 meters), but taller (21 meters). The wingspan exceeds 73 meters. The empty weight of the aircraft is 178 tons.

On the upper deck there are crew cabins (for 8 people) and two passenger cabins (7+21 people). The lower deck is a sealed cargo compartment that is shorter in length than the An-225 and is 36.5 meters.

Production of Ruslans was stopped in 2004. A total of 55 aircraft of this model were produced. Afterwards, some of them were modernized: the fuselage and wing were updated, some systems and units were replaced, and the carrying capacity was increased.

“Ruslans” can transport cargo up to 120 tons over a distance of 4.8 thousand kilometers. If the load is three times lighter, the flight range will be up to 12 thousand kilometers. The maximum speed that the liner can reach is 865 km/h.

Western analogue of An-124

The closest competitor to the Russian serial heavyweight considered to be the American military transport aircraft Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. It is the third largest air transportation giant in the world in terms of cargo capacity after Mriya and Ruslan.

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy made its first flight in 1968. Quite soon it became the main means of transporting military forces and equipment to places of military operations. In total, several modifications of the aircraft were produced. The latest - C-5M Super Galaxy - is capable of transporting almost 130 tons of cargo (for comparison, this is how much 150 Volkswagen Beetle cars weigh in total).

The height of the hull here is almost 20 meters, the length is 75.5 meters, and the wingspan is 67.9 meters.

The size of the aircraft is no less impressive than its capabilities. The length of the aircraft is 75.5 meters, height - almost 20 meters, wingspan - just under 68 meters. The cargo compartment, 37 meters long and 5.8 meters in diameter, can accommodate 270 soldiers and another 118 tons of payload. On the upper deck there is a crew cabin for five people and seats for passengers. The flight range with maximum load is 5.5 thousand kilometers at a speed of up to 888 km/h.

Promising giant

Aircraft designers never tire of competing to produce giants. Thus, in 2011, the largest twin-fuselage transport aircraft, the Stratolaunch Model 351, developed by Scaled Composites, was announced and six years later presented. The new Titan, with a wingspan of 117 meters, surpasses both the Mriya and even the famous Hercules.

The length of the aircraft is more than 72 meters with a height of 15 meters. According to the project, it will be able to lift up to 250 tons of cargo on an external sling. The Stratolaunch Model 351 is intended to be a platform for air-launched missiles.

The aircraft is currently undergoing the necessary testing. Its commissioning is planned for 2019.

Not really yet long history aviation is replete with episodes when different countries, V different time and for various reasons, gigantomania became a military fashion, leading to the construction of huge flying machines. This material presents 10 such aircraft built over the past three quarters of a century.

1. Junkers Ju 390

This aircraft was built in Germany on the basis of the four-engine Junkers Ju 290 in 1943 and was intended for use as a heavy transport, maritime patrol aircraft, and strategic bomber. The Germans planned to build 26 similar aircraft, with which, in theory, it was possible to bomb even the territory of the United States, but in reality they were able to build only two machines. The aircraft's wingspan was 50.3 meters, its length was 34.2 meters, and its flight range was up to 9,700 kilometers.

2. AntonovAn-225 "Mriya"»

The An-225 Mriya aircraft was developed by the Antonov design bureau in the 1980s. It is the longest (84 meters) and heaviest (maximum take-off weight 640 tons) aircraft ever built. "Mriya" was originally created to transport the reusable spacecraft "Buran", as well as various large-sized components of the launch vehicle from the production site to the launch site, and was produced in a single copy (the second copy is approximately 70% ready since Soviet times at the plant "Antonov"). After the completion of the Energia-Buran program, the An-225 was mothballed for eight years. In the early 2000s, the aircraft was restored by Ukrainian companies, and currently it performs commercial cargo transportation.


3. MesserschmittMe 323 "Gigant"


The German Messerschmitt Me 323 was the largest production land aircraft of World War II. In total, just over 200 of them were built. It was designed and built in preparation for the planned invasion of Great Britain. Initially it was created as a heavy glider Me 321, but in 1941 it was decided to build a version of this glider with a motor. With a payload capacity of up to 23 tons, this aircraft with fabric and plywood skins was used by the Germans mainly to supply troops in North Africa, although I also met on the Eastern Front.


4. Blohm & Voss BV 238


This German flying boat with a wingspan of 60.17 meters made its first flight in March 1944 and was built in a single copy. The Blohm & Voss BV 238 was the largest aircraft built to date, and, ironically, the largest aircraft destroyed during World War II. The plane was based on Lake Schalsee in northern Germany and was sunk in September 1944 as a result of an attack by a group of American P-51 Mustang fighters. According to another version, it was destroyed by British Hawker Typhoon in May 1945.

5. MartinJ.R.M.Mars


The large Martin JRM Mars transport seaplane was built in limited numbers (1 prototype and 6 production) for the US Navy during World War II. It was created as a “flying dreadnought” - a long-range patrol aircraft. After the war, the four surviving Mars, written off for scrap in 1959, were bought by Canadian timber merchants and converted into flying tankers for fighting forest fires. After 2012, there is still one Martin JRM Mars in service.

6. Convair B-36 Peacemaker


XB-36 prototype (right) next to a B-29 Superfortress

The B-36 Peacemaker is an American intercontinental bomber, the largest combat aircraft in the history of aviation in terms of wingspan (70.1 meters). The first flight took place in August 1946. A total of 384 aircraft were built.

7. ConvairXC-99


The XC-99 is an American prototype heavy cargo aircraft built using parts from the B-36 bomber. Built in a single copy, it made its first flight on November 24, 1947, and in 1949 it entered service with the US Air Force. During the Korean War, the XC-99 made intercontinental flights in the interests of the US Army. The last flight was performed on March 19, 1957.

8. Boeing B-52 Stratofortress


The B-52 intercontinental strategic bomber made its first flight in April 1952 and replaced the Convair B-36. Being one of the main means of delivery of American nuclear weapons, The B-52 participated in several military conflicts, during which only conventional weapons were used from its board. The US Air Force plans to operate the B-52 until at least the 2040s. The aircraft's wingspan is 56.39 meters.

Aviation has long been part of our lives; air transportation, like airplanes, has already become something commonplace and familiar. However, there are planes whose appearance will impress anyone who sees them. These are the largest planes. Their apparent power, wingspan, and size are amazing.

The brightest representatives

The largest aircraft in the world, of course, is not a combat vehicle, fighter or attack aircraft, but a transport one. Its task is to deliver large and heavy cargo or a sufficiently large number of passengers by air. Among the dozens of giants there are both military aircraft and huge passenger airliners. In the top there are cars that have remained only in history, but most of the places are taken by modern aircraft that successfully plow the airspace.

It is the largest aircraft built before World War II. It was made by Soviet aircraft manufacturers. Its wingspan was 63 m, and the length of the vessel was 33 m. The release of ANT-20 was timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the literary career of the famous writer. Its crew consisted of 20 people, and greatest number passengers - 70 people. This passenger plane first saw the sky on June 17, 1934 during a test flight.

The interior design of the ship included not only the usual passenger seats, but also such delights as a library, laboratory, printing house, sleeping places inside the wings of a giant. The aircraft was powered by 8 engines capable of accelerating it to 275 km/h and providing a flight of up to 1 thousand km. Its maximum take-off weight was 53 tons.

The main areas of its use were:

The fate of the ANT-20, produced in a single copy, is tragic - in 1935 it crashed, killing all passengers and crew.

In terms of wingspan (98 m), this seaplane, made mostly of wood, still holds the record. This 136-ton colossus was adapted to transport an entire army over long distances - 750 soldiers with full equipment. It owes its creation in the 40s to the eccentric tycoon Howard Hughes. The use of wood was caused by a shortage of aluminum. The seaplane made its first flight in 1947. Currently, its only copy has turned into a museum, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year.

For the American army, this military aircraft has long become a living legend. The US Air Force's Stratospheric Fortress first flew in 1952, but the aircraft is planned to be removed from service only in 2040. The B-52 was originally designed as a strategic nuclear bomber. It was subsequently modified to become a multifunctional aircraft. Its maximum take-off weight is 220 tons, and its wingspan is 56.4 m.

This is one of the Russian-made air combat vehicles included in the list of the most prominent representatives military aviation. Currently, the Tu-160 or “White Swan” is considered the most powerful and largest supersonic aircraft. It is also the largest bomber. This is the largest aircraft with variable wing geometry. This military giant has a record take-off weight for this class of aircraft - 275 tons, and its wingspan is 55 m.

Total Russian service air force There are 16 Tu-160s. The main armament of the White Swan is long-range cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. It is also possible to equip the vehicle with free-falling bombs. The maximum flight range without refueling is also impressive - almost 14 thousand km.

This is the largest passenger aircraft (serial), the capacity of this colossus is 853 passengers for cars with one class of service and 525 passengers for aircraft with three classes of service. Its maximum take-off weight is 575 tons. This huge airliner, 73 m long with a wingspan of about 80 m, made its first flight in 2007.

To reduce the weight of an aircraft, parts made of composite materials are widely used during its manufacture. It is considered the most economical big liner, since it consumes 3 liters per 100 km per passenger. The Airbus A-380-800 is capable of non-stop flights of up to 15 thousand km.

Before the advent of the Airbus A-380, it was the largest double-deck widebody passenger airliner. The aircraft of its latest, longest modification, 747-8 (76.3 m), can accommodate up to 581 passengers, making it the longest passenger airliner in the world. Boeing 747s have been flying for 45 years.

The maximum take-off weight of the Boeing 747-8 is 442 tons. Due to its size and shape, the aircraft received the unofficial name Jumbo Jet. The flight range of the aircraft with a maximum load is about 14 thousand km. The giant's wingspan is 68 m.

The An-22 Antey turboprop wide-body cargo aircraft still remains the largest in its class, despite the fact that it made its first flight back in 1965. Its wingspan is 64 m, the maximum take-off weight is 225 tons. The aircraft is designed to transport cargo (including airborne military equipment) with accompanying specialists, the wounded, paratroopers, and soldiers.

Until the giants of the Antonov Design Bureau appeared, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy was the largest cargo aircraft. The military transport aircraft made its first flight in 1968. Currently, the Americans are in service with 19 transport aircraft of the C-5M Super Galaxy modification, by 2018 their number is expected to increase to 53. The wingspan of the aircraft is 67.9 m, and the length of the vessel is 75.5 m. Its maximum take-off weight is 381 T.

The answer to the question of which aircraft was able to take the palm from the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy lies on the surface. Of course, this is a machine designed by a competitor on the world stage at the time. In 1982, the American record was broken by the brainchild of the Soviet military-industrial complex, the An-124 Ruslan. Its maximum take-off weight is 392 tons, and its wingspan is 73 m. Currently, it is the largest military aircraft.

10. An-225 “Mriya” (Dream)

Today it is the largest transport aircraft and the largest aircraft in the world. The wingspan of the giant “Dream” is 88.4 m, and the length is 84 m. It was built to transport the Buran space shuttles at the end of the USSR’s existence. The maximum take-off weight of this colossus is 640 tons, which is significantly higher than that of all previous TOP-10 models. True, at present only one operational copy of the An-225 is in operation, and not for its intended purpose, but for commercial purposes.

Video about An-225:

As can be seen from the above list of the most large aircraft, most of them appeared as a result of competition or confrontation between states. There will probably be new flying monsters in the future.

Of course, most aircraft are quite large. Although there are also very small private planes, they are not yet very popular in our country, and you don’t often see them in the sky. But among all these big “steel birds” there are real giants. Which one is the largest on the planet?


1. AN-225 “Mriya”. Length - 84 meters



Designed in the USSR and built in Kyiv in 1988, this air giant is the longest and heaviest aircraft in the world. Its length is 84 meters and its height is 18 meters, which is comparable in size to a 6-storey building with 4 entrances. The wingspan of this airliner exceeds 88 meters and the weight is 640 tons. The plane exists in a single copy and is a cargo plane. It was originally created for the Soviet space program, namely the transportation of the Buran spacecraft.


2. Boeing 747-8. Length - 76.25 meters




The airliner was created by the American company Boeing and put into operation in 2011. There are 3 versions of this model: cargo, passenger and VIP, while the aircraft holds the title as the longest passenger aircraft in the world. Its length is 76.25 meters, wingspan – 68.5, height – 19.5 meters. The passenger one is capable of carrying up to 581 passengers, and the cargo one - over 134 tons of cargo. Currently, there are 42 passenger, 72 cargo and 9 VIP aircraft of this model in operation.


3. Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. Length - 75.5 meters



The American military transport aircraft is the largest military aircraft in the world. Measuring 75.5 meters long, 68 meters wide and almost 20 meters high, it is capable of carrying up to 345 soldiers or more than 122 tons of cargo. It began production in the 1970s, and the last new version began operating in 2014.


4. Airbus A340-600. Length - 75.3 meters




Manufactured from 1991 to 2011 by Airbus SAS, the aircraft is the second longest by passenger plane in the world. In total, more than 370 aircraft were produced during this time. Currently widely used among European transcontinental carriers such as Lufthansa, Iberia and Airfrance. Capable of carrying up to 475 passengers. The length is 73.3 meters, the wingspan is 63.5, and the height is 17.2 meters.


5. Boeing 777-300ER. Length - 73.9 meters



Another representative of Boeing can boast a length of 73.9 meters. This aircraft is capable of carrying up to 365 passengers at a time and transporting them without additional refueling over a distance of up to 21,600 kilometers, which is an absolute range record for passenger aircraft. Having made its first flights in 2004, it is currently actively operated by Asian and North American carriers. The wingspan is 64.8 meters, the height is 18.7 meters.


6. WIG "Lun". Length - 73.8 meters



Neither a cargo nor a passenger aircraft, this huge aircraft, however, can be classified as an airplane, or rather a seaplane. Built in the Soviet Union in a single copy, it was launched in 1986. Its main purpose was to launch missile strikes against enemy surface ships, mainly aircraft carriers. The length of the ekranoplan is 73.8 meters, the wingspan is 44 meters, and the height is 19.2 meters. Served by a crew of 10 people, in the 90s it was part of the 236th division of the Caspian Flotilla. By 2001, it was decommissioned, and is currently located on the territory of the Dagdizel plant in Kaspiysk.


7. Airbus A380. Length - 72.75 meters



Despite the fact that it occupies only 7th position in terms of length, this aircraft can also claim to be a winner in several categories. Firstly, it is the largest passenger aircraft in the world in terms of capacity, capable of carrying up to 853 passengers. And secondly, this is the largest passenger airliner, the production of which has been mass-produced; more than 100 aircraft of this model are currently in operation. Its length is 72.75 meters, height is 24 meters, and its wingspan is almost 80 meters.


8. Boeing 747 LCF Dreamlifter. Length - 71.68 meters




This wide-body cargo aircraft, currently produced in 4 copies, is used for very specific purposes. Namely, for transporting parts Boeing aircraft 787, which are manufactured by third-party suppliers around the world, to the company's assembly plants. It entered service in 2007. This aircraft has an unusual, slightly awkward appearance due to the specifics of the cargo being transported. Length – 71.68 meters, wingspan – 64.4, height – 21.5 meters.


9. Boeing 747-400. Length - 70.6 meters



This model of the American manufacturer has become one of the most recognizable and sold all over the world. Over the years of its production, from 1988 to 2009, 694 airliners were produced; it exists in 6 modifications, 4 of which are passenger and 2 are cargo. Currently, the aircraft is in service with more than 60 airlines around the world, the largest operator being British Airways. Passenger versions can carry up to 624 passengers and reach speeds of up to 988 km/h. This makes it one of the fastest passenger aircraft in the world. The aircraft is 70.6 meters long, 64.4 meters wide and 19.4 meters high.


10. AN-124 “Ruslan” Length – 69.1 meters



This is one of the few giant aircraft currently in operation in Russia. Production began in the mid-80s, and was originally intended for transporting heavy and bulky cargo for military and civilian purposes. In total, over the years of production (1984-2004), 55 units were produced, which, in addition to transporting cargo, are capable of carrying 880 soldiers in full uniform. Currently, 18 of them are in operation by Russian and Ukrainian commercial companies. The length of the aircraft is 69.1 meters, height – 21.1 m, wingspan – 73.3 meters.

To the list of aircraft maximum size includes both military cargo transporters and aircraft capable of transporting more than five hundred passengers. The leaders among them are the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747.

What models are on the list of the largest aircraft?

The list of the world's largest aircraft includes such giants as the An-225 and Airbus A380, Boeing 747 and An-22, ANT-20 and Airbus A340-600. All of them at one time became leaders in length or passenger capacity.

The listed aircraft were created in different countries of the world, some of them are transport and cargo, some are created only for the transport of passengers. The need for high-capacity aircraft is growing from year to year, which is associated with people’s desire to travel, get to know new countries, and discover new continents.

Hughes H-4 Hercules

Today, the aircraft with the largest wingspan is the Hughes H-4 Hercules. It was built in 1947 from wood. It was assumed that it would be capable of transporting at least seven hundred and fifty troops with full equipment.


The height of this wooden giant is twenty-four meters, length is sixty-six meters and forty-five centimeters, with a wingspan of ninety-eight meters. Today the Hughes H-4 Hercules is located in Oregon and is a museum exhibit.

An-225

There is only one An-225 aircraft in the world. Its second name is “Mriya”. In the eighties it was created in Ukraine for air transportation and is a cargo plane. Its maximum take-off weight is six hundred and forty tons.


The dimensions of the Mriya are also striking. With a height of twenty-four meters, ten centimeters and a length of seventy-three meters, its wingspan is almost eighty-eight and a half meters. It is known that construction of a second such aircraft is underway.

Airbus A380

Leader among passenger aircraft in terms of capacity is an airliner called Airbus A380. Its creator is Airbus S.A.S. Passengers on this plane are accommodated on two decks.


Being the largest among commercially produced airliners, this one is also the most economical in terms of fuel combustion. For a hundred kilometers of travel, fuel consumption for each passenger is only three liters.

An-124

The An-124 aircraft, also called “Ruslan”, is one of the largest cargo-lifting aircraft in the world. This giant is used as a military aircraft. The length of "Ruslan" is sixty-nine meters ten centimeters, the height is slightly more than twenty-one meters with a wingspan of seventy-three meters thirty centimeters.

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

Until 1982, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy was considered the largest among mass-produced transport and cargo aircraft. It is used today by the US Army and is capable of transporting at least two hundred and seventy soldiers.


This aircraft gains altitude up to ten kilometers and can cover a distance of five thousand six hundred kilometers without refueling. The maximum speed that the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy can reach is nine hundred and twenty kilometers.

Boeing 777-300ER

The record holder for the ability to fly without refueling is the Boeing 777-300ER, which can fly a distance of twenty-one thousand six hundred one kilometers. This passenger airliner was developed in 1990, and four years later it made its first test flight, and operation began in 1995.

Among twin-engine jet passenger aircraft, the Boeing 777-300ER remains the largest. It can accommodate from three hundred five to five hundred fifty people on board.

Airbus A340-600

A large four-engine passenger aircraft is called the Airbus A340-600. It was created for intercontinental flights and could fly without additional refueling over a distance of fourteen thousand six hundred kilometers.


The height of the liner is seventeen meters and thirty centimeters, the length is seventy-five meters and thirty centimeters, and the wingspan is sixty-three and a half meters.

Boeing 747

The Boeing 747 was considered the largest, most spacious and heaviest passenger airliner at the time of its creation. It held this record for thirty-seven years until it was overtaken by the Airbus A380.


The Boeing 747 is also the record holder for the most common aircraft in the world. It is known that more than one and a half thousand such airliners were produced.

The largest passenger plane in the world

As is known, the most comfortable and in a fast way travel is by plane. For this reason, many modifications of passenger cars have been created. aircraft. The largest among them for a long time remained the passenger Boeing 747, released in 1969. Initially, its capacity was four hundred and fifty-two passengers, and after modification it increased to five hundred and sixty-eight.


In 2005, a new super-capacious large aircraft appeared - the Airbus A380. Surprisingly, its capacity is eight hundred and fifty-two passengers. They are located on two decks. The wingspan of this four-engine airliner is nearly eighty meters, height is twenty-four meters, and length is seventy-three meters. The weight of this “giant” is also surprising - without passengers it weighs almost two hundred and seventy-seven tons and is capable of flying fifteen thousand two hundred kilometers without stopping to refuel.

And the largest cargo plane is called An-225 Mriya. It was made in the USSR. .
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