The largest cargo planes in the world. The largest planes in the world (27 photos)

Ukrainian aircraft "Mriya" An - 225
It is the largest in the world and the only flying example of the An-22 model.

The huge transport plane can carry up to 250 tons of cargo, which is four times the maximum payload of a Boeing 747. There is enough space inside the An-225 to fit the entire body of a Boeing 737. It also surpasses in various respects the world's largest passenger aircraft, the A380-800: While the latter has four engines, a wingspan of 80 meters, and a take-off weight of 560 tons, the giant An-225 has six engines, a wingspan of 88 meters, and the starting weight is 600 tons. The largest aircraft in the world also has a record number of wheels - as many as 32! The machine was put into operation in 1988. Plans to fly another plane never materialized. Its construction began in the 1990s, but was never completed. There were attempts to resume it several times, but in 2012 the project was frozen because, due to the financial crisis, the number of orders for transport services decreased significantly. The second copy of the An-225 is still in the hangar to this day.


 Construction of the first An-225 began in Kyiv during the “ cold war"between the USA and the USSR, when both superpowers invested huge amounts of money in the development of new weapons and vehicles.

Giant's story

The aircraft was intended to transport military goods, as well as components of Soviet missiles and the Buran spacecraft to Baikonur. In December 1988, the giant made its first flight. But soon the Soviet Union collapsed, and with it the military’s dreams of creating a whole series of huge transporters collapsed. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, worldwide disarmament began, and the need for such machines disappeared. We also had to save on space flights. In 1994, funding for the Energia-Buran space program ceased, and the aircraft was mothballed. The engines were removed and installed on a smaller model - the An-124. And only seven years later the huge machine was again fit for flight. Later it was planned to develop a project for a larger version of the aircraft - the An-325 with eight engines, but the idea was not realized. Projects for aerospace systems around the world are being developed on the Antonov base.


 The An-225 is not only the largest, but also the heaviest aircraft in the world

How does he fly

The six super-powerful D-18T engines installed on it consume three tons of kerosene per hour. Despite its enormous weight, Mriya has enough power to accelerate runway three kilometers long. total area wings, each of which is almost 90 m wide, is equal to the area football field. The giant's speed is 805 km/h. It can stay in the air for 18 hours and cover a distance of over 15,000 km. However, when fully loaded, an aircraft in the world is only capable of flying from 2,500 to 3,000 km. Its tanks hold 300 tons of fuel.


 The maximum payload of the machine is 250 tons, which corresponds, for example, to the weight of more than 200 cows.

What can fit in the cargo area?

The giant plane is controlled by a crew of six people. It is serviced by 11 technicians. In 2009, Mriya delivered from German city Khan in Yerevan (Armenia) generator weighing 190 tons, designed for a gas turbine power plant. This achievement is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. Transportation of cargo that does not fit into the cargo compartment of the AN-225 occurs using the “hookpack” system, that is, they are attached to the top. In the passenger version, Ukrainian designers planned to make three decks with seats for 800 passengers.

Video of one of the largest aircraft in the world

Every flight is a big event

The huge machine is used to transport special cargo. Much more often, transportation is carried out by a smaller aircraft - An-124. “Mriya” is usually remembered when it is necessary to transport a large cargo entirely. When a giant arrives at its destination, it is always a special event. Journalists and crowds of curious people gather at the airport. This was the case, for example, in June 2013, when Mriya first landed at the airport in the Swiss city of Basel.

These planes were also once record holders.


 1.Dornier Do X (1929).

It was the largest, fastest and after the First World War. Designed by the German company Dornier. In 1933, Germany abandoned the use of these machines, as they were considered insufficiently economical and safe, and also unsuitable for military purposes. After this, only two examples were built and sent to Italy. German designers planned to create a new, improved model based on the Do X - the Dornier Do 20, but due to World War II this project was not implemented.


 2. Tupolev ANT-20 “Maxim Gorky”

(1934) A 1930s behemoth with eight engines and a wingspan almost like a modern Boeing 747. It was built in Voronezh and was intended primarily for propaganda. It was equipped with a film installation, a darkroom, a printing press, etc. Additionally, the vehicle could transport up to 72 passengers.


The largest machine with turboprop engines, which is still the most commonly used. Flying big subsonic speed. - a “hump” in which the pilot’s cabin is located above the main passenger deck. For transport models it is somewhat shorter.


Previously, it was the most powerful transport aircraft. When it lands at foreign airports, it probably arouses no less interest than Mriya. The wingspan is 64 meters and the unloaded weight is 114 tons.


Before its introduction, the A-380 was the second largest aircraft in mass production. It remains the world's largest military aircraft. It is called the “little brother” of the An-225. The An-124 made its first flight abroad in 1985. It was presented to the public at the Paris Air Show. The car is highly valued as Russian military aviation and commercial organizations for the transportation of goods. The upper deck can accommodate 88 passengers.

Not really yet long history aviation is replete with episodes when different countries ah, in 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 such 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 that date, and, ironically, became the largest aircraft destroyed during World War II. The aircraft 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. As one of the main delivery vehicles for 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.

The world's largest aircraft June 5th, 2017

So the leaders in our selection of THE MOST are changing. Just recently, the Soviet An-225 Mriya with a wingspan of 88.4 meters was considered the largest aircraft. And now the plane, produced by the aerospace firm Allen Stratolaunch Systems, has the largest wingspan of any aircraft ever built - 385 feet, which is 117.3 m.

It was this indicator that allowed the new aircraft to become a record holder.

Photo 2.

A few days ago, the plane was taken out of the hangar for the first time to conduct refueling tests. In addition, for the first time the plane rested entirely on its 28 wheels. This made it possible for the first time to fully weigh the finished apparatus. The mass turned out to be approximately 226.8 tons. After this, the company will move on to the ground and flight testing phase. It is said that this will happen in the coming weeks and months.

At the same time, the length reaches 72.5 m, and the height - 15.2 m. The maximum take-off weight reaches 590 tons. The device is lifted into the air by six Boeing 747-400 engines.

Photo 3.

Recall that Stratolaunch is the brainchild of Stratolaunch Systems, founded by Paul Allen and Burt Rutan.

Paul Allen founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975 and left the company in 1983, selling most of his shares and now investing in space projects.

Photo 4.

As for the first demonstration flight, it is planned for 2019. Let us remind you that the aircraft will be used to launch rockets intended to launch satellites into orbit.

Photo 5.

It took 6 years to build the plane. In 2011, the cost of the project was estimated at $300 million.

Paul Allen has a long history of investing in space projects. One of the most famous is the suborbital manned reusable spacecraft SpaceShipOne, which was built as part of the space tourism program. The ship was first launched in 2003.

Photo 6.

This is a new approach to spaceflight that is reminiscent of the X-plane testing in the 1950s and 1960s.

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And what do you think? How potentially survivable is this launch option for missiles?

sources

There was a time when man only dreamed of flying in the sky; people did not imagine that they could soar in the sky like a bird. But with the advent of airplanes, flying among the clouds became a reality. Scientists and designers around the world did a colossal amount of work before the world saw the first samples of flying “machines.” So, among them there are leaders, models that are superior to their competitors in transporting people or equipment. Let's talk about what are the largest planes in the world flying nowadays.

It’s hard to believe that these multi-ton machines fly at such great speed.
Now the largest aircraft in the world is passenger transportation called Airbus A380-800. It appeared in 2005, displacing the Boeing 747, which had been in the lead for 36 long years. The length of the Airbus A380-800 is 73 meters, the wingspan is almost 80 meters, the height of the giant is 24 meters, and the weight of the machine is 280 tons. The maximum number of passengers carried on an Airbus A380-800 can reach 853 people on a charter flight!

Before Airbus was released, about 12 billion euros and 10 years of painstaking work by designers were spent on its development. Without refueling, this aircraft can fly a distance of 15,400 kilometers. The Airbus A380-800 is a very fuel-efficient aircraft among airliners of its class. To ensure low fuel consumption, the shape of the wing and body must be made very precisely. To achieve such precision, the world's most precise milling machines from Japan are used, which were developed specifically for the production of this aircraft. Fuel consumption per 100 km for 3 passengers is only three liters.

It should be noted that the Airbus has more capacity than the Boeing 747, while its production costs 15% less. The first airline to operate the world's largest passenger aircraft was Singapore Airlines. The airline served the Singapore-Sydney flight with this aircraft.
Below you can see in the photo Airbus salon A380-800 economy class.

Record holder for flights without refueling

The Boeing 777-300ER, developed in 1990 and made its first test flight in 1994, can fly over distances of over twenty thousand kilometers without refueling. This is the world's first airliner, during the design of which not a single drawing was drawn on paper. Virtual computer assembly was used for the first time, which made it possible to avoid typical joining errors at the design stage. With the old technology using drawings, these errors were identified at the stage of pilot production, and full-scale modeling, which was very expensive for aviation. The software used was CATIA, one of the first 3D modeling programs.

The airliner has the most powerful GE90-115B turbofan engines known to date; this model has an increased maximum take-off weight and has additional fuel tanks. The introduction of this modification made it possible to reduce fuel consumption by 1.4%, which was especially important at the height of the fuel crisis.
It also holds the record for the largest twin-engine jetliner to carry passengers, which it can accommodate 305-550 people.

The airplane with the largest wingspan

The aircraft with the largest wingspan, the Hughes H-4, was built from wood in 1947 for military use. The plane is built entirely from birch plywood. Structural elements were cut out and bent according to templates. The aircraft's capacity is 750 people, not including equipment. The wooden giant is now on display in a museum in Oregon, its parameters are:

  • Aircraft height - 24 meters;
  • The length of the aircraft is over 66 meters;
  • The wingspan is 98 meters.

The largest cargo plane

The largest cargo aircraft in the world has remained the An-225 Mriya for many years. This huge machine was designed in Ukraine back in 1988, and is still used in military transport cargo transportation. The first flight of the Mriya took place on December 21, 1988.

Characteristics of this aircraft the following:

  • the length of this giant is 73 meters;
  • height is just over 24 meters (the height of an eight-story building);
  • weight is 250 thousand kilograms;
  • the total carrying capacity is 600 thousand kg.

The largest cargo plane in the world

The plane has six engines. On this moment Only one copy of the An-225 has been built in the world; it is at the disposal of Antonov Airlines. It was originally planned that the An-225 would help deliver rocket parts to the cosmodrome, because At that time, the Buran space program was actively developing. Now they are building another one just like it aircraft, but its construction has not yet been completed.

On board the An-225, up to 88 people can easily be accommodated to accompany the cargo. The cockpit can accommodate 6 people. As they say, which aircraft is the largest in the world in size will not be as cool in performance. In Mriya, absolutely all control systems are repeated (duplicated) four times.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of production of some elements, after 25 years it is impossible to produce another such aircraft. But even one copy allows you to constantly earn money from transporting goods that previously could only be delivered by land or sea. In addition to commercial transportation, the aircraft is used in cargo delivery for emergency situations, disasters, earthquakes, etc.

The largest mass-produced cargo aircraft

Military transport aircraft C-5 Galaxy

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy was considered the largest transport and cargo aircraft until 1982. it is now operated by the US Army and can accommodate up to 270 soldiers. The aircraft was put into service back in 1968. Over the years, it has proven its effectiveness and excellent performance properties. A lot of improvements were made to the design, the most important change being the development of a completely new wing, because the old design showed rapid wear and tear.

The aircraft will continue to be produced; a complete transition to digital modern technologies of control systems and all avionics is planned. The aircraft without refueling can fly over five thousand kilometers and rise to a height of 10 km, the maximum speed developed by the machine is 920 km.

In contact with

Today, the airplane is considered one of the most common types of transport. Contrary to the opinion that flying it is dangerous, statistics in relation to road, rail and even by sea transport says otherwise.

More than a thousand types of all kinds of aircraft have been developed in the world. The best of them are considered not only the fastest and most technically equipped, but also the largest and most spacious aircraft: cargo, military and passenger.

The top 15 includes those aircraft that are currently plying our skies, and those that were once created by ambitious engineers, but never found their application.

The list opens with one of the oldest, but nevertheless large aircraft. In 1929, a passenger aircraft - a boat - went into operation in Germany. Its first test became a record flight with 170 passengers on board. But due to low flight characteristics, in 1936 flights stopped. The length of the liner was 40m. wingspan width 48m, weight – 29t.

In 1952, English engineers created a seaplane - a flying boat. The two passenger decks accommodated 105 people. The aircraft had 10 Bristol Proteus engines. Of the three aircraft built, only one was operated, but it completed a total of 45 flights, which amounted to about 100 hours. Subsequently, all three aircraft were dismantled for scrap in 1967. LengthSR 45 was 42m., wingspan – 70m, aircraft weight – 87t.

Year of production 1949. The largest aircraft ever produced in England. It was originally designed as a new generation super-heavy bomber. The experiment turned out to be quite expensive and unsuccessful, so the copy in the amount of one piece was left without continuation. Aircraft length was 54m., wingspan 70m.

The list continues with the most original cargo plane in shape, reminiscent of the Beluga whale. The French aircraft did not commercially justify its existence, so after five aircraft were produced, production was curtailed. Aircraft length 56m., wing span width - 45 m, load capacity only 47 tons.

A Soviet aircraft with impressive dimensions. Holds the title of the largest propeller plane. 57 meter giant with 64m. wingspan has been used in the Russian Air Force since 1968 and continues to this day. It has proven itself well in parachute landing of equipment and weapons. The machine is made with four turboprop engines, the power of each engine is 15 thousand l / s. The fuselage is equipped with two fins, and tail section equipped with a large cargo hatch. The original development of the An-22 aircraft later served as a model for many modifications. Over 47 years, 68 aircraft were produced, today only 6 are in operation, including 1 by Ukraine.

Another spacious and popular aircraft among airlines from different countries. Operation began in 1995. The Boeing 777 can perform long intercontinental flights (17 thousand kilometers), about 18 hours. The modification of this aircraft was the first where traditional paper drawings replaced three-dimensional computer graphics. The capacity of the civil airliner is 300 people, total length – 63m., wingspan – 65m.

Designed in 1947 in the USA in the amount of 1 piece. It has the longest wingspan - 98m. The flying wooden boat was produced for the purpose of transporting 750 paratroopers. At the end of 1947, he made his first and only flight, rising only 21m. and flying 2 km. Currently, Hercules is kept as a museum exhibit. The length of the failed aircraft is 66.5m. Interesting fact– the plane is almost entirely made of birch, for which it bears the nickname “wooden”.

The second name is “Ruslan”. In service Russian Federation. It is considered the largest production cargo aircraft. Created by joint efforts of engineers from Russia and Ukraine. The aircraft is unique for its endurance, lack of sensitivity to weather conditions, and also, due to the 24 wheelbase, the ability to accelerate and land on unpaved runways. An opening hatch is located both in the tail and in the bow. A feature of this development is the possibility of simultaneous, more convenient and faster unloading and loading processes. In addition to its large payload capacity, the aircraft can accommodate 800 soldiers with full equipment. The total length of the wing span is 73.3 m. The weight of the aircraft is 180 tons. To date, 55 devices have been produced. The plane achieved its greatest popularity when in 1989, with the help of Ruslan, 140 tons of musical equipment of the Pink Floyd group were transported. Aircraft length 69m.

Another representative of French developers. The four-engine passenger and, in some modifications, cargo aircraft has a wingspan of 80 m in length. The total length of the aircraft is 73m., height 24m. The passenger version of the aircraft is striking in its capacity - more than 850 people can simultaneously fly without a transfer over a distance of up to 15 tons. kilometers. This giant, weighing 280 tons, is rightfully included in the Guinness Book of Records for the number of people transported. One of the most expensive planes has an advantage in fuel consumption - 3 liters per passenger per 100 km. flight. By the way, developers from the Moscow Engineering Center took part in the latest, more improved modification; their task was to design on-board equipment and strengthen the fuselage parts. An interesting fact is that during the production of such a giant it is necessary to lay more than 530 km. electrical wires. Currently 180 released Airbus aircraft A380, only 150 in service.

The largest twin-engine aircraft is designed for passenger flights over long distances (flight range ranges from 10 to 17 km). It differs from the previous version of the 777-200 in having a longer fuselage. The impressive capacity of the airliner (from 350 to 550 people) makes it one of the most commercially successful. The number of aircraft produced is 1,385 – an absolute record. The length of the aircraft is 74m., wingspan 71m, weight – 160t.

Pure American. Used in many military conflicts: Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The characteristics of the cargo military-strategic aircraft are impressive: total length – 75.5m., wingspan – 68m, height – 20m, load capacity more than 120t. Just like the An-124 has the ability to load through bow airplane. Over the entire production period, more than 130 models were produced. There are currently 62 aircraft in operation.

The title of one of the largest passenger aircraft belongs to a French aircraft with total length more than 76m and a wingspan of 63.5 m. Based on the A330. A distinctive feature is the presence of four engines. The purpose of this innovation was the need for long-distance, intercontinental flights. The modified A340-200 is shortened by 5m, but the non-stop flight range is increased from 12t. kilometers up to 14t. The first record for the longest flight with one landing belongs to the A340 (the flight duration from one place to another was 49 hours). In total, about 400 A340 aircraft were produced. The initial version of the aircraft had a passenger capacity of 260 people; subsequent, more advanced and lengthened aircraft accommodate up to 400 people (the latest Airbus series A340-600 has a length of 75 m.). Since 2010 due to high prices for fuel and competing aircraft, production of the A340 has been suspended. Despite this, the aircraft is a great success among airlines.

The newest, more improved descendant of the Boeing 747, created in the USA. The longest passenger aircraft in the world, surpassed the Airbus A340-600 by only 125 cm, which is 76.25m. Also, unlike competing models, the developers latest version were able to reduce fuel consumption by 11%, which significantly reduces the cost of the flight. Cargo version Boeing aircraft The 747-8 is the most commercially successful; more than half of all world flights are on this model. The passenger aircraft can accommodate 470 people on board. Innovative developments of the latest units include private cabins with sliding curtains, entertainment equipment and even beds. Some orders for this assembly are from VIPs, including presidents of several states. The wingspan is 68.5 m. The weight of the cargo aircraft is 190 tons, the passenger one - 213. In the list of the most large planes ranks first in sales. In more than five years, more than 40 aircraft have been put into operation.

The brainchild of Russian-Ukrainian engineers, the ultra-heavy-lift jet transport vehicle has the title of the largest and most spacious aircraft in the world. The prototype of the aircraft is the An-124, better known as “Ruslan”. The wingspan is 88.4 m. General aircraft length 84m. Today, only one copy is in constant use. A universal transport aircraft with the ability to attach external cargo, it was originally designed to transport parts of a spacecraft with special dimensions. The carrying capacity of this device was supposed to be about 250 tons. The length of the cargo compartment is 43 m, width – 6.5 m, height 4.5 m. The An-225 is also highly convenient for loading and unloading unique and oversized cargo. The giant's mass is 250 tons. Many world records for capacity and transportation of the largest and heaviest cargo belong to this aircraft.

KM "Caspian Monster"

An experimental ekranoplan was developed in Russia in 1966. The unique, largest aircraft in the world, received the name “Caspian Monster” after it was noticed by American satellites. Before the appearance of the An-225 aircraft, it had the title of not only the largest aircraft, but also the heaviest. The aircraft was intended for use by the Navy. In constant attempts to modernize and improve it, secret tests were carried out for 15 years, but in 1980. Due to a pilot error, the plane crashed and sank. After this, no attempts were made to recreate an exact copy. The length of the giant was 92m., wingspan – 38m, empty weight – 240t, total load capacity – 304t.

During the Soviet era, Soviet engineers designed and implemented many high-tech devices that one could be proud of. But even today, not wanting to lag behind foreign countries, in Russia a project is being developed to produce the BE-2500 amphibious aircraft. According to the plan, the length of such an aircraft should be 115 m, the wingspan should be 125 m, and the load capacity should be over 500 tons.

The trends of recent developments are directed precisely in the direction where there is the prospect of the most spacious, economical and fast transport. For these purposes, a better invention than an airplane has not yet been invented. We can only hope that the main condition for the production of new giants will always remain safety.

2016.04.16 by

 

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