looks like it would be easy to hit.
Big target.
Wasn’t it ‘unveiled’ in late 1980s?
That is a big plane
I believe the US has on occasion hired the Antonov for military and space payloads we lack the capacity to airlift. The gigantic cockpit is really something.
Like it or not, you have to admit that the Russkies know how to do big.
They had some very talented engineers and designers.
I saw a show about this plane on cable and it is an amazing aircraft.
Howard Hughes would love it.
AN-225
Impressive. Maybe if we didn’t task NASA with making Mohammedans feel better about themselves we wouldn’t have to rely on another country’s technology.
But can it do a barrel roll...
why??? wonder how many runways can handle that weight other than it's home base?The Antonov An-225 Mriya was built to ferry the Russian Buran space shuttle. Buran made only one flight before funding caused its grounding. (Buran was later destroyed in a hangar fire.) Two An-225s were built, but only one was completed. This plane is used to move large cargo and out sized for charter. There were rumors the second An-225 would be completed and made flight worthy, but so far as is known, this has not happened. The sole flying An-225 remains the world’s largest airplane.
General characteristics
Crew: 6
Length: 84 m (275 ft 7 in)
Wingspan: 88.4 m (290 ft 0 in)
Height: 18.1 m (59 ft 5 in)
Wing area: 905 m2 (9,740 sq ft)
Aspect ratio: 8.6
Empty weight: 285,000 kg (628,317 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 640,000 kg (1,410,958 lb)
Fuel capacity: 300000 kg
Cargo hold – volume 1,300m3, length 43.35m, width 6.4m, height 4.4m
Powerplant: 6 × ZMKB Progress D-18 turbofans, 229.5 kN (51,600 lbf) thrust each
Performance
Maximum speed: 850 km/h (528 mph; 459 kn)
Cruising speed: 800 km/h (497 mph; 432 kn)
Range: 15,400 km (9,569 mi; 8,315 nmi) with maximum fuel; range with maximum payload: 4,000 km (2,500 mi)
Service ceiling: 11,000 m (36,089 ft)
Wing loading: 662.9 kg/m² (135.8 lb/sq ft)
Thrust/weight: 0.234
Hate to be in that thing if a load became unbalanced.
The Russians have a knack for gigantism.
This is new news” That plane first flew in 1988. It’s not new! The Ruskies now use them to fly outsized cargo around the world. It’s just a scaled up C5 with a couple more engines to keep it up in the sky!