AN-225 Mriya

The heavy lift Antanov AN-225 Mriya ("Dream") was the world's largest aircraft. Unfortunately, the RW version of this unique plane has been destroyed in the current conflict in Ukraine but it lives on in this shot from MSFS.

 

Great shot of the big AN-225 Bill. :cool: It was featured on one of the Smithsonian channel's aircraft series about a year and a half ago.

Lovely pic and now a hallowed memory of aviation history. Not to speak ill of an honored aircraft but taxing the AN-225 was, well, not a labor of love. SAC pilots used to talk about taxing the big B-36 as "driving a barn". I found the AN-225 to be the same, tough doing ... but worth it for the unique sim flying experience, in FSX. I recall how unhurried it was to start slowing after retarding the throttles, just keeps moving on with all that mass. What a giant.

Nice shots of what was once the largest plane. Having said I'll advise they are currently flight testing a new plane starting in 2019 that is much much larger. The Stratolaunch ROC which takes off at 1.3 MILLION POUNDS!!:eek::eek:It has a center wing which is 95' wide which carries up to 550,000 pounds of cargo and container and two (2) huge fuselages. Total wing span is 385' and it is powered by six (6) PW4056 turbofan engines.

 

My info source, should you care to look it up, is FLYING magazine volume #149 2022 issue 03.

 

Strangest looking airplane I've ever seen a picture of!!

 

Michael

Edited September 27, 2022 by Rupert

The Soviets had many strange designs on the drawing boards similar to the gigantic Stratolaunch back when they were trying to get their Buran space shuttle program in operation, concepts from the way-ahead-of-its-time Myashishchev Design Bureau. But never had the tech or money to execute such programs. What might have been ...

 

Edited September 28, 2022 by ftldave
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