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 by air large and heavy cargo, or a sufficiently large number of passengers. 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 occupied 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.
Interior arrangement The ship included not only ordinary passenger seats, but also such delights as a library, laboratory, printing house, and sleeping places inside the wings of the 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:
- passenger transportation;
- propaganda flights;
- entertainment flights.
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 and turned into a multifunctional aircraft. Its maximum take-off weight is 220 tons, and its wingspan is 56.4 m.
This is one of the air combat vehicles made in Russia that is included in the list of the most prominent representatives of 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.
In total, there are 16 Tu-160s in service with the Russian air force. 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 large airliner, as 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 wide-body 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 landing military equipment) with accompanying specialists, wounded, paratroopers, 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 largest aircraft, most of them appeared as a result competition or confrontation between states. There will probably be new flying monsters in the future.
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is the most popular military transport aircraft on the planet. Since 1954, American company Lockheed Martin produced and sold about 2,500 Hercules. Today, 951 representatives of this family roam the skies, occupying 22% of the global military transport market.
The American general purpose turboprop aircraft Beechcraft King Air is in service in the armies of many countries around the world. It is used for training pilots, patrolling maritime territories, reconnaissance, communications and other purposes. Although most of the 295 currently functioning “kings of the air” are involved in business transportation.
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft made its first flight in 1991. The “heavyweight” is capable of transporting large cargo and military units over long distances, as well as landing on small, poorly prepared airfields.
The Airbus CN-235 is the main European competitor to American “non-combat” wings. Aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus calls its creation nothing less than “the cheapest tactical military transport aircraft.” And this fact attracted a clientele from the armies of two dozen countries, including the United States, to the CN-235.
The military transport AN-26 (according to NATO codification, Curl, “Whirlwind”), developed at the Antonov Design Bureau, was discontinued back in 1986. However, more than 200 AN-26 and its predecessor AN-24 are still in service. Which puts the “veterans” on a par with the most popular aircraft of this class.
The IL-76 heavy military transport aircraft (according to NATO codification - Сandid, direct) first took to the air in 1971 and still remains the main “workhorse” of Russian military transport aviation. True, from the moment of its birth, the carrying capacity of the brainchild of the Ilyushin Design Bureau increased from 30 to 60 tons.
The AN-32 military transporter, created on the basis of the AN-26, is adapted to the conditions elevated temperatures(up to +50 degrees) and take-offs from high-mountain airfields (up to 4500 meters). Nowadays it successfully operates in the air forces of hot countries - such as India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Mexico, and African countries.
The light American transport aircraft Cessna 208 Caravan was created as an aircraft for hard-to-reach areas. Its military version, the U-27A, protects the peace of Brazil, Colombia, Liberia, Thailand and other countries. A total of 125 “military” Cessnas are in service.
Like the AN-26, the average military transport aircraft Transall Allianz C-160 has not been produced for 30 years - since the mid-1980s. But the vehicle, developed by a German-French consortium for the needs of their countries’ air forces, is still in service. 120 winged C-160s still take to the skies.
CASA C212 Aviocar - developed by the Spanish company EADS CASA. This military transport aircraft can take off and land on unpaved runways 400 meters long. Various modifications are used for photographic reconnaissance, maritime patrol and transportation of military VIPs.
In the shadow of the “stars” remain the workhorses - military transport aircraft and general purpose aircraft. Perhaps in terms of effectiveness they are inferior to fast and stuffed modern technology fighters. But hard workers are reliable and in constant demand, and not only among the military. We present the ten most popular aircraft created for the daily needs of the Air Force.
The largest companies are called upon to increase the efficiency of flights by reducing the cost of services. passenger aircraft in the world, accommodating several hundred people. Giant luxury airliners are capable of covering enormous distances without refueling, thanks to their large fuel tanks. High load capacity allows transportation large quantity luggage
The model replaced the outdated version of the A300, which consumed too much fuel and had little capacity. The new modification is capable of lifting 295 people into the air at a time, and is classified as a wide-body airliner. The length of the car reaches 59 meters, and its width is 63 m. The maximum flight range with a full load does not exceed 10,500 m. The cruising speed reaches 870 km/h. The maximum take-off weight is 233 tons, and the wingspan is 60.3 meters. Fuel tanks are designed for 97,000 liters of fuel.
Of course, not the largest passenger aircraft in the world, but one of the most popular aircraft among airlines. Operation began in 1995, the machine has proven itself to be highly reliable. The 777-200LR modification is capable of performing the longest non-stop flights. It was this model that was first developed without the use of traditional paper drawings, but only with the use of three-dimensional computer graphics. The airliner is capable of covering 17,000 km without landing at a cruising speed of 905 km/h. The car simultaneously transports 301 passengers, and its wingspan is 64.8 meters.
The modernized version rightfully entered the rating of the largest passenger aircraft in the world, thanks to its ability to carry up to 467 people. The airliner covers a maximum distance of 15,000 km and is actually considered the longest aircraft on Earth. The vehicle differs from its worthy predecessors in its elongated fuselage. Engineers installed new engines, wings and on-board systems. A set of updates has made the aircraft much quieter and more economical. The international name of the new version is “Intercontinental”.
One of the largest passenger aircraft in the world began operating in 2002. The modification differs from its predecessor in larger fuel tanks and engines with increased power. Serial production of the model was stopped in 2011; in total, the company produced 97 of these aircraft. The wingspan is 63.5 m, and the maximum capacity reaches 440 seats. The airliner is capable of traveling 14,800 km without refueling, carrying luggage and passengers with a total weight of 373 tons. The area of the giant's wings is 437 meters. Despite being discontinued, the cars still successfully transport passengers around the world.
The Boeing 777-300ER was also included in the list of the largest passenger aircraft in the world. The airliner is recognized as the largest aircraft with 2 engines intended for civil aviation. The modification differs from the previous version of the 777-200 in having a longer fuselage, allowing the cabin to accommodate up to 550 passengers. The 777-300ER version is not considered basic and has been in operation since 2004. The advantage of the model is its increased flight range. Moving at a cruising speed of 905 km/h, the vehicle is capable of covering 14,600 km without additional refueling, carrying up to 68,500 tons of commercial cargo.
A military aircraft, capable of transporting both people and cargo, was also included in the ranking of the largest passenger aircraft in the world. The liner is capable of transporting 270 military personnel and can be equipped with standard passenger seats - 75 units. Its impressive dimensions allowed it to be classified as a giant. The aircraft reaches a length of 75.5 m and its width is 68 meters. The aircraft can cover 5,600 km at a speed of 920 km/h without refueling. The maximum height gained by the giant reaches 10 km.
The Russian “Ruslan” is rightfully considered one of the largest passenger aircraft in the world, because its wingspan reaches 73 meters and its length is 69 m. The car stands out for its colossal cargo compartment, reaching a volume of 1050 m 3. The maximum range of the liner does not exceed 7,500 km, and its cruising speed is 850 km/h. The vehicle is primarily used for transporting goods, but is capable of transporting military personnel. The total carrying capacity of the modification reaches 120 tons. The flight life does not exceed 45 years.
Since 2007, the largest passenger aircraft in the world has been the Airbus A380, first purchased by Singapore Airlines. The airliner flies all over the world and is distinguished by an incredible level of comfort. The vehicle is capable of transporting 555 people, but if desired, the number of passengers increases to 700. The double-deck cabin is equipped with sleeping cabins, there are also recreation areas, spiral staircases and comfortable bar counters. The aircraft's wingspan is 80 meters, and its area reaches 845 m2. Only 4 Rolls-Royce engines can lift a car into the air.
Historically, the largest passenger aircraft in the world was recognized in 1947 by the Hughes H-4 Hercules. The model stood out for its fantastic wingspan, reaching 98 meters, thanks to which the modification was recognized as the most wide-body. Two machines of this type were made, but only one now exists. The vehicle carried 750 military personnel and is now in the Long Beach Museum, where it was transported in 1993. More No aircraft has carried passengers in its entire history.
Perhaps the largest passenger aircraft in the world at the moment– this is “Mriya”. Initially, the project was developed as a cargo one and was used for transportation spaceship"Buran". Subsequently, the Ukrainian enterprise Antonov adapted the vessel to commercial needs. The giant's wingspan is 88 m, and its length reaches 73 meters. The airliner set several records for cargo capacity. Now it exists in a single copy and is operated by Antonov Airlines. The airliner has proven itself reliably in practice.
Since man was able to invent the airplane and take to the air, this industry has developed incredibly quickly. Now the largest passenger Boeing can accommodate almost a thousand people, which seemed simply impossible just a few decades ago.
Dimensions and capacity of the largest passenger Boeing
The largest passenger Boeing is the Boeing 747. This aircraft has held its honorary title for several decades. The American aircraft began to operate in 1970, and since then it has been considered the largest and largest aircraft for transporting passengers.
The Boeing 747 lost its honorary title only in 2005, when the Airbus A380 aircraft was put into operation.
The capacity of the largest Boeing aircraft is about seven hundred people, depending on the modification of the aircraft. Due to the enormous popularity of this aircraft, Boeing hastened to release as many models as possible, distributing them throughout the world. In total, about 1,500 of these giants were produced, each of which was in operation for several years.
Despite its enormous size, the Boeing 747 is an example highest quality aircraft and complete thoughtfulness of the design. The length of the aircraft itself was initially 70.6 meters, and the wingspan was 59.6 meters. Now the length of the aircraft has increased to 76 meters. Such a giant could reach speeds of up to 955 kilometers per hour, which in 1970 seemed unthinkable.
Because Boeing is constantly modifying its most famous model, the maximum speed of the modern Boeing 747 is 988 kilometers per hour.
Other large passenger aircraft of the world
Currently, the largest passenger aircraft is the Airbus A380. The aircraft received its honorary status only in 2005, displacing the previous leader, the Boeing 747.
The Airobus A380 has a capacity of 852 passengers, which seems like an incredible number. The passengers themselves are located on two decks in the highest class salons. Great Britain, Italy and France took part in the production of this aircraft. Another large aircraft from Airbus is the A340-600. This airliner can accommodate a little less than 700 passengers, but is capable of flying more than 14 thousand kilometers without additional refueling.
Boeing is also proud of the 777-300 ER. This model can accommodate up to 550 passengers. At the same time, the aircraft is an absolute record holder in terms of flight duration without additional refueling. The plane can fly 21 thousand kilometers non-stop, which is unattainable for any other air transport model.
The impressive dimensions of the largest aircraft in the world speak only of the ambition of modern aircraft designers. Most likely, humanity will not stop there, and many more huge Boeings will appear in the world, striking not only with the quality of their equipment, but also with their incredible, hitherto incomprehensible dimensions.
The history of aviation in its modern sense goes back more than 100 years, if you do not take into account man’s attempts to fly into the air since ancient times. During this time, aircraft manufacturing has evolved from the first prototypes of the Wright brothers and other enthusiastic inventors to heavy-duty, multi-ton giants capable of carrying tons of cargo and hundreds of passengers. This article is about the 10 largest aircraft in the world.
The largest passenger plane in the world
The Airbus A380 holds the lead among the largest civil aircraft for transporting passengers. This is the brainchild of the European company Airbus. It first flew into the air with passengers in 2005 after 10 years of development and experimentation by designers.
Fact. The cost of creating the giant was almost 12 billion euros.
This expensive, but the largest passenger aircraft has the following dimensions:
- height – 24.08 m;
- length – 72.75 m;
- wingspan - 79.75 m;
- weight – 280 t.
Additional information. Despite its impressive dimensions, the Airbus A380 is very economical and even environmentally friendly in operation - only three liters of fuel are consumed to transport one passenger over a distance of 100 kilometers. It can cover a distance of more than 15,400 meters without refueling. And the less fuel is spent, the less emissions into the atmosphere. This result was achieved thanks to the ideal design of the wing and fuselage, as well as the special material from which they are made. These engineering solutions have significantly reduced total weight the vessel and improved its aerodynamics.
Today, double-decker Airbus A380s accommodate 525 passengers when divided into three classes and up to 853 people with a single-class cabin configuration. However, development and testing of improved versions of the aircraft are already underway, the capacity of which should exceed 1000 people.
The Airbus A380 displaced the Boeing 747, which held the position of the most big plane since the 1970s The A380 developers have found a way to reduce production costs by 15% compared to Boeing and increase capacity by 7%.
Second largest aircraft in the world
The already mentioned Boeing 747 (Jumbo Jet) ranks honorably second in size among passenger airliners. At the time of its creation in 1969, it was the largest, heaviest and most spacious aircraft, with a length of 70.6 m.
For 36 years it was produced in various modifications, however, maintaining their main characteristics: a wide fuselage and two floors for passengers. This design gives the Jumbo Jet a recognizable hump-like silhouette, as the upper deck is significantly shorter than the lower deck.
Interesting. In the late 1960s, it was believed that the future of passenger aviation belonged to supersonic light aircraft, which would displace the clumsy heavyweights. Therefore, the 747 was designed with the ability to be converted into a freighter. Experts estimated the capacity of the market for spacious aircraft at no more than 400 units, but these forecasts did not come true, and in 1993 the company sold its thousandth Boeing 747. Only in our century, with the advent of the Airbus A380, demand began to fall.
In the 1970s There was a fuel crisis in the world; prices for jet fuel skyrocketed, as did ticket prices. Companies that have a Boeing 747 in their fleet are faced with its unprofitability; the plane often flies empty. However, on particularly busy routes and on intercontinental flights, the Jumbo Jet has been and remains a popular model.
The longest passenger plane in the world
This is a record holder already from modern history aviation - Boeing 747-8, began production in 2008. It is a modification of the legendary Boeing 747, with significant modifications. The designers extended the fuselage as much as possible, redesigned the wing and worked on efficiency in operation.
The length of the Boeing 747-8 is 76.25 m, making it the longest passenger airliner in the world. However, it is also the heaviest US aircraft, its take-off weight is 447 tons, which is still considered a record in the entire history of aircraft manufacturing in America.
Specifications:
- length – 76.25 m;
- height – 19.35 m;
- wingspan - 68.45 m.
In addition to cargo, this aircraft can accommodate up to 581 passengers.
The most "hardy" aircraft
For the successful operation of aircraft, in addition to capacity and payload capacity, it is important how far they can travel without refueling. Today, the record holder for long-distance flights is the Boeing 777, which is capable of flying half the circumference of the Earth at a time - 20,000 km. However, this is the maximum value of the flight length; in normal practice, the distance covered is 9000-17000 km.
Interesting. The Boeing 777E is the first modern airliner to be created using computer modeling instead of paper drawings. In the early 1990s. Such technologies have become a breakthrough in the aircraft industry, since 3D modeling makes it possible to eliminate errors in the joining of parts even at the design stage.
The Boeing 777 has different modifications depending on the fuselage length and range. 777-300ER is one of the most “hardy” and popular modifications. It is a large airliner with two turbofan engines. Maximum capacity – 550 people.
As a long-haul aircraft, the Boeing 777 can stay in the air for up to 18 hours without a break. However, there is a limitation on the duration of the crew’s work shift, so there are special places in the cabin for pilots and flight attendants to sleep and rest.
Leader in wing length
The Hughes H-4 Hercules entered the TOP 10 largest aircraft in the world due to its wing size. Despite the fact that this is the oldest aircraft described here, no one has yet been able to break its record: the span reaches 98 meters.
The plane took off for the first and last time in 1947; it has a sad history of creation. At the beginning of World War II American government ordered the development of a military aircraft from Hughes Aircraft under the management of Howard Hughes. However, the search for a perfect solution took a long time. Hughes could not be satisfied with the result. In addition, there was a shortage of aluminum in the world. As a result, the war ended, but there was still no plane. Only two years after the end of hostilities, the Hughes H-4 Hercules made its first flight. Surprisingly, this device was made entirely of plywood and, in fact, was a flying boat.
Specifications:
- length – 66.45 m;
- height – 24.08 m;
- wingspan - 97.54 m;
- maximum take-off weight – 180 tons.
Interesting. This “boat” could transport 750 soldiers in full uniform to the battlefield. However, in reality, her flight was limited to two kilometers above Los Angeles. After which the plane remained in the personal property of G. Hughes, who until his death annually spent a lot of money on maintaining it in working condition. After the death of the designer, the giant was sent to a museum in California to attract tourists. The film The Aviator, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is based on the life of engineer Howard Hughes.
Not long ago (May 31, 2017), the Hughes H-4 Hercules record for wingspan was surpassed: the Stratolaunch aircraft with a wingspan of 117 meters was presented to the world. However, it has not yet made a single flight, so Hughes’ brainchild is still the leader among the models in use.
The largest cargo plane in the world
This title belongs to the An-225, designed in the USSR at the Kiev Mechanical Development Plant, at the Design Bureau named after. O. K. Antonova. The Ukrainian name for the heavy-duty truck is “Mriya” (translated as “dream”). The first flight took place in 1988.
The impetus for the creation of Mriya was the Soviet space program Buran to develop a reusable transport spacecraft. To implement ambitious plans, an aircraft with an ultra-high payload capacity was required to participate in the cargo transportation of ship components. The designed aircraft had to lift at least 250 tons at a time and have attachments for transporting external cargo.
The designers took the An-124-100 (“Ruslan”) as a basis and changed some components and parts to obtain the necessary technical specifications. This is how the largest transport aircraft An-225 appeared. Despite the fact that Mriya was created for very specific tasks, it has become a universal vessel in cargo aviation.
The cargo compartment is sealed and has the following dimensions:
- length – 43 m;
- height – 18.2 m;
- width – 6.4 m;
- wingspan - 88.4 m;
- weight – 250 tons.
The plane has space for 6 crew members and 88 people accompanying the cargo. The likelihood that a plane will break down in flight is extremely small - that’s all important systems duplicated 4 times.
While the Mriya has been created in a single copy, the winding down of the Buran program has also suspended the production of the heavyweight aircraft. It is known that the design bureau named after. Antonova continues to develop the second modification of the giant.
The largest military aircraft
The An-124 Ruslan, the prototype of the An-225, was at one time considered the largest aircraft in the world. It is now the largest military aircraft with a huge payload capacity. It has four turbojet engines, a wide fuselage and two decks. The lower one is for cargo, the upper one is for the crew (8 people) and accompanying people (up to 21 people). Cargo compartment volume – 1000 cubic meters. An-124 lifts 120 tons into the air.
Specifications:
- length – 69.1 m;
- height – 21.08 m;
- wingspan - 73.3 m;
- weight – 178.4 tons;
- take-off weight - 392 tons.
"Ruslan" was also developed at the Design Bureau named after. O.K. Antonova, like “Mriya”. The purpose of its creation is to transport transcontinental ballistic missiles. However, the result of the work of Soviet designers exceeded expectations - the An-124 turned out to be a universal military aircraft that can transport large military equipment. “Ruslan” was mass-produced; a total of 56 copies were produced. In the early 2000s. there were attempts to resume its production by forces of Ukraine and Russia, however, due to the aggravation political relations two countries, the project was curtailed.
The largest turboprop aircraft in the world
The An-22 was developed in the Soviet Union in the 1960s, at the height of cold war" It was codenamed “product 100”. As a result, five years later the world saw this gigantic “product” called AN-22 “Antey”. This is the first Soviet and Russian aircraft with a wide fuselage. It is still considered the largest aircraft with a turboprop engine. The diameter of the propellers is 62 cm, and the power of each of the four engines is 11227 kW.
Specifications:
- length – 57.31 m;
- height – 12.53 m;
- wingspan – 64.40 m;
- weight – 119 kg;
- load capacity – 60 tons.
"Antey" is capable of transporting heavy and large military equipment over long distances and is used for airborne landings.
The heaviest combat aircraft in history
The Tu-160 is a representative of a completely different generation of military aircraft. It flies at supersonic speed and is a strategic bomber. So far this is the largest and most powerful aircraft in Russia and the world in the history of military aviation.
The Tu-160 concept was born in the 1970-1980s. as a response of Russian strategists to the military developments of the United States and NATO. The future aircraft was supposed to fly to the neighboring continent and overcome enemy air defenses at supersonic speed.
Specifications:
- length – 54.1 m;
- the wing is variable sweep, so the span is different: 55.7/50.7/35.6 m;
- height – 13.1 m;
- weight – 110 t.
- maximum take-off weight – 275 tons.
Most Tu-160 missile carriers are named after prominent figures in Russian aviation. As of 2017, our country Russia has 16 aircraft in service. There are plans to completely modernize them.
The largest mass-produced cargo aircraft
The “Largest Aircraft” selection is completed by the American cargo aircraft Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. Today it is the largest model among mass-produced cargo carriers. Since 1968, the aircraft has been successfully operated by the US Army, and regular upgrades allow it to be considered modern and promising.
Specifications:
- aircraft length - 75.54 m;
- aircraft height – 19.85 m;
- wingspan - 67.88 m;
- weight – 169.6 tons.
- maximum take-off weight – 379.6 tons.
The aircraft can fly over 4 thousand kilometers at an altitude of 10 km without refueling. The maximum developed speed is 920 km.
The largest aircraft are milestones in the history of aviation. They demonstrate how engineering thought developed, what path the designers saw before them. As history shows, the most outstanding achievements in aircraft manufacturing are associated with military operations.
