Antonov An-225 Mryia
Antonov An-225 Mryia is a Soviet/Russian heavy military airlift aircraft designed by the Antonov Design Bureau. It is the largest flying machine in the world that is capable of transporting large payloads and strategic nuclear weapons. The An-225 was designed to replace the ageing Mil-25, a massive military cargo transport that had been used since 1957.
The design was based on the earlier Il-62, which was one of the first civilian airliners with a fuselage designed to carry oversized payloads. With a wingspan of 229 feet (69 m), it is almost eight times as long as a Boeing 747 jumbo jet but still has a lower maximum takeoff weight than the 747. The An-225 can carry up to 250,000 pounds (110,000 kg) of payload over almost any route, and has a range of 6,000 miles (9,600 km). It features five separate cargo decks and two engines, each with its own set of four turbochargers. A fully loaded An-225 typically takes off using two 3,500-foot (1,067 m) runways.
The An-225 first flew in 1989 and entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1992. It was built primarily for transporting cargo and has been used on several occasions to deliver humanitarian aid to war zones or disaster zones. In 2003 the An-225
PlaneHistoria is a resource for anyone who wants to learn more about aviation, and particularly those who are interested in aircraft models and their history.
