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The still not very long history of aviation is replete with episodes when in different countries, at different times and for different reasons, gigantomania came into 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 fabric and plywood-covered aircraft was used by the Germans primarily to supply troops in North Africa, although it was also seen 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 military-technical vehicle has a number of design differences from other types of military aircraft: the cargo compartment (cabin) of the fuselage with a durable floor, designed for the transportation of heavy loads; large cargo hatches for loading and unloading; lifting and transport, landing, mooring and sanitary equipment. VTS are divided according to their carrying capacity and purpose.

Based on the load capacity, military vehicles are classified into heavy, medium, and light. Heavy military vehicles (load capacity more than 60 tons) are capable of transporting all major types of weapons and military equipment of the armed forces and branches of the military. They operate from concrete runways of the 1st and 2nd classes and can land on specially equipped unpaved runways. Military vehicles of this type include An-124, An-22 (Russian Federation), S-5A, -5V, -141А.В, -17 (USA). Of these, for example, the S-5B Galaxy has a maximum take-off weight of 380 tons, a maximum speed of 875 km/h, a service ceiling of 11,000 m, a flight range with a load of 100 tons to 6,000 km, a payload of 120 tons or 345 people. Medium military vehicles (carrying capacity 10–40 tons) transport all military equipment of ground forces, with the exception of some heavy and large-sized models. They can be operated from field airfields or from specially prepared unpaved sites. Military vehicles of this type include Il-76, An-12 (Russian Federation), S-130 (USA), S-160 (France and Germany). Of these, for example, the Il-76T aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 170 tons, a maximum speed of 850 km/h, a flight range of 6,700 km, and a maximum payload of 40 tons. Light military vehicles (carrying capacity 5–10 tons) are used for transporting weapons and small-sized cargo . Capable of landing on field sites of limited size, directly in the combat area. Military technical equipment of this type include An-24, -26, -72 (RF) and S-123, -140 (USA).

According to their purpose, military technical forces are divided into strategic, operational-strategic, operational-tactical, and tactical. Strategic military transport vehicles are designed for transporting troops and heavy military equipment, including tanks, large-caliber artillery systems, missile launchers, between theaters of war, as well as for intercontinental transport of economic cargo. These include the heavy military-technical aircraft An-124 (RF), S-5A, S-5B (USA). Operational-strategic military-technical vehicles are used for landing military equipment and personnel of operational, operational-strategic airborne assault forces by parachute at a depth of 150–250 km and transporting troops, military equipment and cargo between theaters of war at a distance of St. 4000–5000 km. These include the heavy military-technical aircraft An-22 (Russian Federation) and medium military-technical military personnel Il-76 (Russian Federation), S-17, S-141V (USA). Operational-tactical military-technical vehicles are used for landing military equipment and personnel of operational-tactical airborne assault forces at depth up to 100 km, transportation of troops, military equipment and cargo, ensuring aviation maneuver within one theater of operations at a range of up to 2000 km. These include medium-sized aircraft An-12 (RF), S-130 (USA). Tactical transport aircraft mainly carry out air transportation, ensure the relocation of front-line aviation units during combat operations, and perform other special tasks in the interests of formations and formations of the front (VA). These include all the light military-technical vehicles mentioned above.

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 the largest number of passengers was 70 people. This passenger plane first saw the sky on June 17, 1934 during a test flight.

The interior of 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 airborne military equipment) with accompanying specialists, the wounded, paratroopers, and 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 of competition or confrontation between states. There will probably be new flying monsters in the future.

"YouTube/Russian Ministry of Defense"

TASS-DOSSIER /Valery Korneev/ On June 1, 1931, in the Leningrad Military District, the formation of the first Soviet military transport aviation unit was completed - the Experimental Airborne Detachment as part of a heavy bomber squadron of TB-1 aircraft and R-5 reconnaissance aircraft. This date is considered the birthday of military transport aviation (VTA) of the Aerospace Forces (VKS) of Russia.

This date has not been established as a memorable day of the Armed Forces (AF), however, on June 1, ceremonial events are traditionally held in the air force garrisons of the Military Air Forces with the removal of combat banners of units, formations and the reading of the holiday order of the commander of the Military Air Forces.

The commander of the VTA is Lieutenant General Vladimir Benediktov (on January 7, 2013, he replaced Lieutenant General Viktor Kachalkin in this post).

History of military transport aviation

On August 2, 1930, during an Air Force exercise of the Moscow Military District near Voronezh, an airborne unit was parachuted for the first time (this date is celebrated in the Russian Armed Forces as Airborne Forces Day, Airborne Forces). The landing was carried out from aircraft of an experienced airborne detachment of the Leningrad Military District.

Initially, the main combat mission of the VTA was precisely the drop of paratroopers, and the first practical experience of using aviation to transport troops, military cargo and evacuate the wounded in a combat situation was received by USSR military pilots during the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940.

During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. more than 1.7 million sorties of Soviet aviation (over 31% of the total number of sorties) were carried out transport and landing missions.

In March 1946, Airborne Transport Aviation was created as part of the Airborne Forces, in 1949 it was transformed into Transport and Assault Aviation of the Airborne Forces, in 1955 it was withdrawn from the Airborne Forces and transformed into a branch of the Air Force, received its current name and was subordinated directly to the Air Force Commander-in-Chief.

In May 1974, the first Soviet jet military transport aircraft Il-76 entered service with the BTA, which by the mid-1980s. became the main aircraft of the BTA.

In 1998, the Russian VTA was consolidated into the 61st Air Army of the Supreme High Command (strategic purpose). On December 1, 2009, a military aviation aviation command was formed on its basis with control in Moscow.

Current state

Currently, the VTA is an integral part of the Aerospace Forces, a means of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the RF Armed Forces, designed to solve strategic, operational and operational-tactical tasks. These tasks include:

• landing of airborne units;
• delivery of weapons, ammunition and materiel to troops;
• ensuring maneuver of aviation formations and units;
• transportation of troops, weapons, ammunition and materiel;
• evacuation of the wounded and sick, as well as participation in peacekeeping operations.

Military transport aviation forces may be involved in special missions.

At the end of 2015, the VTA command was declared the best association of the Russian Aerospace Forces. According to information from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the average flight time for a BTA crew commander in 2015 was more than 170 hours, for a young pilot - more than 200 hours, the total flight time for a BTA crew exceeded 50 thousand hours.

VTA crews participated in all surprise inspections of military districts, in the strategic exercise "Center-2015" and the competition "Aviadarts-2015" as part of the International Army Games. For the first time, landings were carried out at the Arctic airfield on the island of Alexandra Land (Franz Josef Land archipelago), and during the preparation of the infrastructure of the Khmeimim airfield (Syria), the BTA flight crew performed more than 280 sorties and transported 13.75 thousand tons of cargo.

VTA technique

The formations and units are armed with aircraft designed and produced in the USSR and Russia:

• medium military transport aircraft Il-76 (various modifications, including the newest Il-76MD-90A);
• multi-purpose transport aircraft An-26;
• heavy military transport aircraft An-22 "Antey";
• heavy military transport aircraft An-124 "Ruslan";
• An-12 military transport aircraft;
• transport helicopters Mi-8MTV, etc.

Development plans

In October 2012, the Russian Ministry of Defense and Il OJSC entered into a contract under which the manufacturer must supply the Russian military department with 39 Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft by 2020.

At the moment, two aircraft have been received, and three more are planned for delivery in 2017. Since 2014, Il OJSC has been modernizing combat Il-76MDs, extending the service life of the vehicles by 15 years; in total, the Ministry of Defense plans to receive 41 Il-76MDMs modernized in this way.

Also, the Il design bureau is ready to work on a promising Il-176 aircraft with a payload capacity of 80-100 tons (the previous name of the project was “advanced transport aviation complex”, PAK TA), however, as of the spring of 2016, the Russian military has not formulated final requirements for this car. In addition, the Il Design Bureau is designing the Il-112V transport aircraft to replace the An-26 transport aircraft in the BTA fleet.

Since there are no limits to human imagination and ingenuity, more and more new and modern aircraft models are appearing. They are becoming better, more economical, safer, and of course, more massive.

Airbus A380

This aircraft has two decks and is the largest for carrying passengers.

The height of the aircraft is 24 meters, the wingspan is 80 meters, and the length is 73 meters.

The aircraft carries up to 555 passengers, in a single-class modification - 853 passengers.

This aircraft is capable of covering 15,000 kilometers non-stop, while at the same time being very economical. The creation of the Airbus A380 took 10 years at a project cost of 12 billion euros. The first commercial flight took place in October 2007. Then 455 passengers boarded the flight from Singapore to Sydney.

During construction, the main sections of the airliner are transported by ground and surface transport, although some parts are transported by An-124 aircraft.

This model was created as an alternative to what was previously considered the largest for 35 years. But Airbus moved its “colleague” from its place of honor due to its efficiency not only in fuel, but also in cost.

The developers also achieved a reduction in the weight of the aircraft. The highlight of the design is that 40% of the Airbus A380 body is graphite (wings and fuselage). The cost of the aircraft itself is about 390 million euros.

This airliner is the leader in flight range. It is capable of flying more than 21,000 km without refueling. Operation began in 1995. The aircraft can carry from 300 to 550 people in the cabin. The 777-300 ER is powered by two General Electric gas turbine engines, the most powerful engines in its class.

It has a maximum speed of 965 km/h with an impressive weight of 250 tons. One of the main distinguishing features is efficiency. A cargo modification was also created on the basis of the passenger aircraft. The symbol "ER" stands for Extended Range.

A modification of the well-known 747 appeared in 2005. The body has become longer, and at the same time the aircraft has become more economical. This model is the leader in the number of special orders for billionaires and top government officials. It is used by 19 heads of state. The 747-8 version is the largest commercial aircraft in the world. The first owner of the commercial model 747-8 is the German company Lufthansa.

Officially, this is the longest plane in the world!

Hughes H-4 Hercules

This huge car is one of the record holders for the number of passengers (750), but is now a museum. The plane was created under the leadership of the famous millionaire Howard Hughes, and was made of wood. The creator of Hercules himself maintained the aircraft in working condition until his death. In 1993, the plane found its permanent home in Oregon, and is visited annually by more than 300 thousand tourists.

The Hercules was designed as a wooden flying boat weighing 136 tons. At the same time, the aircraft was the widest aircraft until May 2017 - its wingspan was 98 meters.

The most spacious of Russian airliners, accommodates 435 passengers. Currently used only by the transport company "Russia" as VIP transport and Cubana, including for the President of Cuba. It has a modification 96-300PU (control point) - like the aircraft of the President of the Russian Federation. Now, based on the IL-96M, the IL-96-400 has been created, with the same capacity as its predecessor.

Unfortunately, mass production of this model never took place, despite the fact that it was designed by Western and domestic specialists.

This airliner has proven itself well over long distances since 2002. Its capacity is 380 passengers in three classes, 419 in two classes. Flight range – 14,800 km. Initially developed as an alternative to early Boeing models. Although the number of passengers the aircraft is identical to Boeing's 747 model, the luggage compartment is twice as large as that of its competitor. Serial production ceased in 2011.

Cargo aircraft

- the most load-lifting aircraft in the world. The aircraft was created at the Design Bureau named after. Antonov. The basis for the creation of "Mriya" was.

The development of Mriya was closely related to the Buran program. It was with the help of the An-225 that parts for the shuttle and subsequently the ship itself were transported. Since the dimensions of the launch vehicle blocks and the Buran itself were larger than the cargo compartment of the Mriya, the An-225 was provided with external fastenings for such cargo.

There is one copy, but joint Ukrainian-Chinese construction of another “Mriya” is underway.

The aircraft's original mission was to transport ballistic missiles. But the result was impressive. The An-124 began to be used to transport military equipment. The civil aviation version of the aircraft can operate at any latitude and transport many types of cargo, including large cargo.

The cost of one copy is $300 million, which is more than many passenger airliners.

The aircraft was developed in the USA for military transportation back in 1968. Capable of transporting up to 345 soldiers or several units of military equipment.

It was the most load-carrying aircraft until the appearance of the An-124 in 1982.

The reason for the creation of this aircraft was the location of Airbus factories in several places and the need to transport individual parts of Airbus airliners. A total of 5 copies were created and they all work for Airbus. Currently, a similar device based on the A340 is being developed to transport parts of the Airbus A380.

The name comes from the beluga whale, whose shape resembles a flying machine.

This aircraft is designed to transport parts of the Boeing 787 aircraft. Previously, individual spare parts were transported by sea, which was extremely inconvenient. Thus, supplies from Japan of wings for the 787 Dreamliner were reduced from 30 days to 8 hours. Only 4 copies have been released so far.

Military aircraft

The short history of military aviation includes many cases when gigantomania came into fashion. The result was the construction of huge flying machines. Some representatives of the largest military aircraft will be described below.

The German aircraft from World War II was the heaviest land aircraft at that time. Widely used in North Africa to supply troops. Load capacity is 23 tons. Unlike the predecessor Me.321, which flew only one way and was subsequently blown up by the crew, the Me.323 was equipped with engines and landing gear.

The aircraft became the basis for many engineering solutions still used in military aviation. It can and should be called the first military transport aircraft.

The aircraft was created in 1943 in Germany. The basis for its creation was the Ju 290. Created to perform many tasks, including as a strategic bomber that could even bomb US territory. The Germans planned to build 26 aircraft, but in fact only two were built.

The plane had a unique flight range for its time - 9,700 km, which allowed the Germans to seriously think about bombing the territory of the United States.

The plane was created in the USA, like a flying boat. The Navy used it as an ocean patrol aircraft. A total of 5 devices of this type were created. In terms of wingspan, the JRM Mars is the largest production seaplane in history (the H-4 Hercules was produced in only one copy).

The last of the aircraft of this type is still in operation as a firefighting aircraft.

The aircraft was created by Boeing in 1941 to counter enemy Japan. Entered mass production in 1943. The B-29 embodied all the latest engineering solutions of the time and was a model for the current military aircraft industry. He became widely known after the use of atomic weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.

To establish military balance, by order of I.V. Stalin, an analogue of the B-29 was created, an unlicensed copy of the Tu-4.

Initially, the B-52 was created as an intercontinental strategic bomber, but, being a means of delivering nuclear weapons, it was used in military conflicts only for training. Having an altitude ceiling of up to 15,000 m, it was capable of delivering two thermonuclear bombs to any point in the USSR.

The B-52 saw active use in many military conflicts, most notably in Vietnam from 1965 to 1973.

The US military plans to operate B-52 aircraft well into the 2040s with appropriate upgrades.

The legendary Soviet strategic bomber, which still remains in service with the Russian Air Force. This is the world's only turboprop missile carrier. There are still 60 vehicles of this type in service, capable of carrying X-101 missiles, which, with a range of 5,500 km, allow the Tu-95 to completely calmly attack targets without detecting itself on enemy air defense systems. Despite the fact that many of the modern strategic bombers are powered by jet engines, the Tu-95 is not obsolete, on the contrary, this is its advantage, since some satellites track bombers using jet exhaust.

Various test aircraft were created on the basis of the Tu-95, such as the passenger Tu-114 and reconnaissance Tu-126.

Video about the Tu-95 - one of the best bombers of our time.

A supersonic missile carrier with variable sweep wings was developed at the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 70-80s. Many prefixes “most” can be applied to an airplane. Tu-160 is the largest military aircraft, which also has the largest maximum take-off weight. The Russian Air Force includes 16 Tu-160 aircraft based in Engels, Saratov region.

In 2017, a decision was made to completely modernize the Tu-160.

The history of aircraft construction, both military and civilian, does not go back very long, however, during this time a huge leap has been made in the technologies used. Over time, the capacity of passenger airliners and their flight range increase, and military aircraft are assigned increasingly complex tasks, from transport to combat. One way or another, aircraft manufacturing will remain one of the most high-tech industries.