Goleta Air and Space Museum: Antonov Giants: An-22 Antheus, An-124 Ruslan, An-225 Mriya

It is not widely realized that the largest airplanes in the world come from Ukraine. The Antonov Design Bureau located in Kiev, Ukraine has produced a series of airplanes able to claim the title of biggest airplane in the world.

The Antonov An-22 Antheus was the largest production airplane in the world from 1965 until the introduction of the Lockheed C-5A Galaxy in 1969. 66 were built. A number are still in service with the V-TA and one is used by Antonov to transport An-124 wings attached along the top of its fuselage. In Greek mythology, Antheus was a giant whose great strength depended on keeping his feet in contact with the ground.

The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is the largest production airplane in the world. It was introduced to the west at the Paris Airshow of 1985. It succeeded the C-5A Galaxy in the role of world's biggest airplane. Construction continues in Kiev, Ukraine and Ulyanovsk, Russia.

Designed specifically to carry oversized cargo externally, the fuselage of the An-225 Mriya has been stretched fifty feet compared to the An-124. An entirely new wing root was designed to add fifty feet to the span of the smaller giant. The wing of the An-225, from just outward of the inboard engine, is similar to the wing of the An-124.

The 290 foot wingspan of the An-225 is exceeded only by the 320 foot wing of Howard Hughes giant flying boat, popularly known as the Spruce Goose. The wing area of the Spruce Goose of 11,430 square feet remains unchallenged as the greatest of any airplane ever built.

You can buy a set of ten 5-inch by 7-inch photo note cards featuring my photographs of the Antonov An-225 Mriya at the Lockett Photography Store.

Giant Jet Airplanes
	First Flight	Wing Span	Length	Wing Area	Gross Weight	Engines
Airbus A380	2005	261ft,10in	239ft,06in	9,100	1,235,000	4 x 84,000 lb RR Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP-7200
Boeing 777-300ER	2003	212ft,07in	242ft,04in	4,700	775,000	2 x 115,300 lb GE90-115B
Airbus A340-600	2001	208ft,02in	247ft,01in	4,729	811,300	4 x 56,000 lb RR Trent 556
Boeing 777-200	1994	209ft,01in	199ft,11in	4,605	545,000	2 x 74,000 lb PW4074, GE90-75B, or RR Trent 875
Airbus A330-300	1992	197ft,10in	208ft,10in	3,892	507,000	2 x 51,590 lb GE CF6-80E, PW4000, or RR Trent 700
Boeing 747-400 Jumbo Jet	1988	211ft,05in	231ft,10in	5,650	833,000	4 x 45,000 PW4062 or GE CF6-80C2B1F
Antonov An-225 Mryia	1988	290ft,00in	275ft,07in	10,280	1,300,000	6 x 51,590 lb DT-18T
Antonov An-124 Ruslan	1984	240ft,00in	227ft,00in	6,760	890,000	4 x 51,590 lb DT-18T
Tupolev 160 Blackjack	1981	182ft, 09in	177ft, 06in	3,660	606,000	4 x 50,900 lb NK-321
Lockheed C-5A Galaxy	1968	222ft,08in	247ft,10in	6,200	769,000	4 x 50,000 lb GE TF-39
Boeing 747-100 Jumbo Jet	1968	195ft,08in	231ft,04in	5,500	850,000	4 x 50,000 lb P&W JT9D
Antonov An-22 Antheus	1965	211ft,04in	189ft,07in	3,713	550,000	4 x 15,000 shp Kuznetsov NK-12MV
North American XB-70A Valkyrie	1964	105ft,00in	189ft,00in	6,297	530,000	6 x 33,000,lb J-93
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress	1952	185ft,00in	157ft,07in	4,000	450,000	8 x 8,000 lb J-57
Convair YB-60	1952	206ft,05in	175ft,02in	5,239	410,000	8 x 8,000 lb J-57

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Antonov Giants: An-22 Antheus, An-124 Ruslan, An-225 Mriya

An-22 Antheus, Nato: Cock

An-124 Ruslan, Nato: Condor

An-225 Mriya, Nato: Cossack

You can buy a set of ten 5-inch by 7-inch photo note cards featuring my photographs of the Antonov An-225 Mriya at the Lockett Photography Store.