BIG! Guess This One

[rhondabrwn]

I stumbled across this one today and thought I'd throw it up on the forum wall and see how fast you experts can nail it! [:D]

[Terminus]

Antonov 225?

[String]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Antonov 225?

Can't be anything than that six engined monster.

[rhondabrwn]

Bingo! You got it.

I actually saw this beast as an animation in a game called "Transport Giant" which I just ordered from Auran (over in Australia). I was intrigued and had to go look it up. Here are the details:

Antonov An-225 Mria

"Currently the world's largest aircraft, the An-225 Mria (dream) stemmed from the need to transport large items for the Soviet space programme. Previously a converted Myasishchev Mya-4 'Bison' bomber had been used to carry outsize items on its back. but this had a limited payload capacity. meaning many components had to be disassembled or not carried at all.

Myasishchev VM-T was replaced by An-225 Mria as a transport for oversized, space program-related cargoes In mid-1985 Antonov was entrusted with the design of a new aircraft able to carry the Buran shuttle orbiter, large components of the Energiya launch vehicles and other outsize items for construction and mining industries. Construction of the An-124 provided the basis for the new aircraft, Antonov using many of the same components to keep cost and development effort down,

The fuselage and wings are similar to the An-124, the cabin retaining the same cross-sectional dimensions but with increased length. To save weight the rear loading ramp is removed, but the An-225 retains the nose visor. Standard An-124 wings are grafted on to a new center section, thereby increasing the span while keeping the engine installations the same. An additional pair of D-36T turbofans is fitted to the new center section. raising thrust to an amazing 1377 kN (309,540lb). In order to support the increased weight, seven pairs of wheels are fitted to each side as opposed to five in the An-124.

Outsize loads that cannot fit into the capacious cabin (including Buran and Energiya components) are carried 'piggyback', the load supported on two main attachments above the center section. These supports and other smaller ones along the fuselage top are faired over when not in use. To avoid buffeting from the 'piggyback' load, the An-225 has twin vertical fins mounted on the end of a large tailplane.

The prototype made its first flight on 21 December 1988, and in March 1989 setup no fewer than 106 world and class records in one flight from Kiev, at a maximum take-off weight in excess of 500000kg (1.100,000lb). Only two have been completed so far. and the first flew with Buran on 13 May 1989. This combination made a dramatic appearance in the West for the first time a month later at the Paris Air Salon.

Specification

Type: heavy transport

Powerplant: six Lotarev D-18T turbofans, each rated at 229.5kN (51,590lb) thrust

Performance: (estimated) cruising speed 800 km/h (497 mph); take-off run carrying Buran 2500 m (8,200ft); turning radius about nosewheels 50m (164 ft)

Weights: maximum take-off 600000kg (1,322,750lb), maximum payload (internal or external) 250000kg (551,150lb)

Dimensions: span 88.4m (290ft); length 84.0 m (275ft 7 in). height 18.1 m (59 ft 43/4 in); tailplane span 32.65 m (107ft 11/2in); length of freight hold 43 m (141 ft)"

(source: The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft, p. 58)

[rhondabrwn]

And in it's primary mode as a transport...

[Dragoon 45]

While I was in Afghanistan, I was stationed for a time at Camp Phoenix on the Eastern side of Kabul. This aircraft was making almost daily flights into Kabul at that time. We where under the glide path for the airfield, and everytime this thing came over everything would shake, you couldn't hear a thing, and it literally blotted out the sun. You should see the thing at an altitude of 200 feet making an approach. You wonder how something that big can stay in the air.

[Raverdave]

ORIGINAL: rhondabrwn

And in it's primary mode as a transport...

Now this is an interesting photo which I have never seen before.....shows the Rooshan version of the Space Shuttle.....notice how it is wider than the US type?