PAK TA: the latest transport aircraft for the Russian army. Nine military transport heaviest aircraft in the world

Air travel is considered a safe and affordable means of travel. To lift one liner into the air requires a decent amount of fuel, so the designers are constantly fighting to reduce fuel consumption. Large-capacity liners have shown themselves to be an effective means of transporting large volumes of cargo and serving a large passenger flow.

largest passenger aircraft

The largest passenger aircraft in the world is the Airbus A380. The airliner is produced by a group of European companies in several EU countries. The wingspan of this giant is 80 meters, which makes room for large reserves of fuel and makes it possible for long non-stop flights.

A380 has incredible specifications:

1. Number of passengers: 850 people
2. Max. flight speed: 1020 km/h.
3. Max. flight distance: 15200 km, more than any representatives of this class.
4. Max. takeoff weight: 575 tons

Application composite materials allows the aircraft to weigh significantly less, which helps to gain the desired height with minimal acceleration.

In the aircraft project, the engineers managed to combine knowledge in the field of engineering and aerodynamics.

Liner capacity

The model has big amount modifications, however, on average, the airbus can accommodate about 555 people. The aircraft is characterized by the highest level of comfort. The liner is operated on all continents. Airbus is famous for its good handling and almost zero accidents.

Not every engine is suitable for lifting such a colossus into the air, because in addition to passenger seats on the liner there are:

1. Recreation areas.
2. Sleeping cabins.
3. Bars and more.

Only 4 Rolls-Royce motors, manufactured by special order, are capable of lifting this mass into the heights.

In Russia, the largest passenger aircraft is actively operating main airline countries - Aeroflot. The A380 has a significant share in the carrier's fleet.

largest cargo plane

An 225 - "Mriya" rightfully holds the title of the most big plane in the world. The length of the aircraft is 73 meters, and the wingspan is an incredible 88 meters! The aircraft exists in a single copy and is operated by the Ukrainian company Antonov Airlines. In theory, this aircraft can be classified as a transport aircraft, but its original purpose was to transport the Buran reusable spacecraft.

After the collapse of the USSR, the largest cargo aircraft in the world went to Ukraine, but was not operated for a long time. The engines and all valuable equipment were removed from the liner. It wasn't until the early 2000s that the need for such an "air truck" arose and the aircraft was upgraded to meet international aviation standards.

Now the largest An aircraft has been adapted for commercial transportation. The carrying capacity of the aircraft is about 250 tons.

Important: in fact, there is a second copy of Mriya, but it is not completed. The readiness of the project is estimated at 70%. To complete the construction, about 100 million dollars are required, which no investor is ready to provide yet.

Liner records

An-225 has broken many load-carrying records. The largest cargo aircraft in the world has an absolute record for lifting cargo into the air - 253.5 tons. The air record holder has been entered into the Guinness Book of Records more than once.

In the next ten years, hardly anyone will be able to build a project of this magnitude, so the liner for the next ten to fifteen years will hold the palm in the nominations "the largest aircraft in the world" and "the heaviest aircraft".

The largest military aircraft in the world

The largest aircraft in the world is used only for peaceful purposes, but many of its smaller counterparts are used to transport military cargo. The most successful countries in this area are Russia and the United States. cold war spurred an arms race and a flood of government funding poured into the defense industry.

The production of one model required a huge amount of money, so each project was thoroughly checked before the flights. The commissioning time of this kind of equipment is about 5 years from the beginning of the design.

An 124 "Ruslan"

This military transport liner is one of the few representatives of the aircraft industry giants in Russia. The development of the project and the first flights were carried out back in the era of the Soviet Union, however, the technological solutions of the designers were really ahead of their time and therefore remain relevant to this day.

The name "Ruslan" was given to the liner combat pilots, but journalists liked it so much that it appears with this abbreviation in all tops and ratings. The nickname has become an integral part of the aircraft.

The air vehicle has a wingspan of about 80 meters and a length of 73 meters. The maximum flight range is more than 15 thousand kilometers. More than once these airliners during their flights went around Earth with minimal refills.

Ruslan is operated in Russia and Ukraine, and not only for military cargo transportation.

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is the American answer to domestic designs for super-lift liners. The scale of this monster is impressive: in military configuration, it is capable of carrying 275 fully equipped soldiers, and when used in civil aviation takes on board 75 passengers. In the initial draft, it was assumed that the board was capable of transporting intercontinental ballistic missiles.

10 biggest planes in the world

Since the dawn of aviation, aircraft have grown in size and reliability. In every era there was an aircraft that was a technological breakthrough. For you, we present the top 10 aircraft that influenced the development of world aviation.

Tupolev ANT-20 "Maxim Gorky"

Built in honor of a significant event in the biography of M. Gorky - the 40th anniversary since the beginning of his literary path, the plane was striking in size. This eight-engine giant contained a printing house, a laboratory and a library. For full use, a flight staff of 20 people was required.

The fate of the only issued copy is tragic - on May 18, 1935, an accident occurred that led to disaster. However, this aircraft became the prototype for the creation of heavy domestic aircraft, such as Ruslan and Mriya.

Important: in the mid-30s of the 20th century, it could rightfully be called not only the largest Russian aircraft, but also the largest cargo aircraft in the world.

Hughes H-4 Hercules

It is no coincidence that "Hercules" takes a place in our top. To this day, it is the largest transport aircraft with the ability to take off and land on the water surface.

The project was financed by the American tycoon Howard Hughes, but was completed only in a wooden version. This is due to the fact that the construction period fell on the Second world war, so all the metal went to the military. An estimated capacity of 750 people would make it the largest passenger aircraft ever built.

Boeing 747

Each of us saw this plane one way or another: live, in a photo or on video. For 37 years, the Boeing 747 held the title of the world's largest civil aircraft, until the Airbus A380 appeared. Used all over the world. It was used to deliver the space shuttle from the place of production.

Characteristics:

1. Length from nose to tail: 76.4.
2. Wingspan: 68.5 .
3. Crew: 2 pilots.
4. Number of passengers: 600 people
5. Max. flight speed: 1100 km/h.
6. Flight range: about 14,000 km.
7. Max. takeoff weight: 448 tons.

The following models are also in the top 10 most large aircraft world, but their place in the list is deserved primarily by their reliability and performance.

Boeing 777-300ER

Boeing's largest aircraft. The device has a wide space inside the skin and is capable of carrying up to 70,000 tons of commercial cargo.

Airbus A340-600

It was produced in the amount of 97 copies, which allows it to be called one of the most popular aircraft, capable of taking on board 450 passengers. Out of production in 2011, but continues to be used everywhere.

Boeing 747-8

The extended version of the liner tops the honorary list of the longest aircraft (76.4 meters). In the international classification it is called "Intercontinental".

Tu-134

Medium-passenger main liner, which is rightfully considered one of the best in Russia. This model attracts not with a huge volume inside, but with a decent speed for its dimensions - it can reach up to 950 km / h.

Dry "Superjet" -100

The Russian aircraft is the front line of the domestic aircraft industry. It has the most modern digital filling, is capable of transporting 100 people. It is actively purchased in Asia, and Sukhoi plans to enter the US market.

Irkut MS-21

This airliner is not yet in production and is getting a place on our list in advance. Despite not the most large dimensions project (length - up to 40 meters), which will not allow it to shift the most big planes West, he is able to rid Russia of the dominance of foreign manufacturers.

Concorde

The aircraft was the beginning of a sharp surge in the construction of supersonic passenger liners. A recognizable silhouette with a pointed nose is easily recognizable in photos and videos. Used for 27 years, which allowed him to become the champion in the transportation of passengers - 3 million people.

Every manufacturer wants to be called a giant of the industry. In the aircraft industry, Airbus has no equal with the A380 model. The largest passenger aircraft in the world has been produced for several years and is constantly being modified. Not far off is the time when one plane will take on board more than 1000 people.

The Russian heavy aircraft market is experiencing better times. Old Soviet models are in operation. Gradually, Russian manufacturers are trying to catch up with their colleagues from Europe and America, but this takes time.

Each of the described liners can weigh tens of tons, but the utility factor is estimated by the formula: 1 kg of own weight per amount of weight lifted.

The not yet very long history of aviation is replete with episodes when, in different countries, V different time and for various reasons military fashion included gigantomania, which led 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 machine 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, as well as a strategic bomber. The Germans planned to build 26 such aircraft, with the help of 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 wingspan of the aircraft was 50.3 meters, and its length was 34.2 meters, the flight range was up to 9700 kilometers.

2. AntonovAn-225 Mriya»

The An-225 Mriya was developed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the 1980s. It is the longest (84 meters) and heaviest (maximum takeoff weight of 640 tons) aircraft ever built. "Mriya" was originally created to transport the Buran reusable spacecraft, as well as various large 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 is at the plant "Antonov"). After the completion of the Energy - Buran program, the An-225 was mothballed for eight years. In the early 2000s, the aircraft was restored by Ukrainian companies, and it currently performs commercial cargo transportation.

3. MesserschmittMe 323 "Gigant"

The German Messerschmitt Me 323 was the largest serial land aircraft of World War II. Just over 200 of them were built. It was designed and built in preparation for the planned invasion of 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 carrying capacity of up to 23 tons, this aircraft with fabric and plywood sheathing was used by the Germans mainly to supply troops in North Africa, although he also met 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 Typhoons in May 1945.

5. MartinJRMMars

The large transport floatplane Martin JRM Mars was built in limited numbers (1 prototype and 6 serial) for the US Navy during World War II. It was created as a "flying dreadnought" - a long-range patrol aircraft. After the war, four surviving "Mars", decommissioned in 1959 for scrap metal, were purchased by Canadian timber merchants and converted into flying tankers to extinguish forest fires. After 2012, one Martin JRM Mars still remains in service.

6. Convair B-36 Peacemaker

Prototype XB-36 (right) next to B-29 Superfortress

B-36 Peacemaker ("Peacemaker") - American intercontinental bomber, the largest wing span (70.1 meters) combat aircraft in the history of aviation. The first flight was carried out in August 1946. A total of 384 aircraft were built.

7. ConvairXC-99

XC-99 - American prototype heavy cargo plane, 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 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 intercontinental strategic bomber B-52 made its first flight in April 1952 and replaced the Convair B-36. As one of the main means of delivery of American nuclear weapons, the B-52 participated in several military conflicts, during which only conventional weapons were used from its side. The US Air Force plans to use the B-52 until at least the 2040s. The wingspan of the aircraft is 56.39 meters.

Before moving on to the very best, we will divide transport aircraft into two types: the first are aircraft designed exclusively for transportation, the second are aircraft that participate in part-time transportation (these can be passenger aircraft, bombers or reconnaissance aircraft). We are interested in the first ones, since only they allow us to judge the aircraft most objectively, based on its specifics.
And one more thing - we investigated the maximum takeoff weight of all aircraft, regardless of the period of their creation and operation. The only exceptions were transport aircraft that are at the design stage.

Goal #1. Object An-225 (USSR)

An-225 carries the Buran spacecraft.

An-225 s official name"Mriya", which means "Dream" in Ukrainian, was the fruit of four years of work by Soviet designers. For many years, the American "truck" Lockheed C-5 Galaxy (read below) was the heaviest transport aircraft in the history of aviation. The unsurpassed 379.5 tons of C-5, of course, was a kind of advantage for American aviation, but there was no particular reason for the "mass race". A transport aircraft is not a fighter, and here, as they say, it is convenient for anyone. However, a worthy response of the Soviet Union with an advantage in the mass of the whole fighter appeared in 1982 after 14 years. It was the An-124 Ruslan (read below).

Eight years passed, and in 1988 the giant An-225 appeared on the world aviation scene. The Soviet trump card weighed 640 tons. Today, the An-225 was produced in only one copy, another one is (for 20 years now) under construction. The aircraft, which in terms of mass among all aircraft is inferior only to some spacecraft, was originally intended to transport the Buran spacecraft (loaded mass is more than 100 tons). However, in 1993, after the decommissioning of the Buran, the An-225 began regular cargo transportation, mainly commercial. Literally two months ago, the An-225, which already had more than one hundred world records, was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the aircraft that lifted the largest load into the air, a generator weighing 187.6 tons. Previously, questions might have arisen as to whether the An-225 could be classified as a military transport aircraft, unless, of course, it was about space wars of the future, now there is no doubt about this.

Only six An-225 turbofan engines weigh more than 24 tons in total. If you combine the MiG-29 fighter and, say, the "maize" (An-2), they will be several tons lighter.

An-225 = 133 hippos

Goal #2. Object An-124 (USSR)

An-124 "Ruslan" has the largest maximum takeoff weight among mass-produced transport aircraft. He became the progenitor of the An-225, so to speak, made the "Dream" a reality. Small differences are observed only in the design: four engines instead of six, different tails, differences in the placement of cargo compartments and different fuselage lengths.

Currently, preparations have begun for the resumption of the construction of Ruslan, which stalled in 2004 due to the lack of a sufficient number of orders. In its lifetime, the An-124 managed to visit the Afghan war. Now, in peacetime, Ruslan is the most convenient transport aircraft to use: it is not as bulky as the Mriya, and at the same time more spacious and powerful compared to other "trucks".

An-124 = 90 hippos

Goal #3. Object C-5 Galaxy (USA)

At the very beginning, we said that transport aircraft were not objects of an arms race, however, it is worth mentioning that this happened after the appearance of Ruslan in the sky. The history of the creation of the C-5 Galaxy indicates that this aircraft was created in the second half of the 60s, as a response to the Soviet "truck" An-22 "Antey" (read below). The Americans couldn't afford to be second even here. The maximum takeoff weight of the Antey was 226 tons. This meant that there were more than enough opportunities to build mass. The Americans are beating the Antonov “card” with the C-5 Galaxy aircraft, the “Antonovites” are responding with the “Ruslan” - the weight bar has reached more than 400 tons, there is practically no point in fighting for the advantage. Moreover, there is no point in trying to surpass the An-225.

In the design of the C-5 Galaxy, Lockheed designers equipped the cargo compartment in a rather unusual way. If most transport aircraft have the main hatch located in the tail section, then the C-5 Galaxy has both in the tail and in the bow. When loading the side through the bow hatch, the bow leans up. This is similar to how, when repairing trucks, the driver's cab is tilted forward, only in reverse direction. Ruslan used the same system, but let's not forget that it appeared 14 years later. There is a difference between the forward cargo compartments of the Ruslan and the C-5 Galaxy: on our plane, the nose folds down along with the cockpit, on the American one, the cockpit remains in place.v

C-5 Galaxy on the left, An-124 on the right.

C -5 Galaxy = 84 Behemoths

Goal #4. Object C-17 Globemaster III (USA)

The story of the creation of the 263-ton C-17 Globemaster III states that the United States needed a transport aircraft capable of effectively performing tasks in the event of a war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries (the USSR and the countries of Eastern Europe, including the GDR). C -17 Globemaster III was supposed to be an aircraft that did not need paved runways, just in case the airfields are destroyed. It was supposed to be more spacious than the C-5 Galaxy, have a greater range and greater speed. On September 15, 1991, the C-17 Globemaster III made its first flight. True, now its characteristics have lost their relevance, since, firstly, two and a half months have passed since the collapse of the Warsaw Pact, that is, there was no one to fight with, and secondly, the Soviet Union(by that time most of countries came out and the composition of the republic and proclaimed its independence). Perform aerial transportation V Western Europe could and other successful aircraft, the same C-5 Galaxy, landing on fully equipped airfields.

The advantage of the C-17 over the C-5 was greater maneuverability, ability to operate on unprepared runways, ability to refuel in the air, larger ceiling maximum height flight, which is very important during hostilities, but it cannot be called more capacious. If we do not take the maximum takeoff weight, but compare only the carrying capacity of these aircraft, then the C-5 has about 118.4 tons, while the C-17 is able to lift only 78.1 tons, and this is the maximum allowable bar.

C -17 Globemaster III = 58 Behemoths

Goal #5. Object An-22 (USSR)

An-22 "Antey", developed in the early 60s, when the race for carrying capacity was gaining momentum, created the effect of an exploding bomb. For sixteen years from 1947 to 1963, the American "truck" Convair XC-99 formally reigned in the sky (read below). There was no response from the Union. In 1963, another American C -141 Starlifter (read below) took to the skies, breaking the XC -99 mass record by 10 tons. Two years passed and the Soviet Union finally struck back. An-22 surpassed the two-year-old C-141 Starlifter record holder by 70 tons. The Antey received combat training during the war in Afghanistan, after its production was completed.

Among the nine heaviest transport aircraft in the world, the An-22 is the only "truck" with propellers, as well as the most emergency. Of course, these two indicators are in no way connected with each other, just as they are not connected on any other aircraft, however, in 1970, one An-22 crashed due to failure propeller. A propeller shattered into pieces, with a diameter of 6.2 m (which is only half the height of the aircraft itself), cut the aircraft control cables. The plane crashed, killing all 12 people on board. And yet, the An-22 is one of the most successful transport aircraft in the world and is operated in Russia to this day. In the future, preference was given to the An-124 Ruslan.

An-22 "Ruslan" = 50 hippos

Goal #6. Object IL-76 (USSR)

Probably, no transport aircraft in the world has such rich pages of history as the Il-76, which first took to the skies in 1971. It did not exceed the Antey in mass, but as the documents show, the designers did not have the task of creating a heavier aircraft, respectively, with a higher payload. The goal was to create a medium transport aircraft with the possibility of intensive operation, which would combine high flight and technical characteristics. The first step was the installation of turbojet engines. Il-76 became the first Soviet transport aircraft with turbojet engines, before that, on the same An-22, there were turbofan engines. Of course, the IL-76 was lighter than the Antey, but it consumed twice as much fuel, but the speed increased. If we talk about the advantages of turbojet engines over turboprops, then higher speed is perhaps the only thing that elevates the former over the latter. So, the IL-76 has become the most common, but reliable and high-quality workhorse.

The accident rate of the IL-76 is quite high, for 35 years of operation it has suffered 60 accidents. If we take the average, it turns out, one accident in six months. But, as they say, who works, he makes mistakes. Last catastrophe happened very recently. On September 22 this year, an Iranian Il-76 in the A-50 modification, converted for radar detection and control, crashed during an air show while landing. Radar located above the fuselage fell off and damaged the tail unit. The plane lost control and crashed. 7 people died.

The “medium” parameter, put forward at the dawn of development by the Minister of Aviation Industry of the USSR, turned the Il-76 into an almost indispensable transport aircraft. Today, it is actively operated in almost forty countries of the world; perhaps no other aircraft in the world has been awarded such an honor. Moreover, among the exploiters are the United States, which, it would seem, have always used only their own developments, however, like us.

IL-76 = 48 hippos

Goal #7. Object VM-T (USSR)

The 210-ton VM-T, which took off in 1981, became a kind of attachment to the An-225, which did not yet exist at that time. It was produced by the design bureau of Vladimir Myasishchev in only three copies and was intended for delivery to Baikonur of individual parts used in the Energia-Buran space complex. In particular, in the photograph, the VM-T "carries" one of the hydrogen tanks of the Energia launch vehicle (there is no data on its mass). True, the Buran shuttle itself has repeatedly transported VM-T. In principle, if you do not take into account 105 tons - the starting mass of the Buran, that is, already loaded, then it weighed about 60 - 70 tons ... quite acceptable for such a heavy transport aircraft.

With the adoption of the An-225, the MV-T became useless for Russian aviation. For recent years many plans are being made for the future use of these aircraft.

VM-T = 46 hippos

Goal #8. Lockheed C-141 Starlifter facility (USA)

The only important milestone in the history of the C-141 Starlifter, which appeared in 1963, is its payload record, which held for two years, before the introduction of the An-22. True, the C-141 had another record, at the time of its appearance it was the fastest transport aircraft in the world - 910 km / h. On the other “trucks”, the maximum speed ranged on average from 650 to 850 km / h.

Until 2006, while the C-141 Starlifter was in service with the US Air Force, the aircraft was subjected to multiple upgrades, in particular, the most interesting point here is the installation on board of a system that alerts the aircraft to the ground.

Lockheed C-141 Starlifter = 35 Behemoths

Goal #9. Object Convair XC-99

A somewhat primitive form (and I would even say not quite decent) suggests that its oldest representative closes the top nine of the heaviest transport aircraft. First flight of the XC-99 in 1947. When we talked about Antey, we said that the XC-99 reigned in the sky formally. The fact is that the aircraft was produced in only one copy. The characteristics of the XC-99 were then a real miracle, probably even greater than the appearance of the 640-ton An-225. In the forties, and throughout the 50s, the maximum take-off weight of the heaviest "trucks" was 30 tons at most. The Americans slipped over 100 tons at once. Accordingly, such luxurious characteristics of the aircraft meant luxurious sums for customers. As a result, no one signed a contract for serial production of the XC-99.

However, the only copy of the XC-99 lived a rather stormy life. For 10 years, he was in service with the US Air Force and took an active part in the Korean War. As reported in the documents, the flights were weekly. The Korean War lasted for three years. If we take into account that one year is 52 - 53 weeks, then presumably the XC-99 made 150 sorties in Korea.

From the history of the creation of the XC-99 and MV-T, you can create a whole sign - you can not create a transport aircraft based on a bomber. The fact is that the foundations of related bombers were laid in both "trucks". Both of them have not received further development.

In conclusion of the story about the XC-99, I would like to draw your attention to the unusual location of the screws, they are turned back. There is no significant difference in their orientation, however, an unusual solution.

Convair XC-99 = 32 Behemoths

Since there is no limit to human imagination and ingenuity, more and more new and modern models aircraft. They are getting 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 overcoming 15,000 kilometers non-stop, being at the same time very economical. The creation of the Airbus A380 took 10 years at a project cost of 12 billion euros. First commercial flight took place in October 2007. Then 455 passengers boarded to fly on the Singapore-Sydney route.

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

This model was created as an alternative, previously considered the largest for 35 years. But Airbus moved the "colleague" from a 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 composition 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 terms of flight range. It is capable of flying over 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, which are the most powerful engines in their class.

It has a maximum speed of 965 km / h with an impressive mass of 250 tons. One of the main distinguishing features is economy. On the base passenger aircraft a cargo modification was also created. The symbol "ER" stands for Extended Range (increased range).

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

Officially, it is the longest aircraft in the world!

Hughes H-4 Hercules

This huge car is one of the record holders for the number of passengers (750), but now it is a museum. The plane was created under the guidance 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 eternal parking in Oregon, and more than 300,000 tourists visit it annually.

"Hercules" was developed as a wooden flying boat weighing 136 tons. At the same time, the aircraft was until May 2017 the widest aircraft with a wingspan of 98 meters.

The most capacious of Russian liners, it can accommodate 435 passengers. IN this moment used only by the transport company "Russia" as a 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 on the basis of IL-96M, IL-96-400 was created, with the same capacity as its predecessor.

Unfortunately, the mass production of this model did not take place, despite the fact that it was designed by Western and domestic specialists.

This liner has proven itself over long distances since 2002. Its capacity is 380 passengers in three class classifications, 419 in two class classifications. Flight range - 14,800 km. Initially developed as an alternative to early Boeing models. Although the airliner is identical in terms of the number of passengers to the Boeing 747, the luggage compartment is twice as large as that of a competitor. Series production ended in 2011.

Cargo aircraft

- the most cargo-lifting aircraft in the world. The aircraft was created in the Design Bureau. Antonova. The basis for the creation of "Mriya" was.

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

There is one copy, but there is a joint Ukrainian-Chinese construction of another "Mriya".

The original mission of the aircraft was to transport ballistic missiles. But the result is impressive. An-124 began to be used to transport military equipment. The civil aviation variant can fly at any latitude and carry many types of cargo, including bulky cargo.

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

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

It was the most lifting 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 Airbus liners. A total of 5 copies were created and they all work for Airbus. Currently, a similar device is being developed on the basis of the A340, for transporting parts of the Airbus A380.

The name comes from the beluga whale, whose shape resembles an aircraft.

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

Military aircraft

Short story military aviation there are many cases when gigantomania came into fashion. The result was the construction of huge aircraft. Some representatives of the largest military aircraft will be described below.

The German aircraft of the Second World War was at that time the heaviest land aircraft. Widely used in North Africa to supply troops. The carrying 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 base for its creation was the Ju 290. It was created to perform many tasks, including as a strategic bomber that could even bomb US territory. The Germans planned to build 26 aircraft, in fact only two were built.

The aircraft had a unique flight range for its time - 9700 km, which allowed the Germans to seriously think about bombing in the United States.

The plane was created in the USA, like a flying boat. The Navy used it as an ocean patrol aircraft. In total, 5 devices of this type were created. In terms of wingspan, the JRM Mars is the largest mass-produced 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 serial production in 1943. B-29 embodied all the latest engineering solutions of that 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 a 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, he was able to deliver two thermonuclear bombs to any point in the USSR.

The B-52 was actively used in many military conflicts, primarily in Vietnam from 1965 to 1973.

The US military plans to use B-52 aircraft until the 2040s with appropriate upgrades.

The legendary Soviet strategic bomber, which is still in service with the Russian Air Force. This is the world's only turboprop missile carrier. 60 vehicles of this type remain in service, capable of carrying X-101 missiles, which, with a range of 5500 km, allow the Tu-95 to attack targets quite calmly, without revealing itself on enemy air defense systems. Despite the fact that many of today's strategic bombers are jet-powered, the Tu-95 is not obsolete; on the contrary, this is its advantage, since some satellites track the bombers by jet exhaust.

On the basis of the Tu-95, various kinds of test aircraft were created, such as the passenger Tu-114, reconnaissance Tu-126.

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

A supersonic missile carrier with a variable sweep of the wing was developed at the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 70-80s. Many prefixes “most” can be attributed to the aircraft. Tu-160 is the largest military aircraft, which also has the largest maximum takeoff 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 civil, does not have much time, however, during this time a huge leap has been made in the technologies used. Over time, the capacity of passenger liners increases, their flight range increases, more and more restrictions are imposed on military aircraft. challenging tasks, from transport to combat. One way or another, the aircraft industry will remain one of the most high-tech industries.

Military transport aviation for the first time loudly declared itself during the Second World War. But in those years, most transport aircraft were conversions of serial bombers. Massively specialized transport aircraft began to be built after the war. Transport aviation today is used for the transportation (transfer) of troops, military equipment, landing, as well as the implementation of transport and communication support for formations and units of the armed forces. In Russia, military transport aviation (MTA) is the means of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the RF Armed Forces, it is designed to solve strategic, operational-strategic, operational and operational-tactical tasks.

Currently, the following military transport aircraft are in service with the Russian military transport aircraft: Il-76MD, An-22, An-26, An-124 Ruslan, and An-12PP. Today, the air forces of many countries of the world have their own transport aviation. At the same time, the total number military transport aircraft, which are in service and currently in operation, is about 4,200 units. Below is a list of the five most common transport aircraft in the world. Three aircraft manufactured by American companies got into the top 5: C-130 Hercules, Beechcraft King Air and C-17 Globemaster III, as well as the Spanish-Indonesian CN235 aircraft and the Russian An-26.

C-130 Hercules

American Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft and their various specialized versions, as well as modernized C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, are currently the most common transport aircraft on the planet. This medium-range and long-range military transport aircraft is the main military transport aircraft of the United States, as well as NATO countries. "Hercules" is designed to transport troops and cargo, landing troops and military equipment by landing and parachute. The aircraft is in service with the Air Force, paramilitaries, coast guards of more than 70 countries of the world from the USA, Great Britain and Australia to Tunisia, Uruguay and Zimbabwe. In total, about 890 machines of this type are operated in the world. Some of these aircraft have been converted into special versions, such as the American LC-130, which is equipped with landing skis.

Almost 60 years have passed since the first flight of this transport aircraft, and it still has not lost its relevance in the military transport aviation market. The prototype aircraft made its first flight on August 23, 1954, mass production began in December 1956 after all the shortcomings that were identified during the tests of the machine were eliminated. Unlike its closest Soviet counterpart, the An-12 aircraft, the C-130 Hercules is still mass-produced. In total, up to 2009, more than 2,300 Hercules aircraft of various modifications were assembled in the United States, of which 1,170 were for the needs of the US Air Force. The cost of one of the most recent military versions of the C-130J is about $ 100 million.

The C-130J Super Hercules version of the aircraft first flew in 1996. An extended version of the C-130J-30 Super Hercules is currently being produced. One of the customers of these machines is Israel. Such a military transport aircraft is able to transport 92 paratroopers in full gear, 128 soldiers or 97 wounded with accompanying. It can also carry up to 4 armored vehicles of the HMMWV type (Hammer). The maximum carrying capacity of the aircraft is almost 20,000 kg. The C-130J is capable of speeds up to 671 km/h and flights up to 5,300 km. The minimum crew is 3 people (2 pilots and one person responsible for the cargo).

Beechcraft King Air

The second most common military transport aircraft in the world is a machine that was not developed as a military aircraft, we are talking about the American aircraft Beechcraft King Air. These transport aircraft fly today in 24 countries of the world, including the USA, Jamaica, Venezuela, Côte d'Ivoire. In total, the military currently uses about 280 King Air aircraft in various modifications. Initially, the aircraft was created as a civilian model for the transport of passengers, and it is now actively used as a vehicle for corporate transportation. As part of the Air Force various countries these aircraft are most often used to transport special forces units or transport top military leaders.

Globemaster III

The C-17 Globemaster III is an American strategic military transport aircraft manufactured by Boeing, a large American aircraft manufacturer. The number III in the name is used for a reason, since the aircraft bears the name Globemaster, which was previously used on piston aircraft. cargo aircraft Douglas C-74 Globemaster and Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. The C-17 is typically used for strategic transport of troops and supplies, but can also perform tactical missions, transport sick people or be used to drop cargo from an aircraft if necessary.

Currently, this aircraft is in service with 8 countries of the world. The C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft is operated by the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, India, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar. In addition, 3 similar aircraft located in the fleet, which has a NATO bloc. In total, 257 of these military transport aircraft are currently in operation in the world. It is curious, but the end date of the production of this machine is already known: the production of the aircraft should be completed in 2015, when Boeing will fulfill all of its accumulated contractual obligations for the supply of C-17.

The C-17 Globemaster III is a high-wing, four-engine, T-tail aircraft. Its crew includes only 3 people. The aircraft is able to fly over distances of up to 10,400 km, developing a speed of 830 km/h. The C-17 military transport aircraft is designed to transport 102 paratroopers or 134 fully equipped fighters, or up to 90 wounded with escorts. Also, up to 6 four-wheeled M1117 armored personnel carriers or three Apache combat helicopters can be loaded on board the aircraft. The main battle tank "Abrams" can also be placed in the cargo compartment. The maximum carrying capacity of the aircraft is almost 77.5 tons. In July 2013, the United States set a group flight record for C-17 Globemaster III aircraft: 20 such aircraft were simultaneously lifted into the air.

The CN235 military transport aircraft was developed by the Airtech consortium, which includes the Spanish aircraft manufacturer CASA and the Indonesian Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara. The first flight of a prototype transport aircraft CN235 took place in May 1981, and the first production model took off on November 11, 1983 in Spain and December 30 of the same year in Indonesia. Structurally, this aircraft is a cantilever monoplane with a high wing. The aircraft is equipped with two turboprop engines.

Directly, 200 military transport aircraft are operated, the rest are special versions of the aircraft: patrol, reconnaissance, anti-submarine. A military transport aircraft is able to carry up to 48 soldiers, 46 paratroopers, 24 wounded on stretchers plus 4 escorts, as well as up to 5 tons of various cargoes. Max speed the flight of the machine is 450 km / h, and the practical flight range is 4,400 km. The crew of the aircraft consists of 2-3 people.

The An-26 multipurpose military transport aircraft (according to NATO codification "Curl" - "Whirlwind") was developed in the Antonov Design Bureau in the 1960s. The aircraft was created on the basis of the An-24 passenger version. Thanks to the large width of the opening of the loading hatch (2.4 meters) and the installation of a special ladder-leaf on it, it is possible to conveniently load the aircraft both from the ground and from the back of a truck, which greatly facilitates and speeds up the process of loading and unloading. The An-26 is a twin-engine monoplane with a high wing and a single-fin empennage, the aircraft is equipped with turboprop engines. The aircraft was mass-produced until 1986. In total, almost 1,400 aircraft of this type were built during this time.

The An-26 military transport aircraft made its first flight in May 1969. The crew of this aircraft includes 6 people. It is designed to transport 38 military personnel, 30 paratroopers or 24 wounded on stretchers by air. The maximum carrying capacity of the aircraft is about 5.5 tons. At the same time, the aircraft is capable of reaching a speed of 550 km/h and flying over a distance of up to 2,700 km. It is noteworthy that the Soviet version of the transporter could also initially carry weapons. On the plane, on 4 external beam holders BDZ-34, it was possible to hang free-fall bombs with a total mass of up to 2 tons (maximum bomb caliber 500 kg).

Information sources:
http://lenta.ru/articles/2014/04/14/cargo
http://military-informer.narod.ru
http://www.military-informant.com
http://www.airwar.ru
http://en.wikipedia.org