# Help me ID this HUGE plane **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 16, 2004, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438 "2004-02-16T03:57:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/1 "2004-02-16T03:57:44Z")
So I was driving to work today, and as I went under a bridge/runway (people from Milwaukee will know what I’m talking about…on Howell Ave.), I was amazed as I saw one of the biggest planes I’ve ever seen. All I could see on the side was International Cargo something, I couldn’t catch the last word). Anyways, this plane was HUGE. It had six jet engines (3 under each wing). The rear “dorsal fin” for lack of a technical term went lenghtwise to the plane then vertical on each end. It had what appeared to be normal front landing gear, but as it took off, I ‘think’ I counted 8 sets of wheels on each side in the back (which means it was proabably 16 or 32 on each side). I’m really interested in finding out what this was. It took off REALLY slowly, I was amazed that it got off the ground, and only used like 1/2 - 3/4 of the runway. I did a little bit of googling, but didn’t really come up with anything. Does anyone have any idea of what this could have been?? ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/2 "2004-02-16T04:10:17Z")
It´s the Antonov AN 225 Myria; the largest plane ever built (for now it´s a unique machine) [LINK](http://www.sukhoi.fsnet.co.uk/an225.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/3 "2004-02-16T04:12:25Z")
> [@Joey P](#): > > So I was driving to work today, and as I went under a bridge/runway (people from Milwaukee will know what I’m talking about…on Howell Ave.), I was amazed as I saw one of the biggest planes I’ve ever seen. All I could see on the side was International Cargo something, I couldn’t catch the last word). Anyways, this plane was HUGE. It had six jet engines (3 under each wing). The rear “dorsal fin” for lack of a technical term went lenghtwise to the plane then vertical on each end. It had what appeared to be normal front landing gear, but as it took off, I ‘think’ I counted 8 sets of wheels on each side in the back (which means it was proabably 16 or 32 on each side). I’m really interested in finding out what this was. It took off REALLY slowly, I was amazed that it got off the ground, and only used like 1/2 - 3/4 of the runway. I did a little bit of googling, but didn’t really come up with anything. Does anyone have any idea of what this could have been?? Sounds like an Antonov AN-225: > **[airfoyle - International Shipping to UK Demystified!](https://www.airfoyle.co.uk/?tab=pics)** > > International Shipping to UK Demystified! Heeeeeyuuuuge transport plane. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/4 "2004-02-16T04:14:12Z")
Drat. What Ale said two minutes earlier 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/5 "2004-02-16T04:14:54Z")
It’s an Antonov An-225, a Russian cargo plane. There is only one in the world, you were lucky to see it! It was designed to carry the Russian space shuttle. [http://members.lycos.co.uk/aerospace21/antonov/an-225.html](http://members.lycos.co.uk/aerospace21/antonov/an-225.html) ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/6 "2004-02-16T04:19:20Z")
[History](http://airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=389) and [A whole bunch of pictures](http://airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=Antonov%20An-225%20Mriya&aircraftsearch=) ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/7 "2004-02-16T04:19:38Z")
Ehhh… let´s make that **Mriya** :o > [@](#): > > It took off REALLY slowly… Probably it just seemd to you that it took off slowly; such a large plae doesn´t seem to move fast because the reference you have is how fast it moves in relation to it´s size, so a large plane may appear to fly slow, but in fact is moving quite fast. Besides, the Mriya is designed for precisely that, taking off and landing in short distances, and if it wasn´t loaded it would have been quite possible for the plane to take off using only half the runway lenght of a normal airport. [A few](http://www.xp-office.de/an225.htm) [more](http://members.lycos.co.uk/aerospace21/antonov/an-225.html) [links.](http://www.theaviationzone.com/factsheets/an225.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/8 "2004-02-16T04:39:40Z")
That’s the one, HOLY CRAP it was huge. So I’ve officially seen the largest and second larges planes in the world now, and they both took off right over my head. I feel special! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/9 "2004-02-16T04:58:45Z")
Now the next challenge is…Can anyone help me find a good picture to reference the size, so I can show it off. The closest one I could come up with was the plane and a bunch of tanks around it. It really doesn’t do the size justice. I’m looking for something more along the lines of it parked next to a 747 or something. ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/10 "2004-02-16T05:06:59Z")
It’s difficult to do a side by side comparison in 2D, but… [Here’s one with a DC10 in the background](http://airliners.net/open.file?id=420942&WxsIERv=QW50b25vdiBBbi0yMjUgTXJpeWE%3D&WdsYXMg=QW50b25vdiBEZXNpZ24gQnVyZWF1&QtODMg=Q29sb2duZSAvIEJvbm4gKC0gS29ucmFkIEFkZW5hdWVyIC8gV2FobikgKENHTiAvIEVEREsp&ERDLTkt=R2VybWFueQ%3D%3D&ktODMp=QXVndXN0IDI3LCAyMDAz&BP=0&WNEb25u=RGFuaWVsIFJvaHJiZWNr&xsIERvdWdsY=VVItODIwNjA%3D&MgTUQtODMgKE=&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=NzQ5OA%3D%3D&NEb25uZWxs=MjAwMy0wOS0xMQ%3D%3D&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=&static=yes&size=L) [and with the ground crews servicing the aircraft](http://airliners.net/open.file?id=334037&WxsIERv=QW50b25vdiBBbi0yMjUgTXJpeWE%3D&WdsYXMg=QW50b25vdiBBaXJsaW5lcw%3D%3D&QtODMg=TGlueiAtIEhvcnNjaGluZyAoTE5aIC8gTE9XTCAvIExPWEwp&ERDLTkt=QXVzdHJpYQ%3D%3D&ktODMp=TWFyY2ggMjUsIDIwMDM%3D&BP=0&WNEb25u=WWFrZnJlYWsgLSBWQVA%3D&xsIERvdWdsY=VVItODIwNjA%3D&MgTUQtODMgKE=&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=NDI0OA%3D%3D&NEb25uZWxs=MjAwMy0wMy0zMA%3D%3D&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=&static=yes&size=L) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/11 "2004-02-16T05:09:49Z")
How does it compare to the Airbus A380? Bigger? ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/12 "2004-02-16T05:17:12Z")
A380 Wingspan: 261 feet, 10 inches Length: 239 feet, 6 inches Height: 79 feet, 1 inch Weight: 606,000 pounds (empty) Top Speed: 652 miles per hour Cruising Speed: 630 miles per hour Flight Altitude: 43,000 feet Range: 8,000 miles Engines: 4 engines Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance AN225 Powerplants: 6x Progress-D-18T Performance: Max. speed - 528mph (850km/h), range with max payload - 2425nm (4500km), range with no cargo - 8310nm (15400km). Weights: Max. take off weight – 600000kg Dimensions: Wingspan 290 ft (88.4m), lenght – 84,00m, height – 18,10. Capacity: Maximum load: 551150lbs (250000kg) ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/13 "2004-02-16T05:36:42Z")
> [@Joey P](#): > > Now the next challenge is…Can anyone help me find a good picture to reference the size, so I can show it off. The closest one I could come up with was the plane and a bunch of tanks around it. It really doesn’t do the size justice. I’m looking for something more along the lines of it parked next to a 747 or something. I couldn´t find any picture, so I made one… 😃 [747 Vs. An 225](http://www.elale.net/747VsAn225.gif) Same scale, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/14 "2004-02-16T08:41:53Z")
Why does something that was designed _specifically_ to carry something piggyback style need so much space inside the fuselage? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/15 "2004-02-16T09:15:36Z")
So could the Wright brothers first flight have taken place inside this monster? Almost looks like it. It’s long enough, and 18’ high – did the Wrights get more than 18’ from the ground on that first day? (Of course, there wouldn’t be sufficient wind, etc. to actually do this. But it’s kinda fun to think about it.) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-huge-plane/229438/16 "2004-02-16T09:21:46Z")
> [@dutchboy208](#): > > Why does something that was designed _specifically_ to carry something piggyback style need so much space inside the fuselage? The An-225 is based on the An-124 which is pretty big to begin with, bigger than the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. Comparing the [An-124 specs](http://www.polet.ru/EN/fleet1.shtml) with the [An-225](http://www.transvalair.fr/an225.htm) the cargo floor width is exactly the same, so it looks like they just used the An-124 fuselage and maybe stretched it a bit for optimal placement of the rear control surfaces. [Photos of the An-124](http://www.air-and-space.com/Antonov%20An-124%20Ruslan.htm) [Yet more photos of the An-225, including those with Buran](http://www.air-and-space.com/Antonov%20An-225%20Mriya.htm).