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The Airbus A300-600ST "Beluga" was missing from this list so I added it.
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{{Short description|None}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2017}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
[[File:Giant planes comparison - Updated.svg|thumb|300px|right|A size comparison of four of the largest aircraft.]]
[[File:Giant planes comparison.svg|thumb|A size comparison of five of the largest aircraft:
{{legend|#E49292|[[Airbus A380]]}}
{{legend|#80DF8B|[[Antonov An-225|Antonov An-225 ''Mriya'']]}}
{{legend|#A4B8E8|[[Boeing 747-8]]}}
{{legend|#D6C35B|[[Hughes H-4 Hercules]]}}
{{legend|#FFC8FF|[[Scaled Composites Stratolaunch|Stratolaunch]]}}
|alt=]]


This is a '''list of large aircraft'''.
This is a '''list of large aircraft''', including three types: [[fixed wing]], [[rotary wing]], and [[airships]].


The US [[Federal Aviation Administration]] defines a [[large aircraft]] as any aircraft with a certificated [[maximum takeoff weight]] of more than {{convert|12,500 |lb |kg|abbr=on}} <ref>
The US [[Federal Aviation Administration]] defines a [[large aircraft]] as any aircraft with a certificated [[maximum takeoff weight]] (MTOW) of more than {{convert|12,500 |lb|kg|abbr=on}} <ref>
{{citation |url=http://www.faa-aircraft-certification.com/faa-definitions.html#L. |title=FAA Definitions begining(sic) with the letter L. <!--that is how the website spells "beginning" --> |publisher=Aviation Safety Bureau |work= |last=Schoolcraft |first=Don |date= <!--the website says (c) 2007 but apart from that no date -->}}</ref>
{{citation |url=http://www.faa-aircraft-certification.com/faa-definitions.html#L. |title=FAA Definitions {{sic|begi|ning|nolink=y}} with the letter L. <!--that is how the website spells "beginning" --> |publisher=Aviation Safety Bureau |last=Schoolcraft |first=Don |date= <!--the website says (c) 2007 but apart from that no date -->}}</ref>


The [[European Aviation Safety Agency]] (EASA) defines a large aircraft as either "an aeroplane with a maximum take-off mass of more than {{convert|5,700|kg|lb|abbr=off}} or a multi-engined helicopter."<ref>{{cite book | title=EASA Regulation – Amendment of Implementing Rule 2042/2003, Version 1 | date=13 January 2012 | page=4 | url=http://www.bureauveritas.com/wps/wcm/connect/76a270804a3ec2d19ecdfe26af34d9ac/CONTINUING%2BAIRWORTHINESS.pdf | accessdate=20 May 2014}}</ref>
The [[European Aviation Safety Agency]] (EASA) defines a large aircraft as either "an aeroplane with a maximum take-off mass of more than {{convert|12566.35|lb|kg|abbr=off}} or a multi-engined helicopter."<ref>{{cite book | title=EASA Regulation – Amendment of Implementing Rule 2042/2003, Version 1 | date=13 January 2012 | page=4 | url=http://www.bureauveritas.com/wps/wcm/connect/76a270804a3ec2d19ecdfe26af34d9ac/CONTINUING%2BAIRWORTHINESS.pdf | access-date=20 May 2014}}</ref>


__TOC__
__TOC__
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== Fixed-wing ==
== Fixed-wing ==
[[File:Antonov 225 (2010).jpg|upright=2|thumb|center|Antonov An-225]]


{{avilisthead|nonstandard}}
===Civilian===
[[File:Stratolaunch comparison.svg|thumb|right|Wingspan comparison of the Stratolaunch carrier with other large airplanes]]
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
|-
! Type !! First flight
|+ In Service
! Role !! Built !! Length !! Span !! [[maximum takeoff weight|MTOW]] !! Capacity
! Aircraft
! class="unsortable" | Notes
! First flight
! class="unsortable" | Note
|-
|-
| [[Sikorsky Ilya Muromets|Ilya Muromets]] || 1913
| [[Antonov An-225 Mriya]]
| airliner/bomber || 85+ || '''{{convert|19.13|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || '''{{convert|32.58|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || '''4.527 tons''' || '''[[Passenger|Pax]]: 16'''
| {{sort|19881221|21 December 1988}}
| First multi-engine aircraft in serial production, [[Sikorsky Russky Vityaz|Russky Vityaz]] development
| Generally acknowledged as the largest airplane in the world, the single Antonov An-225 is the world's heaviest aircraft ever ([[maximum takeoff weight]] greater than 640 [[ton]]s) and the largest [[Aircraft#Heavier-than-air – aerodynes|heavier-than-air aircraft]] (in length and wingspan) ever entering operational service.
|-
|-
| [[Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI]] || 1916
| [[Airbus A300-600ST|Airbus A300-600ST "Beluga"]]
| Bomber || 56 || '''{{convert|24.168|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || '''{{convert|46.15|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || '''11.613 tons''' ||
| {{sort|19940913|13 September 1994}}
| Largest [[World War I|WWI]] aircraft in regular service
| A version of the standard [[Airbus_A300|A300-600]] wide-body airliner modified to carry aircraft parts and oversized cargo.
|- style="font-style: italic; background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Tarrant Tabor]] || 1919
| Bomber || 1 || '''{{convert|24.38|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || {{convert|43.74|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || '''19.97 tons''' || {{cvt|9,000|lb|t|disp=out}}
| Crashed on first flight
|-
|-
| [[Dornier Do X]] || {{sort|1929-07-12|12 Jul 1929}}
| [[Airbus A380-800]] {{sfn|Kaplan|2005|p=140-149}}
| Flying boat || 3 || '''{{convert|43.74|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || '''{{convert|52.27|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || '''51.1787 tons''' || '''Pax: 100'''
| {{sort|20050427|27 April 2005}}
| Then longest, widest and heaviest
| The largest passenger aircraft ever made. Capable of carrying 850 passengers
|- style="font-style: italic; background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Kalinin K-7]] || {{sort|1933-08-11|11 Aug 1933}}
| Transport || 1 || {{convert|30.62|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || '''{{convert|57.96|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || 45.77 tons || '''Pax: 120'''
| Widest aircraft until the [[Tupolev ANT-20]]
|- style="background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Tupolev ANT-20]] || {{sort|1934-05-19|19 May 1934}}
| Transport || 2 || {{convert|35.979|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || '''{{convert|68.8976|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || '''52.16 tons''' || Pax: 72
| Widest and heaviest until the [[Douglas XB-19]]
|- style="background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Douglas XB-19]] || {{sort|1941-06-27|27 Jun 1941}}
| Bomber || 1 || '''{{convert|44.07|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || '''{{convert|70.65|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || '''72.34 tons''' ||
| Longest until the [[Latécoère 631|Laté. 631]], widest until the [[Convair B-36 Peacemaker|B-36]], heaviest until the [[Martin JRM Mars|Martin Mars]]
|-
|-
| [[Messerschmitt Me 323]] || {{sort|1942-01-20|20 Jan 1942}}
| [[Airbus A340#A340-600|Airbus A340-600]]
| Transport || 198 || {{convert|70.65|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|60.37|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || 42.32 tons || '''11.81 tons'''
| {{sort|20010423|23 April 2001}}
| Highest cargo capacity land-based [[World War II]] transport
| The A340-600 has been in production since 2001, with a length of 75.30 m, the longest commercial aircraft, until surpassed by the [[Boeing 747-8]].
|-
|-
| [[Martin JRM Mars]] || {{sort|1942-06-23|23 Jun 1942}}
| [[Antonov An-124]]
| Flying boat || 7 || {{convert|39.04|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|66.71|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || '''73.62 tons''' || '''14.76 tons'''
| {{sort|19820000|26 December 1982}}
| Heaviest until the [[Junkers Ju 390|Junkers 390]], Largest serial production flying boat
| Was the largest mass-produced aircraft in the world until the [[Airbus A380]] was produced. Remains the world's largest military aircraft currently in service.
|-
|-
| [[Latécoère 631]] || {{sort|1942-11-04|4 Nov 1942}}
| [[Antonov An-22]]
| Flying boat || 11 || '''{{convert|47.57|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || {{convert|62.77|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || 70.27 tons || Pax: 46
| {{sort|19650227|27 February 1965}}
| Longest until the Convair B-36
| World's largest turboprop-powered airplane
|- style="background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Junkers Ju 390]] || {{sort|1943-10-20|20 Oct 1943}}
| Bomber || 2 || {{convert|37.40|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|55.01|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || '''74.31 tons''' || 9.84 tons
| Heaviest until the [[Blohm & Voss BV 238|BV 238]], [[Junkers]] entry for the [[Amerika Bomber]] project
|- style="font-style: italic; background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Blohm & Voss BV 238]] || {{sort|1944-04|Apr 1944}}
| Flying boat || 1 || {{convert|47.35|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|65.84|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || '''98.42 tons''' ||
| Heaviest built during [[World War II|WWII]], destroyed in 1945
|-
|-
| [[Convair B-36 Peacemaker|Convair B-36]]|| {{sort|1946-08-08|8 Aug 1946}}
| [[Boeing 747-8]]
| Bomber || 384 || '''{{convert|54.02|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || '''{{convert|76.66|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} ''' || '''183.06 tons''' ||
| {{sort|20100208|8 February 2010 (F variant)}}
| Heaviest until the [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|B-52]], longest and widest until the [[Hughes H-4 Hercules|Hughes H-4]]
| Lengthened version of 747 with increased wingspan. World's longest passenger aircraft at 76.4 m (0.9 m / 3&nbsp;ft longer than Airbus A340)<ref name="boeing1">{{cite web|url=http://www.boeing.com/commercial/747family/747-8_facts.html |title=Commercial Airplanes - 747 - Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental and 747-8 Freighter |publisher=Boeing |date= |accessdate=3 March 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110701084707/http://www.boeing.com/commercial/747family/747-8_facts.html |archivedate=1 July 2011 |df= }}</ref> capacity of 650 passengers.
|- style="background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Hughes H-4 Hercules]] (''Spruce Goose'') || {{sort|1947-11-02|2 Nov 1947}}
| Flying boat || 1 || '''{{convert|72.94|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || '''{{convert|106.95|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || 177.15 tons ||
| Longest until the [[Lockheed C-5 Galaxy]] and widest until the Stratolaunch
|- style="background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Convair XC-99]] || {{sort|1947-11-23|23 Nov 1947}}
| Transport || 1 || {{convert|60.80|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|76.66|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || 142.71 tons || '''44.28 tons'''
| B-36 development, most capable transport aircraft until the An-22
|-
|-
| [[Boeing 747]]{{sfn|Kaplan|2005|p=124-130}}
| [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|Boeing B-52]]|| {{sort|1952-04-15|15 Apr 1952}}
| Bomber || 744 || {{convert|53.04|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|61.68|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || '''216.525 tons''' ||
| {{sort|19690209|9 February 1969}}
| Heaviest until the [[North American XB-70 Valkyrie|XB-70]], still in service
| Highest-capacity passenger aircraft until surpassed by Airbus A380
|- style="background-color: lightgrey"
| [[North American XB-70 Valkyrie|XB-70]]|| {{sort|1964-09-21|21 Sep 1964}}
| Bomber || 2 || {{convert|61.68|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|34.99|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || '''242.115 tons''' ||
| Heaviest until the [[An-22]], Mach 3 prototype bomber
|-
|-
| [[Antonov An-22]] || {{sort|1965-02-27|27 Feb 1965}}
| [[Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter|Boeing 747 "Dreamlifter"]]
| Transport || 68 || {{convert|63.32|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|70.43|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || '''246.05 tons''' || '''80 t'''
| {{sort|20060909|9 September 2006}}
| Heaviest until the [[Lockheed C-5 Galaxy|C-5]], Heaviest [[turboprop]] aircraft
| 747 with enlarged fuselage for transporting [[Boeing 787 Dreamliner]] sub-assemblies ({{convert|65000|cuft|order=flip}})
|- style="font-style: italic; background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Caspian Sea Monster]] || {{sort|1966-10-16|16 Oct 1966}}
| [[Ekranoplan]] || 1 || '''{{convert|100.61|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}''' || {{convert|41.12|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}}37.6 m || '''535.41 tons'''||
| Heaviest and longest flying vehicle until the An-225, 1980 crash
|-
|-
| [[Lockheed C-5 Galaxy]] || {{sort|1968-06-30|30 Jun 1968}}
| [[Tupolev ANT-20|Tupolev ''Maksim Gorki'']]
| Transport || 131 || {{convert|82.34|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|74.26|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || 410.41 tons || '''125.49 tons'''
| {{sort|19340519|19 May 1934}}
| Largest payload capacity until the An-124
| Physically the largest aircraft, and heaviest land-based aircraft of the 1930s era (63 meter/206.7&nbsp;ft wingspan, 53 tonne MTOW), required eight 900&nbsp;hp Mikulin V12 engines for flight
|-
|-
| [[Boeing 747]] || {{sort|1969-02-09|9 Feb 1969}}
| [[Dornier Do X]]
| Airliner || 1557 || {{convert|77.32|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|65.18|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || 406.86 tons || '''Pax: 550/660'''
| {{sort|19290712|12 July 1929}}
| Highest passenger capacity airliner until the Airbus A380
| Largest successful flying boat and heaviest aircraft in the world from 1929 until 1942 when the [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress]] first flew.
|-
|-
| [[Antonov An-2]]
| [[Antonov An-124]] || {{sort|1982-12-26|26 Dec 1982}}
| Transport || 55 || {{convert|75.57|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|80.16|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || 395.65 tons || '''147.63 tons'''
| {{sort|19470831|31 August 1947}}
| Most capable transport until the An-225
| Largest mass-produced single-engine biplane.
|- style="font-style: italic; background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Antonov An-225 Mriya]] || {{sort|1988-12-21|21 Dec 1988}}
| Transport || 1 || {{convert|91.86|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|96.68|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || '''629.89 tons''' || '''246.05 tons'''
| Heaviest aircraft and most capable transport, [[Battle of Antonov Airport|destroyed in 2022]]
|-
| [[Airbus Beluga]] || {{sort|1994-09-13|13 Sep 1994}}
| Outsize cargo || 5 || {{convert|61.46|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|48.99|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || 152.55 t || '''{{convert|1961.93|yd3|m3|sp=us|abbr=off}} '''
| [[Airbus A300]] derivative, largest volume until the Dreamlifter
|-
| [[Airbus A380]]|| {{sort|2005-04-27|27 Apr 2005}}
| Airliner || 254 || {{convert|79.51|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|87.27|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || 565.92 tons || '''Pax: 850'''
| Highest passenger capacity airliner
|-
| [[Boeing Dreamlifter]] || {{sort|2006-09-09|9 Sep 2006}}
| Outsize cargo || 4 || {{convert|78.41|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|70.43|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || 358.25 tons || '''{{convert|2406.63|yd3|m3|sp=us|abbr=off}}'''
| [[747-400|Boeing 747-400]] derivative, largest volume until the BelugaXL
|-
| [[Airbus BelugaXL]]|| {{sort|2018-07-19|19 Jul 2018}}
| Outsize cargo || 6 || {{convert|69.01|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || {{convert|65.945|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || 223.41 tons|| '''{{convert|2889.26|yd3|m3|sp=us|abbr=off}}'''
| [[Airbus A330]] derivative, largest volume
|- style="background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Scaled Composites Stratolaunch|Stratolaunch]] || {{sort|2019-04-13|13 Apr 2019}}
| [[Air launch]] || 1 || {{convert|79.83|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} || '''{{convert|127.95|yd|m|sp=us|abbr=off}} ''' || 580.68 t || 246.052 t
| Current heaviest and widest, prototype [[air-launch-to-orbit]] carrier
|}
|}
[[File:Antonov 225 (2010).jpg|thumb|Antonov An-225, Largest <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/worlds-biggest-plane-antonov-an-225-mriya-lands-in-hyderabad/articleshow/52260563.cms|title=World's biggest plane Antonov An-225 Mriya lands in Hyderabad|date=13 May 2016|work=The Economic Times|access-date=25 October 2017}}</ref> airplane to date, costing 200,000,000 - 250,000,000 USD Approximately per unit]]


===Military===
===Projects===


{{avilisthead|nonstandard}}
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
|-
! Type
!Aircraft
! Proposed
! First flight
! data-sort-type=number | MTOW
!class="unsortable"| Note
! class="unsortable"| Notes
|-
|-
| [[Riesenflugzeug|Poll Triplane]]
| [[Blohm & Voss BV 238]]
| 1917 (circa) ||
| {{sort|19440311|11 March 1944}}
| 50 m wingspan<ref>Gunston, Bill, 1991. Giants of the Sky: The Largest Aeroplanes of All Time. Sparkford, UK: Patrick Stephens Limited.</ref>
| |Very large flying boat. The largest aircraft in the world 1944 to 1945 when the single one was destroyed. The even heavier [[Convair B-36]] first flew in 1946. Heaviest aircraft built during [[World War II]], and largest aircraft produced by any of the Axis powers in World War II
|-
|-
| [[Victory Bomber]]
| [[Douglas XB-19]]{{sfn|Kaplan|2005|p=10-11}}
| 1940/1941 || 47.2 tons
| {{sort|19410627|27 June 1941}}
| 52 m wingspan, to carry a ten-ton [[earthquake bomb]], rejected by the RAF<ref>Buttler, Tony. ''Secret Projects: British Fighters and Bombers 1935 -1950'' Midland Publishing, 2004. {{ISBN|1-85780-179-2}}.</ref>
| This experimental aircraft was the largest US bomber until 1946 when the [[Northrop YB-35]] flew.
|-
|-
| [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress]]{{sfn|Kaplan|2005|p=56-57}}
| [[Boeing 2707]] {{abbr|SST|supersonic transport}}
| 1960s || 301.17 tons
| {{sort|19420921|21 September 1942}}
| A 93 m long [[Concorde]] answer, canceled in 1971
| Largest aircraft in the world from 1942 to 1943 when the even heavier [[Junkers Ju-390]] first flew. It was one of the largest bombers used during [[World War II]]
|-
|-
| [[Lockheed CL-1201]]
| [[Convair B-36 Peacemaker]]{{sfn|Kaplan|2005|p=82-83}}
| 1960s || 6318.61 tons
| {{sort|19460808|8 August 1946}}
| [[nuclear-powered aircraft|Nuclear-powered]], 1,120 feet (340 m) wing span, [[airborne aircraft carrier]]
| Largest aircraft in the world 1946 to 1947 when the even heavier [[Hughes H-4 Hercules]] first flew. First intercontinental strategic bomber, longest wingspan for a combat aircraft
|-
|-
| [[Convair XC-99]]
| [[Boeing RC-1]]
| 1970s || 1584.57 tons
| {{sort|19471123|23 November 1947}}
| "flying pipeline", proposed before the [[1973 oil crisis]]
| Developed from B-36, single prototype was the largest piston-engined land-based transport aircraft ever built
|-
|-
| [[Kawanishi H8K]]
| [[Conroy Virtus]]
| 1974 || 379.90 tons
| {{sort|19410100|January 1941}}
| 140 m wingspan, to carry Space Shuttle parts
| Largest World War II aircraft produced by Japan in any quantity (167 built)
|-
|-
| [[Linke-Hofmann R.II]]
| [[Beriev Be-2500]]
| 1980s || 2460.57 tons
| {{sort|19190000|1919}}
| Super heavy amphibious transport aircraft
| Largest aircraft ever to fly with only one propeller, used largest airplane propeller ever used.
|-
|-
| Beriev Be-5000
| [[Lockheed C-5 Galaxy]]
| 1980s || 4921.03 tons
| {{sort|19680630|30 June 1968}}
| Twin fuselage Be-2500
| Largest USAF strategic airlifter and one of the largest military aircraft in the world
|-
|-
| [[Martin JRM Mars]]
| [[McDonnell Douglas MD-12]]
| 1990 || 423.21 tons
| {{sort|19410000|1941}}
| Proposed double deck airliner, canceled in mid-1990s
| Largest flying boat to enter production (7 built)
|-
|-
| [[Boeing New Large Airplane]]
| [[Messerschmitt Me 323|Messerschmitt Me 323 "Gigant"]]
| 1990s || 523.6 tons
| {{sort|19410000|1941}}
| 747 replacement powered by [[Boeing 777|777]] engines, canceled in the 1990s
| Biggest land-based cargo airplane during [[World War II]]
|-
| [[Aerocon Dash 1.6 wingship]]
| 1990s || 4921.03 tpms
| US [[ground-effect vehicle|ground effect aircraft]], developed with Russian consultation
|-
|-
| [[Myasishchev VM-T]]
| [[Tupolev Tu-404]]
| 1990s || 595.45 tons
| {{sort|19810000|1981}}
| [[Blended wing body]] airliner for 1,214 passenger, 110 m wingspan<ref>{{cite web|url=https://testpilot.ru/russia/tupolev/404/404_e.htm|title="404" Tupolev|website=testpilot.ru|access-date=11 May 2018|archive-date=14 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714222106/https://testpilot.ru/russia/tupolev/404/404_e.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| Derivative of the [[Myasishchev M-4|M-4]] as outsized cargo aircraft
|-
|-
| [[Tupolev Tu-160]]
| [[Sukhoi KR-860]]
| 1990s || 639.73 tons
| {{sort|19811218|18 December 1981}}
| Transport for 300 t payload or 860-1,000 passengers [[Double-deck aircraft|Double deck airliner]]
| Heaviest combat aircraft, largest supersonic aircraft and largest swept-wing aircraft ever built.
|-
|-
| [[Boeing_747#747X_and_747X_Stretch|Boeing 747X]]
| [[Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI]]
| 1996 || 465.53 tons
| {{sort|19160000|Circa 1916}}
| 747-400 stretch, [[Airbus A3XX]] competitor
| Largest aircraft to see regular squadron service (in 1917) in [[World War I]]
|}

===Experimental and prototypes===

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
|-
| [[Boeing Pelican]]
!Aircraft
| 2002 || 2657.36 tons
! First flight
| Ground effect and medium altitude transport
!class="unsortable"| Note
|-
|-
|[[Bristol Brabazon]]{{sfn|Kaplan|2005|p=115-121}}
| {{sort|19490994|4 September 1949}}
|A giant luxurious airliner in which each passenger was given the space of the interior of a small car. There was no commercial interest and only the prototype flew.
|-
| [[Dassault Balzac]]
| {{sort|19621018|18 October 1962}}
| Experimental VTOL jet. MTOW 29,630&nbsp;lb.
|-
| [[Douglas X-3 Stiletto]]
| {{sort|19521015|15 October 1952}}
| Supersonic research aircraft. Gross weight 22,100&nbsp;lb.<ref>Miller, J.; ''The X-Planes'', Speciality Press (1983)</ref>
|-
| [[Ekranoplan KM]]
| {{sort|19661016|16 October 1966}}
| The ekranoplan had wingspan of 37.6 m, length - 92 m, maximum takeoff weight - 544 tons. Until An-225 it was the largest aircraft in the world. Unit KM was tested at the Caspian Sea for 15 years until 1980. In 1980, pilot error caused a crash without human casualties. The vehicle was too heavy to be recovered from its watery wrecksite.
|-
| [[Hughes H-4 Hercules]]
| {{sort|19471102|2 November 1947}}
| Largest aircraft in the world 1947 to 1952 when the even heavier [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress]] first flew. World's largest flying boat, and largest wingspan of any aircraft. Only one was ever built and it performed only one short test flight. Commonly known as the "Spruce Goose".
|-
| [[Junkers Ju 390]]
| {{sort|19431020|20 October 1943}}
| Largest aircraft in the world 1943 to 1944 when the even heavier [[Blohm & Voss BV 238]] first flew. Selected and further developed as the [[Junkers]] firm's entry for the [[Amerika Bomber]] design contract.
|-
| [[North American XB-70 Valkyrie]]
| {{sort|19640921|21 September 1964}}
| Prototype Mach 3 strategic bomber. Maximum takeoff weight 542,000&nbsp;lb (246 tonnes).
|-
|[[Scaled Composites Stratolaunch|Stratolaunch]] <ref>{{cite web|url=http://stratolaunch.com/|title=Stratolaunch|website=stratolaunch.com|accessdate=3 June 2017}}</ref>
| {{sort|20190000|2019 (Planned)}}
|Stratolaunch is an aircraft currently under construction in Mojave, CA. With a wingspan of {{cvt|385|ft|m}}, it will be the world’s largest aircraft by wingspan and the largest all-composite aircraft ever built. It is designed as an [[air launch|aerial launch]] platform, capable of lifting [[Launch vehicle|orbital launch vehicles]] weighing up to {{cvt|550,000|lb|t}} to an altitude of {{cvt|45,000|ft|m}}. A nearly-complete aircraft was first shown on 1 June 2017.
|}

===Projects===

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!Aircraft
! Design or Conception
!class="unsortable"| Note
|- an-225,an-124
| [[Airbus A380-900]]
| [[Airbus A380-900]]
| 2006 || 580.68 tons
| {{sort|20060000|2006 development}}
| Announced in 2006 as a derivative of the Airbus A380-800. World's highest-capacity passenger aircraft in history. In May 2010, Airbus announced that A380-900 development was postponed, until production of the A380-800 has stabilised.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/05/20/342239/a380-900-and-freighter-both-on-back-burner-enders.html |title=A380-900 and freighter both on 'back-burner': Enders |work=Flight International |date= 20 May 2010 |accessdate=14 December 2011}}</ref>
| Airbus A380-800 stretch, postponed in May 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/05/20/342239/a380-900-and-freighter-both-on-back-burner-enders.html |title=A380-900 and freighter both on 'back-burner': Enders |work=Flight International |date= 20 May 2010 |access-date=14 December 2011}}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Beriev Be-2500]]
| [[HCA-LB|TsAGI HCA-LB]]
| 2010s || 984.21 tons
| {{sort|19800000|1980s proposal}}
| [[ground-effect vehicle|Ground effect aircraft]] powered by [[liquefied natural gas|LNG]]
| Would be the largest aircraft ever, if built; development started in the 1980s
|-
| [[Boeing New Large Airplane]]
| {{sort|19900000|1990s proposal}}
| Planned as a replacement for the 747, to be powered by the same engines used on the [[Boeing 777|777]]. Project canceled in the 1990s due to the airline industry's lack of interest for very large aircraft.
|-
| [[Boeing Pelican]]
| {{sort|19900000|1990s proposal}}
| Concept only for ground effect transport
|-
| [[Boeing 2707]] SST
| {{sort|19600000|1960s design. A mockup was built but no prototype.}}
| Planned as an answer to the Anglo-French [[Concorde]] supersonic transport (SST). At {{convert|306|ft|m}} long it would have been one of the longest airframes ever flown. Problems with the weight of the swing-wing mechanism and air friction heating in Mach 3 flight provoked a drastic redesign, by which time airline interest in SSTs was dropping because of environmental concerns. There was also political opposition to funding private industry. The U.S. Congress cut government funding in 1971 and airlines began canceling orders.
|-
| [[McDonnell Douglas MD-12]]
| {{sort|19900000|1990 proposal}}
| Proposed passenger aircraft, Designed to compete with the 747, project canceled in mid-1990s
|-
| [[Sukhoi KR-860]]
| {{sort|19900000|1990s proposal}}
| KR-860 (''Kryl'ya Rossii'' or "Wings of Russia") early named as SKD-717 is super large transport aircraft with weights about 650 tonnes (Antonov An-225 weight is 600 tonnes), payload about 300 tonnes (An-225 payload is 250 tonnes) and 860 to 1000 passengers, a proposed Double decker wide-body superjumbo jet by Russian aerospace company Sukhoi.
|-
| [[Conroy Virtus]]
| {{sort|19740000|1974}}
| Proposed 140-metre wingspan aircraft capable of carrying Space Shuttle orbiter, or boosters, or Shuttle main tank
|-
|-
| [[Skylon (spacecraft)|Skylon]]
| "[[Victory Bomber]]"
| current || 339.55 tons
| {{sort|19400000|1940/41}}
| Reusable spaceplane
| Proposed 50-ton 52-metre wingspan design by Barnes Wallis able to carry a ten-ton [[earthquake bomb]] (of his own design) and drop it from 14,000 m on strategic targets in Germany. Rejected by RAF due to lack of usefulness for other types of missions and unlikely to be completed before end of war.<ref>Buttler, Tony. ''Secret Projects: British Fighters and Bombers 1935 -1950'' Midland Publishing, 2004. {{ISBN|1-85780-179-2}}.</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Radia WindRunner|WindRunner]]
|[[Skylon (spacecraft)|Skylon]]
| current
| current ||
| [[Outsize cargo]] [[freight aircraft]]: 108 m long, 80 m wingspan.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://newatlas.com/aircraft/worlds-largest-aircraft-tradia-windrunner/ | title=World's largest aircraft delivers colossal cargo to makeshift airstrips | date=18 March 2024 }}</ref><ref>https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/how-the-worlds-biggest-plane-would-supersize-wind-energy-2f116e9b {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref>
|Proposed 345-tonne reusable spaceplane
|}
|}


== Helicopters and rotary-wing aircraft==
== Rotary-wing ==
[[File:Aeroflot Mil V-12 (Mi-12) Groningen Airport.jpg|thumb|[[Aeroflot]] [[Mil V-12]] at [[Groningen Airport]] in May 1971.]]
[[File:Aeroflot Mil V-12 (Mi-12) Groningen Airport.jpg|thumb|[[Aeroflot]] [[Mil V-12]] at [[Groningen Airport]] in May 1971]]
{{avilisthead|nonstandard}}
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
|-
! Type
!Aircraft
! First flight{{r|group=Note|year}}
! First flight
! MTOW
!class="unsortable"| Note
!Number built
|-
!class="unsortable"| Notes
| [[Mil Mi-26]]
| {{sort|19771214|14 December 1977}}
| Heaviest (56 tonnes), largest and most powerful helicopter in production ever.
|-
|-
| [[Cierva W.11 Air Horse]]
| {{datesort|7 December 1948}}
| '''8 t'''
| 1
| three rotor helicopter
|- style="background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Hughes XH-17]]
| [[Hughes XH-17]]
| {{sort|19520000|1952}}
| {{datesort|23 October 1952}}
| '''23 t'''
| Prototype heavy-lift helicopter with the largest rotor (129&nbsp;ft) flown
|-
| 1
| Prototype heavy-lift helicopter, largest rotor at 39.6 m
| [[V-22 Osprey]]
| {{sort|19890319|19 March 1989}}
| One of the largest (27 tonnes) VTOL aircraft and the first operational tiltrotor
|-
| [[Mil Mi-10]]
| {{sort|19600615|15 June 1960}}
| Heavy-lift "skycrane" developed from Mi-6, 114&nbsp;ft rotor, 43 tonne MTOW
|-
|-
| [[Mil Mi-6]]
| {{datesort|5 June 1957}}
| '''44 t'''
| 926
| Heavy [[transport helicopter]], 35 m rotor
|- style="background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Mil V-12]] or Mi-12
| [[Mil V-12]] or Mi-12
| {{sort|19680710|10 July 1968}}
| {{datesort|10 July 1968}}
| '''105 t'''
| Largest helicopter ever built; not put into production. 2 × 114&nbsp;ft rotors, 105 tonnes MTOW.
| 2
| Largest prototype helicopter, 2 × 35 m rotors
|-
|-
| [[Sikorsky Sea King]]
| [[Mil Mi-26]]
| {{sort|19590311|11 March 1959}}
| {{datesort|14 December 1977}}
| '''56 t'''
| Many variants. Typ. MTOW 20,500&nbsp;lb.
| 316
| Heaviest serial production helicopter
|- style="background-color: lightgrey"
| [[Fairey Rotodyne]]
| {{datesort|6 November 1957}}
| 15 t
| 1
| Largest [[gyrodyne]]. Prototype for 40 passengers
|-
|-
|[[Kamov Ka-22]]
| [[Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion]]
| {{sort|19810000|1981}}
|{{datesort|15 August 1959}}
|42.5 t
| At 33 tonnes, largest helicopter in service with the US armed forces
|4
|composite rotorcraft
|-
|-
| [[Fairey Rotodyne]]
| [[Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey]]
| {{sort|19570000|1957}}
| {{datesort|19 March 1989}}
| 21.5 t
| Largest compound gyroplane, 40 passenger capacity short haul airliner experiment
| 400
| First operational VTOL [[tiltrotor]]
|}
|}
{{reflist|group=Note|refs=
<ref name=year>For designs that never flew the year of design or conception is used instead.</ref>
}}


== Airships==
===Proposals===

[[File:Giant Aircraft Comparison.svg|thumb|right|300px|''Hindenburg airship compared with the largest fixed-wing aircraft.]]
* [[Yakovlev Yak-60]] – Mil V-12 size helicopter design
{| class="sortable wikitable"
* [[Yakovlev VVP-6]] – Mil V-12 size helicopter design

== Lighter than air==

{{avilisthead|nonstandard}}
|+ Large balloons
! Type !! Date !! Volume !! Description
|-
|-
| ''Preusen'' ("Prussia")
!Aircraft
| 1901
| '''8,400 m'''<sup>3</sup><ref name="ege">Ege, L,; "Balloons and Airships", Blandford (1973).</ref>
| German experimental prototype
|-
| CL75 AirCrane
| 2001
| '''110,000 m<sup>3</sup>'''
| [[CargoLifter]] experimental prototype, approximately 120.6 tonnes with [[helium]] fill
|}

{{avilisthead|nonstandard}}
|+ Large airships
! Type
! First flight
! First flight
! Volume
!class="unsortable"| Note
! Length
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|-
| [[R100|HM Airship R100]]
| [[Zeppelin LZ 1]]
| 1900
| {{sort|19291216|16 December 1929}}
| 220 m, 146,000 m<sup>3</sup>
| '''11,300 m<sup>3</sup>'''<ref name="ege"/>
| '''128 m'''
| German experimental prototype
|-
|-
| [[R38-class airship|R38]] (US: ''ZR-2'')
| [[R101|HM Airship R101]]
| 1921
| {{sort|19291014|14 October 1929}}
| '''{{cvt|2,724,000|cuft|m3|disp=out}}'''<ref name=aht>{{cite web|url=http://www.airshipsonline.com/airships/r38/index.html|title=R38/ZR2|publisher=The Airship Heritage Trust|accessdate= 14 December 2012}}</ref>
| 236 m, 156,000 m<sup>3</sup>
| '''212 m'''
| UK military, built for US Navy
|-
|-
| [[R102]]
| [[R100]]
| 1929
| {{sort|20180000|Planned}}
| '''193,970 m<sup>3</sup>'''
| Also known as 'Project H', planned 240,000 m<sup>3</sup> airship. Cancelled along with possible 270,000 m<sup>3</sup> R103
| '''216 m'''
| UK experimental passenger transport
|-
|-
| HM Airship [[R101]]
| [[USS Akron (ZRS-4)|USS ''Akron'']]
| {{sort|19310808|8 August 1931}}
| {{sort|19291014|14 Oct 1929}}
| 239 m, 180,000 m<sup>3</sup> US Navy airship and largest helium-filled airship.
| 156,000 m<sup>3</sup>
| '''236 m'''
| Followed by the smaller 146,000 m<sup>3</sup> [[R100]] (220 m) on 16 Dec 1929
|-
|-
| [[USS Macon (ZRS-5)|USS ''Macon'']]
| US Navy [[USS Akron|USS ''Akron'']]
| {{sort|19330623|23 June 1933}}
| {{sort|19310808|8 Aug 1931}}
| 180,000 m<sup>3</sup>
| Sister ship to ''Akron''
| '''239 m'''
| Largest helium-filled airship along its [[USS Macon (ZRS-5)|USS ''Macon'']] sister ship
|-
|-
| [[LZ 129 Hindenburg|LZ 129 ''Hindenburg'']]
| [[LZ 129 Hindenburg]]
| {{sort|19360404|4 April 1936}}
| {{sort|19360404|4 Apr 1936}}
| 245 m, 200,000 m<sup>3</sup> Largest volume aircraft ever flown, but only 215t.
| '''200,000 m<sup>3</sup>'''
| '''245 m'''
|-
| [[LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin|LZ130 ''Graf Zeppelin II'']]
| Largest volume along with its [[LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin|LZ130 ''Graf Zeppelin II'']] sister ship, approximately 237.2 tonnes with [[hydrogen]] fill
| {{sort|19380914|14 September 1938}}
| Sister ship to [[LZ 129 Hindenburg|LZ 129 ''Hindenburg'']]
|-
| [[N-class blimp|U.S. Navy ZPG-3W]]
| {{sort|19580700|July 1958}}
| Largest-ever [[United States Navy]] non-rigid airship, 1,011,000 cubic feet (23,648 cubic meters) envelope volume.
|-
| [[Hybrid Air Vehicles HAV 304 Airlander 10]]
| {{sort|20160817|17 August 2016}}
| Largest-ever non-rigid airship/aircraft to fly, 38,000 m3 (1,300,000 cu ft) envelope volume. Longest heavier than air aircraft at 92m.
|}
|}
[[File:Giant Aircraft Comparison.svg|thumb|''Hindenburg'' airship compared with the largest fixed-wing aircraft]]
===Proposals===

* Hydrogen carrier airship (2.45 km long) and balloon (727 m wide), 28000 tonne MTOW both.<ref>{{citation|title=Using the jet stream for sustainable airship and balloon transportation of cargo and hydrogen|year=2019 |doi=10.1016/j.ecmx.2019.100016 |last1=Hunt |first1=Julian David |last2=Byers |first2=Edward |last3=Balogun |first3=Abdul-Lateef |last4=Leal Filho |first4=Walter |last5=Colling |first5=Angeli Viviani |last6=Nascimento |first6=Andreas |last7=Wada |first7=Yoshihide |journal=Energy Conversion and Management: X |volume=3 |page=100016 |s2cid=201317285 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2019ECMX....300016H }}</ref>
* [[Geostationary Banana Over Texas]], a 300 meters long helium-filled airship with an outer shell supposed to be made of paper and bamboo, shaped like a yellow banana.<ref>{{Cite news |last=MACCORMACK |first=JOHN |title=Artist wants to float 1,000-foot balloon over Texas |url=https://www.chron.com/news/bizarre/article/Artist-wants-to-float-1-000-foot-balloon-over-1845204.php |access-date=2024-03-28 |work=Chron |language=en}}</ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[List of largest machines]]
* [[List of largest passenger vehicles]]
* [[Wide-body aircraft]]
* [[Wide-body aircraft]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}


===Citations===
==Further reading==
{{reflist|30em}}

===Sources===
*{{citation |title=The Colour Encyclopedia of Incredible Aeroplanes |first=Philip |last=Jarrett |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |year=2008 |isbn=978-1405335980}}
*{{citation |title=The Colour Encyclopedia of Incredible Aeroplanes |first=Philip |last=Jarrett |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |year=2008 |isbn=978-1405335980}}
*{{citation |title=Big Wings |first=Philip |last=Kaplan |publisher=Pen & Sword Aviation |year=2005 |isbn=978-1844151783}}
*{{citation |title=Big Wings |first=Philip |last=Kaplan |publisher=Pen & Sword Aviation |year=2005 |isbn=978-1844151783}}
*{{citation |url=http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/largest-airplane.htm |title=What's the world's largest airplane? |first=Julia |last=Layton |year=2011 |publisher=How Stuff Works}}
*{{citation |url=http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/largest-airplane.htm |title=What's the world's largest airplane? |first=Julia |last=Layton |year=2011 |publisher=How Stuff Works}}
*{{citation |url=https://www.forbes.com/2007/06/01/aviation-aerospace-planes-biz-cx_rm_0604bigplanes.html |title=The World's Biggest Planes |first=Robert |last=Malone |publisher=Forbes |year=2007}}
*{{citation |url=https://www.forbes.com/2007/06/01/aviation-aerospace-planes-biz-cx_rm_0604bigplanes.html |title=The World's Biggest Planes |first=Robert |last=Malone |work=Forbes |year=2007}}
*{{citation |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/21/travel/plane-spotting-big-aircraft/ |title=Stalking world's biggest planes makes for photos that say 'wow' |first=Thom |last=Patterson |publisher=CNN |year=2013}}
*{{citation |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/21/travel/plane-spotting-big-aircraft/ |title=Stalking world's biggest planes makes for photos that say 'wow' |first=Thom |last=Patterson |publisher=CNN |year=2013}}
*{{citation |title=Giants in the Sky |first=Douglas |last=Robinson |publisher=University of Washington Press |year=1973 |isbn=978-0295952499}}
*{{citation |title=Giants in the Sky |first=Douglas |last=Robinson |publisher=University of Washington Press |year=1973 |isbn=978-0295952499 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/giantsinskyhisto0000robi }}
*{{citation |chapter=Goliaths of the Air |pages=62–67 |title=Aviation's Most Wanted |first=Steven |last=Ruffin |publisher=Potomac |year=2005 |isbn=978-1574886740}}
*{{citation |chapter=Goliaths of the Air |pages=62–67 |title=Aviation's Most Wanted |first=Steven |last=Ruffin |publisher=Potomac |year=2005 |isbn=978-1574886740}}


Latest revision as of 14:57, 21 November 2024

A size comparison of five of the largest aircraft:
  Airbus A380
  Antonov An-225 Mriya
  Boeing 747-8
  Hughes H-4 Hercules
  Stratolaunch

This is a list of large aircraft, including three types: fixed wing, rotary wing, and airships.

The US Federal Aviation Administration defines a large aircraft as any aircraft with a certificated maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of more than 12,500 lb (5,700 kg) [1]

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) defines a large aircraft as either "an aeroplane with a maximum take-off mass of more than 12,566.35 pounds (5,700.00 kilograms) or a multi-engined helicopter."[2]

Fixed-wing

[edit]
Antonov An-225
Type First flight Role Built Length Span MTOW Capacity Notes
Ilya Muromets 1913 airliner/bomber 85+ 19.13 yards (17.49 meters) 32.58 yards (29.79 meters) 4.527 tons Pax: 16 First multi-engine aircraft in serial production, Russky Vityaz development
Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI 1916 Bomber 56 24.168 yards (22.099 meters) 46.15 yards (42.20 meters) 11.613 tons Largest WWI aircraft in regular service
Tarrant Tabor 1919 Bomber 1 24.38 yards (22.29 meters) 43.74 yards (40.00 meters) 19.97 tons 4.1 t Crashed on first flight
Dornier Do X 12 Jul 1929 Flying boat 3 43.74 yards (40.00 meters) 52.27 yards (47.80 meters) 51.1787 tons Pax: 100 Then longest, widest and heaviest
Kalinin K-7 11 Aug 1933 Transport 1 30.62 yards (28.00 meters) 57.96 yards (53.00 meters) 45.77 tons Pax: 120 Widest aircraft until the Tupolev ANT-20
Tupolev ANT-20 19 May 1934 Transport 2 35.979 yards (32.899 meters) 68.8976 yards (63.0000 meters) 52.16 tons Pax: 72 Widest and heaviest until the Douglas XB-19
Douglas XB-19 27 Jun 1941 Bomber 1 44.07 yards (40.30 meters) 70.65 yards (64.60 meters) 72.34 tons Longest until the Laté. 631, widest until the B-36, heaviest until the Martin Mars
Messerschmitt Me 323 20 Jan 1942 Transport 198 70.65 yards (64.60 meters) 60.37 yards (55.20 meters) 42.32 tons 11.81 tons Highest cargo capacity land-based World War II transport
Martin JRM Mars 23 Jun 1942 Flying boat 7 39.04 yards (35.70 meters) 66.71 yards (61.00 meters) 73.62 tons 14.76 tons Heaviest until the Junkers 390, Largest serial production flying boat
Latécoère 631 4 Nov 1942 Flying boat 11 47.57 yards (43.50 meters) 62.77 yards (57.40 meters) 70.27 tons Pax: 46 Longest until the Convair B-36
Junkers Ju 390 20 Oct 1943 Bomber 2 37.40 yards (34.20 meters) 55.01 yards (50.30 meters) 74.31 tons 9.84 tons Heaviest until the BV 238, Junkers entry for the Amerika Bomber project
Blohm & Voss BV 238 Apr 1944 Flying boat 1 47.35 yards (43.30 meters) 65.84 yards (60.20 meters) 98.42 tons Heaviest built during WWII, destroyed in 1945
Convair B-36 8 Aug 1946 Bomber 384 54.02 yards (49.40 meters) 76.66 yards (70.10 meters) 183.06 tons Heaviest until the B-52, longest and widest until the Hughes H-4
Hughes H-4 Hercules (Spruce Goose) 2 Nov 1947 Flying boat 1 72.94 yards (66.70 meters) 106.95 yards (97.80 meters) 177.15 tons Longest until the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy and widest until the Stratolaunch
Convair XC-99 23 Nov 1947 Transport 1 60.80 yards (55.60 meters) 76.66 yards (70.10 meters) 142.71 tons 44.28 tons B-36 development, most capable transport aircraft until the An-22
Boeing B-52 15 Apr 1952 Bomber 744 53.04 yards (48.50 meters) 61.68 yards (56.40 meters) 216.525 tons Heaviest until the XB-70, still in service
XB-70 21 Sep 1964 Bomber 2 61.68 yards (56.40 meters) 34.99 yards (31.99 meters) 242.115 tons Heaviest until the An-22, Mach 3 prototype bomber
Antonov An-22 27 Feb 1965 Transport 68 63.32 yards (57.90 meters) 70.43 yards (64.40 meters) 246.05 tons 80 t Heaviest until the C-5, Heaviest turboprop aircraft
Caspian Sea Monster 16 Oct 1966 Ekranoplan 1 100.61 yards (92.00 meters) 41.12 yards (37.60 meters)37.6 m 535.41 tons Heaviest and longest flying vehicle until the An-225, 1980 crash
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy 30 Jun 1968 Transport 131 82.34 yards (75.29 meters) 74.26 yards (67.90 meters) 410.41 tons 125.49 tons Largest payload capacity until the An-124
Boeing 747 9 Feb 1969 Airliner 1557 77.32 yards (70.70 meters) 65.18 yards (59.60 meters) 406.86 tons Pax: 550/660 Highest passenger capacity airliner until the Airbus A380
Antonov An-124 26 Dec 1982 Transport 55 75.57 yards (69.10 meters) 80.16 yards (73.30 meters) 395.65 tons 147.63 tons Most capable transport until the An-225
Antonov An-225 Mriya 21 Dec 1988 Transport 1 91.86 yards (84.00 meters) 96.68 yards (88.40 meters) 629.89 tons 246.05 tons Heaviest aircraft and most capable transport, destroyed in 2022
Airbus Beluga 13 Sep 1994 Outsize cargo 5 61.46 yards (56.20 meters) 48.99 yards (44.80 meters) 152.55 t 1,961.93 cubic yards (1,500.00 cubic meters) Airbus A300 derivative, largest volume until the Dreamlifter
Airbus A380 27 Apr 2005 Airliner 254 79.51 yards (72.70 meters) 87.27 yards (79.80 meters) 565.92 tons Pax: 850 Highest passenger capacity airliner
Boeing Dreamlifter 9 Sep 2006 Outsize cargo 4 78.41 yards (71.70 meters) 70.43 yards (64.40 meters) 358.25 tons 2,406.63 cubic yards (1,840.00 cubic meters) Boeing 747-400 derivative, largest volume until the BelugaXL
Airbus BelugaXL 19 Jul 2018 Outsize cargo 6 69.01 yards (63.10 meters) 65.945 yards (60.300 meters) 223.41 tons 2,889.26 cubic yards (2,209.00 cubic meters) Airbus A330 derivative, largest volume
Stratolaunch 13 Apr 2019 Air launch 1 79.83 yards (73.00 meters) 127.95 yards (117.00 meters) 580.68 t 246.052 t Current heaviest and widest, prototype air-launch-to-orbit carrier

Projects

[edit]
Type Proposed MTOW Notes
Poll Triplane 1917 (circa) 50 m wingspan[3]
Victory Bomber 1940/1941 47.2 tons 52 m wingspan, to carry a ten-ton earthquake bomb, rejected by the RAF[4]
Boeing 2707 SST 1960s 301.17 tons A 93 m long Concorde answer, canceled in 1971
Lockheed CL-1201 1960s 6318.61 tons Nuclear-powered, 1,120 feet (340 m) wing span, airborne aircraft carrier
Boeing RC-1 1970s 1584.57 tons "flying pipeline", proposed before the 1973 oil crisis
Conroy Virtus 1974 379.90 tons 140 m wingspan, to carry Space Shuttle parts
Beriev Be-2500 1980s 2460.57 tons Super heavy amphibious transport aircraft
Beriev Be-5000 1980s 4921.03 tons Twin fuselage Be-2500
McDonnell Douglas MD-12 1990 423.21 tons Proposed double deck airliner, canceled in mid-1990s
Boeing New Large Airplane 1990s 523.6 tons 747 replacement powered by 777 engines, canceled in the 1990s
Aerocon Dash 1.6 wingship 1990s 4921.03 tpms US ground effect aircraft, developed with Russian consultation
Tupolev Tu-404 1990s 595.45 tons Blended wing body airliner for 1,214 passenger, 110 m wingspan[5]
Sukhoi KR-860 1990s 639.73 tons Transport for 300 t payload or 860-1,000 passengers Double deck airliner
Boeing 747X 1996 465.53 tons 747-400 stretch, Airbus A3XX competitor
Boeing Pelican 2002 2657.36 tons Ground effect and medium altitude transport
Airbus A380-900 2006 580.68 tons Airbus A380-800 stretch, postponed in May 2010[6]
TsAGI HCA-LB 2010s 984.21 tons Ground effect aircraft powered by LNG
Skylon current 339.55 tons Reusable spaceplane
WindRunner current Outsize cargo freight aircraft: 108 m long, 80 m wingspan.[7][8]

Rotary-wing

[edit]
Aeroflot Mil V-12 at Groningen Airport in May 1971
Type First flight MTOW Number built Notes
Cierva W.11 Air Horse 7 December 1948 8 t 1 three rotor helicopter
Hughes XH-17 23 October 1952 23 t 1 Prototype heavy-lift helicopter, largest rotor at 39.6 m
Mil Mi-6 5 June 1957 44 t 926 Heavy transport helicopter, 35 m rotor
Mil V-12 or Mi-12 10 July 1968 105 t 2 Largest prototype helicopter, 2 × 35 m rotors
Mil Mi-26 14 December 1977 56 t 316 Heaviest serial production helicopter
Fairey Rotodyne 6 November 1957 15 t 1 Largest gyrodyne. Prototype for 40 passengers
Kamov Ka-22 15 August 1959 42.5 t 4 composite rotorcraft
Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey 19 March 1989 21.5 t 400 First operational VTOL tiltrotor

Proposals

[edit]

Lighter than air

[edit]
Large balloons
Type Date Volume Description
Preusen ("Prussia") 1901 8,400 m3[9] German experimental prototype
CL75 AirCrane 2001 110,000 m3 CargoLifter experimental prototype, approximately 120.6 tonnes with helium fill
Large airships
Type First flight Volume Length Notes
Zeppelin LZ 1 1900 11,300 m3[9] 128 m German experimental prototype
R38 (US: ZR-2) 1921 77,100 m3[10] 212 m UK military, built for US Navy
R100 1929 193,970 m3 216 m UK experimental passenger transport
HM Airship R101 14 Oct 1929 156,000 m3 236 m Followed by the smaller 146,000 m3 R100 (220 m) on 16 Dec 1929
US Navy USS Akron 8 Aug 1931 180,000 m3 239 m Largest helium-filled airship along its USS Macon sister ship
LZ 129 Hindenburg 4 Apr 1936 200,000 m3 245 m Largest volume along with its LZ130 Graf Zeppelin II sister ship, approximately 237.2 tonnes with hydrogen fill
Hindenburg airship compared with the largest fixed-wing aircraft

Proposals

[edit]
  • Hydrogen carrier airship (2.45 km long) and balloon (727 m wide), 28000 tonne MTOW both.[11]
  • Geostationary Banana Over Texas, a 300 meters long helium-filled airship with an outer shell supposed to be made of paper and bamboo, shaped like a yellow banana.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Schoolcraft, Don, FAA Definitions begining [sic] with the letter L., Aviation Safety Bureau
  2. ^ EASA Regulation – Amendment of Implementing Rule 2042/2003, Version 1 (PDF). 13 January 2012. p. 4. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  3. ^ Gunston, Bill, 1991. Giants of the Sky: The Largest Aeroplanes of All Time. Sparkford, UK: Patrick Stephens Limited.
  4. ^ Buttler, Tony. Secret Projects: British Fighters and Bombers 1935 -1950 Midland Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1-85780-179-2.
  5. ^ ""404" Tupolev". testpilot.ru. Archived from the original on 14 July 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  6. ^ "A380-900 and freighter both on 'back-burner': Enders". Flight International. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  7. ^ "World's largest aircraft delivers colossal cargo to makeshift airstrips". 18 March 2024.
  8. ^ https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/how-the-worlds-biggest-plane-would-supersize-wind-energy-2f116e9b [bare URL]
  9. ^ a b Ege, L,; "Balloons and Airships", Blandford (1973).
  10. ^ "R38/ZR2". The Airship Heritage Trust. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  11. ^ Hunt, Julian David; Byers, Edward; Balogun, Abdul-Lateef; Leal Filho, Walter; Colling, Angeli Viviani; Nascimento, Andreas; Wada, Yoshihide (2019), "Using the jet stream for sustainable airship and balloon transportation of cargo and hydrogen", Energy Conversion and Management: X, 3: 100016, Bibcode:2019ECMX....300016H, doi:10.1016/j.ecmx.2019.100016, S2CID 201317285
  12. ^ MACCORMACK, JOHN. "Artist wants to float 1,000-foot balloon over Texas". Chron. Retrieved 28 March 2024.

Further reading

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