Antonov An-225 Mriya – Φώτο & Βίντεο

Teh Αντόνοφ Αν-225 Μρία (Ουκρανικά: Антонов Ан-225 Мрія, αναμμένο. «όνειρο» ή «έμπνευση»· Το όνομα αναφοράς του ΝΑΤΟ: Cossack) είναι ένα στρατηγικό αεροσκάφος μεταφοράς φορτίου που σχεδιάστηκε από το Γραφείο Σχεδιασμού Antonov στην ουκρανική SSR εντός της Σοβιετικής Ένωσης κατά τη διάρκεια της δεκαετία του 1980. Τροφοδοτείται από έξι κινητήρες turbofan και είναι το βαρύτερο αεροσκάφος που κατασκευάστηκε ποτέ, με μέγιστο βάρος απογείωσης 640 τόνους (710 σύντομους τόνους, 630 μακριούς τόνους). Έχει επίσης το μεγαλύτερο άνοιγμα πτερυγίων από οποιοδήποτε αεροσκάφος σε επιχειρησιακή υπηρεσία.

Πηγή: Αντόνοφ Αν-225 Μρία στο Wiki

The Antonov An-225 Mriya is a remarkable aircraft that was designed and built by the Antonov Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It is the largest and heaviest aircraft ever flown, with a wingspan of 88.4 meters and a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tonnes. The name Mriya means “dream” or “inspiration” in Ukrainian, reflecting the ambitious nature of the project.
The An-225 was originally developed in the 1980s to transport the Buran space shuttle and the Energia rocket boosters for the Soviet space program. It made its first flight on 21 December 1988, carrying the Buran on its back. The An-225 has six turbofan engines, a twin tail, and a 32-wheel landing gear system. It can carry up to 250 tonnes of cargo internally or externally, and has set several world records for airlifted payloads.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the cancellation of the Buran program, the An-225 was mothballed for several years until it was refurbished and returned to service in 2001 by Antonov Airlines, a Ukrainian cargo operator. Since then, the An-225 has been used for various commercial and humanitarian missions, transporting oversized and heavy items such as locomotives, generators, wind turbines, and military equipment. The An-225 has also attracted a lot of public attention and admiration for its unique appearance and capabilities.
The An-225 is a one-of-a-kind aircraft, as only one example was completed. A second airframe was partially built but never finished due to lack of funding and demand. There have been several proposals to complete or build more An-225s, but none have materialized so far. The An-225 remains a valuable asset for Antonov Airlines and a source of pride for Ukraine.