The world’s largest plane, the six-engined Antonov An-225, landed at Ben-Gurion Airport in Israel on Monday afternoon.
It arrived from the US carrying US Army Oshkosh trucks to be fitted with Iron Dome parts to install the Iron Dome missile defense system for the US military.
The plane was flown from Ukraine, landing at Bangor International Airport Maine on Friday. On its way to Israel, it stopped for refueling at Prestwick Airport in Scotland and Châteauroux Airport in France, where large crowds gathered to see the unique plane.
After landing in Israel, where hundreds of aviation fans gathered near Ben-Gurion Airport to watch it land, it flew back sans trucks on Monday at 9 p.m.
מטוס הקרגו הגדול, אנטונוב 225 בנחיתה בארץ לפני זמן קצר pic.twitter.com/3n43ShV1e7
— YoGa (@YoGa42137200) August 3, 2020
And here are the Osh Kosh American military vehicles coming out of her pic.twitter.com/4qySuLNTfQ
— Eli Kresh (@pureshtuyot) August 3, 2020
The Antonov An-225 Mriya cargo plane was built in the FSU in the 1980s and is the only one in existence. The largest and heaviest plane ever manufactured, it has 30 wheels, is 84 meters long, has a wingspan of 88.4 meters, and has carried the world’s heaviest cargo of 253 tons.
The US signed an agreement to purchase two Iron Dome batteries in 2019.
Below is the video of the plane departing from Prestwick Airport in Scotland and additional pictures:
25K+ viewers watch live with over 1.6M views (+climbing) as AN225 'MRIYA' of @AntonovCompany @AirlinesAntonov departs Prestwick @GPAPassenger after a splash & dash on her way to CHR – Full show ➡️ https://t.co/tXkBT9bS2D Includes #QEAF C17 & @Cargolux_Intl 747-4F #itsbetterlive pic.twitter.com/MiPHS4WN8W
— BIG JET TV (@BigJetTVLIVE) August 2, 2020
So that was a rather impressive sight. ADB3473 from Prestick to Chateauroux in France. The Antonov An-225 Mriya, the world biggest in service aircraft just came right over the house at around 31K. She is a big beast #AN225 #Antonov225 #aviationphotography pic.twitter.com/pmnAqqlGwL
— John Higgins (@johnhiggins777) August 2, 2020
The worlds largest aeroplane photographed ✅ the Antonov 225 landing at Prestwick airport. #anotov225 #prestwickairport #worldslargestaeroplane #aviationphotography #planespotter #aviation #aviationlovers #aviationdaily #aviationphoto pic.twitter.com/e3xS9vugCo
— KSSImagesUK (@kevinsloan79) August 3, 2020
World’s largest aircraft – Antonov A-225 – on her visit to Prestwick Airport.#aviationphotography #aviation #aircraft #prestwickairport #scotland #Antonov #antonov225 pic.twitter.com/EAvEqNQqb8
— Dougie Coull Photography 🏴 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@DougieCoullPics) August 3, 2020
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
where large crowds gathered to see the unique plane Were they socially distanced?
Incredible that this aircraft can actually get off the ground. Think of how many Nachmanites could be boarded if they ran charters from BG to Uman in September.
This is a strategic airlift cargo aircraft that was designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the Ukrainian SSR within the Soviet Union during the 1980s. Interesting that the US Armed forces us this plane…..
To clarify:
Yes, it massive!
The Antonov A-225 was originally built to carry Buran, the Soviet-era answer to the US Space Shuttle program. It was never intended to be a strategic cargo aircraft.
As that program never happened, the aircraft was re-purposed as a specialty cargo aircraft. The US chartered the aircraft as other governments have done to carry large and unusual cargo loads.