An-225 Mriya destroyed by Russians in Ukraine
AN-225 Mriya in better days
Aviation aficionados will be sad to hear of a casualty of the Russia-Ukraine War. On 24 February, when Russia invaded the country, the massive six-engine An-225 cargo jet of Antonov Airlines was parked on the apron at Antonov Airport, Hostomel, Ukraine. The huge aircraft was the only one of its type. It is both the heaviest aircraft ever made and has the longest wingspan of any aircraft at the time it was made. It attracted quite a following of watchers whenever it would fly into or out of an airport.
An-225 size comparison
Developed by the Anotonov Design Bureau during the Soviet days, Mriya was built to haul the Soviet Buran space shuttle, piggy-back style like NASA used the 747 to carry our shuttle orbiter. In the post-Cold War years, the Mriya was refurbished to flying condition and found work transporting outsized and very heavy cargo.
Antonov Airport is just outside of Kyiv, so was an early target of the Russians during their invasion. They hit the airport with two Guards Air Assault Brigades and a motorized infantry regiment supported by between 20 and 200 aircraft (the latter is a Russian claim that is probably obscenely exaggerated). Though the An-225 was not a military target, being owned and operated by a civil carrier, it was a point of pride for the Ukrainian people. It was said to have been hit by a Russian missile while parked in its shelter.
The Russians captured and continue to hold the airport, so the true condition of the Mriya was unknown. Satellite photos showed the plane’s shelter partially damaged and what looked like airplane parts strewn about. Earlier this week, updated photos appeared to show the tail of the giant bird intact, leading lovers of the ginormous aircraft hopeful it wouldn’t be a total loss. Video and close up photos came out Friday that show the true extent of the damage to Mriya.
Video from Hostomel of the destroyed An-225 transport aircraft. https://t.co/5JhZaKZ8LS pic.twitter.com/mnLqgKi9nM
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) March 4, 2022
Here she is in a magnificent drone shot leaving Antonov Airport just a few months ago.
One report said it was destroyed in it’s hangar. This report says it was destroyed on the apron. Either way it’s sad to hear; only saw it on youtube, never in person. It was fascinating to watch.
I believe it was in 1989 when I saw it at the EAA Oshkosh Air Show.
I never saw it land or take off, but saw it on static display.
It was huge!
From a distance, you could see it just towered over everything.
If you are an aircraft enthusiast, try to make it to Oshkosh sometime, you won’t be disappointed.
My favorites are the old WWII War Birds.
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I know how big a 747 is and to see the outline photo of that plane and the size the the AN 225 is just wow!
It was the only aircraft capable of transporting Zelenskyy’s
balls so that’s why they had to destroyed it.
Pity, but who didn’t think that the Kyiv Airport, and that aircraft, wouldn’t be a prime target? And maybe, Ivan didn’t mean to damage the plane, but it took an errant missile? Some FDC Ossifer gots some ‘splainin’ to do?
I somehow don’t think that damage is gonna buff right out.
Earl Scheib. $29.99 any color.
Is earl Scheib still in business?? wouldn’t trust them with a candy apple paint job on a 1957 chopped and decked Chevy
When I first heard this story, it was that the Ukrainians destroyed her to keep her out of Russian hands.
Oh no. Say it ain’t so.
Watched her arrive and depart Bangor once.
Very quiet too. Kind of a low rumble sound.
Wake me when they blame aliens and/or space lasers.
I don’t always park my airplane in a combat zone, but when I do I expect it to be a loss.
Silver lining; no more calls about the craft’s extended warranty?
Putin sucks.
Always amazing to see one of the big ones like a C5, A380, and probably the 225 in flight. They look so slow… till you realize how big they really are and how fast they are moving.
I was standing a Quarterdeck watch on Courtney the first time I saw a C-5. It was on final to NAS Norfolk and just seemed to floating on the glideslope.
Whenever I think about C-5, however, I think about the film clip that shows a wheel from the landing rolling down the runway in front of the AC. A guy who posted at Lex’s blog was in a 141 behind a C-5 at Tinker. An engine tore off the C-5 and went tumbling down the runway.
I thought I saw it parked here in front of Hangar 1 at Moffett Field a few times, but that was its little brother, the AN-124. Still … it seemed a lot larger than Fat Albert.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10578385/Pictured-Worlds-biggest-plane-destroyed-Russian-assault-Ukrainian-airfield.html
What a waste.
And for what?
So Genghis Putin can put a failed USSR and his ego back together?
Saw it sitting on the tarmac at Mazar-i-Sharif when I was in Afghanistan. Didn’t know what it was but damn it was BIG! It dwarfed the C160 we were boarding.
Well, that’s one aircraft that will never fly again. Damn shame.
While I have never seen the AN-225, I have seen the AN-124, (as have my friends in the photo here), noting how big it was, and then seeing a video of the 124 dwarfed by the 225, This airplane was awesome. So sad that only one was completed.
There are several of the AN-124 types, owned by several different companies. Rolls-Royce owns at least one.
I saw AN-124’s coming and going from the Kabul Airport during my time there.
Russians are nothing if not savages. Nothing but a threat to humanity. For now.