An-124 Ruslan

Antonov · Soviet Union · first flew 1982 · transport aircraft

The An-124 Ruslan is one of the largest aircraft ever built, a four-engine strategic heavy-lift transport designed to carry the world's heaviest and most outsize cargoes.

Recognition (WEFT)

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

• Massive high swept wing with four large turbofans
• Tall T-tail with nose and tail cargo doors
• Upward-hinging visor nose for drive-through loading

Sheer scale marks it out, with a high swept wing carrying four big turbofans and a tall T-tail. Like the C-5 it has both an upward-hinging visor nose and a rear ramp, allowing drive-through loading.

Specifications

• The An-124 Ruslan has a length of 68.96 m (226 ft).
• It has a wingspan of 73.3 m (240 ft).
• Its maximum speed is 865 km/h (537 mph).
• Typical crew: 6 (flight crew plus loadmasters).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed by the Antonov bureau in the Ukrainian SSR, the An-124 first flew in December 1982 and entered military service in 1986. A civil-certified An-124-100 followed for the commercial outsize-cargo market.

Variants

Versions include the original military An-124 and the commercial An-124-100, with various avionics and weight upgrades introduced over the type's life by Russian and Ukrainian operators.

Where you'll see it

The An-124 is not a UK type, but commercial Ruslans have frequently been chartered by the RAF and UK MoD to move outsize equipment. They are regular visitors to British airfields and a popular airshow draw.

Related aircraft

• Antonov An-71
• Antonov An-72
• An-225 Mriya
• An-32 (Cline)
• Dornier 228-201
• HAI Y-12 (Twin Panda)
• Northrop Tacit Blue
• Short C-23 Sherpa

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