TOP 14: The world’s largest aircraft

Discover the world’s largest aircraft in this top 14 of the largest aircraft ever built! An extraordinary wingspan, a record length, a height never equaled… In order to establish a ranking of the most impressive aircraft in the world, the maximum take-off weight of the aircraft was taken into account.

The maximum take-off weight of an aircraft is the maximum total weight of the aircraft authorized for take-off by the aircraft manufacturer. This criterion includes all the non-standard aircraft ever built by man. Did you know that one aircraft manufacturer has managed the feat of retaining the title of the world’s largest aircraft for more than 30 years, while continuing to break hundreds of records?

In this article you will find out:

✅ Which giant aircraft has forced many airports to make costly modifications to accommodate it?

✅ Which manufacturer provides nearly half of the world’s freight transport thanks to its huge cargo planes?

✅ Which spacious model is about to replace “Air Force One”?

✅ Which plane is almost as long as a football field?

✅ What plane surpasses all the others by its extraordinary dimensions

So here we go!

#14 – Aero Spacelines Super Guppy

The Guppy, which is a small species of freshwater fish from South America, has little to do with this aerial monster whose interior seems to have been fully inflated. Although this huge gear is far from being the biggest in the world with its 43 meters long and 46 tons, it is still very surprising and impressive.

All major airlines in the world have stopped using the Super Guppy, except NASA. The American space agency finds its large dimensions perfect for transporting spacecraft and rockets.

The first Super Guppy was built from a balloon fuselage from a Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, taking off in 1965. The turboprop cargo aircraft was largely replaced by the Airbus Beluga for the delivery of large and unconventional cargo.

#13 – Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III may not be the largest U.S. military aircraft, which we will discover later, but it is undoubtedly the most widely used by Americans for transporting troops and military equipment, medical evacuations and cargo drop operations.

The plane made its first flight in 1991 and 279 Globemasters have been built since then. This carrier can take about 85 and a half tons of cargo with it in the sky over a distance of up to 4450km. The United States is not the only country to use it, it is also used by Qatar, Canada, Australia, India, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and NATO!

The latest Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft built at the company’s Long Beach plant left the facility in November 2015 to the cheers of the crowd that came to see it. Hundreds of Boeing employees and their families were on hand to see the last C-17 aircraft take off after 24 years of production.

#12 – Airbus A300-600ST Beluga

The Airbus A300-600 Super Transporter, commonly known as the Beluga for its striking resemblance to the cetacean, was designed specifically to carry large and bulky aircraft parts. Entering service in 1995, the aircraft largely replaced the previously seen “Super Guppy”, meeting Europe’s needs for large air cargo.

Various parts of the aircraft were designed and built by Airbus engineers across Europe, in countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain. Its 38-meter long load area can hold up to 42 tons of cargo.

There are currently 5 models of this aircraft, which is doomed to disappear. Indeed, even if its impressive size seems more than enough, it is destined to be completely replaced by 2025 by a new version called “Beluga XL”.

#11 – Airbus A330-743L Beluga XL

The Airbus A330-743L, nicknamed the “Beluga XL,” is the successor to the Beluga we’ve just seen. Although it looks very similar to its predecessor, many changes have been made to further increase cargo space.

Indeed, the Beluga XL can carry 10 tons more cargo than the Beluga over a maximum distance of 4000km. This is mainly due to the dimensions of the cargo compartment, which is 6 meters longer and 1 meter wider. It can easily transport entire wings of airliners.

The 63-meter-long monster made its first test flight in 2018 and entered service in January 2020. Its resemblance to the white whale was further highlighted by a paint job that Airbus employees voted for. So the plane has eyes and a smiling mouth!

#10 – Hughes H-4 Hercules

With an extraordinary wingspan of almost 100 meters, and 67 meters in length, this seaplane is one of the most impressive aircraft ever flown. The H-4 Hercules of famous American aviator Howard Hughes was built for military transport during World War II.

As metals were rationed for the war effort, the aircraft was built almost entirely from birch wood. Only surpassed much later in wingspan and length, the Hughes H-4 Hercules remains the tallest aircraft ever to fly, at a height of 24 meters!

This very special flight took place on November 2, 1947, and lasted no more than a minute! Piloted by Howard Hughes himself, the mastodon rose to an altitude of 21 meters and flew 1600 meters to finally land on the sand, without any problems.

Since then, it has never flown again, but it has been preserved in perfect condition in a museum in Oregon, where it is admired for its exceptional character.

#9 – Tupolev Tu-160

In service since 1987, the Tupolev Tu-160 is undoubtedly the most formidable weapon of the Russian army. Nicknamed the “White Swan” in Russia, and Blackjack according to the NATO code, this powerful fighter plane can carry 40 tons of weapons, including the latest Kh-101 missiles, tested in Syria from 2015.

Although its dimensions are not extraordinary, the Tu-160 is indeed the largest and most powerful supersonic bomber in the world! Indeed, its maximum takeoff weight reaches 275 tons, and it has a maximum speed of 2200 km/h. If refuelled in flight, it can carry out missions of up to 18,000 km for almost 24 hours!

Next step for the manufacturer Tupolev: a possible civilian version of the Tu-160! Since 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been calling for the construction of a supersonic passenger aircraft based on the powerful White Swan.

#8 – McDonnell Douglas MD-11

This American airliner is an extended version of the famous DC-10. Inaugurated in 1990, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is almost 6 meters longer than its predecessor, for a total length of 61.2 meters! In addition, it is equipped with three engines, a modernized cockpit and winglets at the end of the wings, kinds of curved wings reducing the aerodynamic effort.

With a maximum take-off weight of 286 metric tons, this giant of the air can carry up to 410 passengers. Unfortunately, the gloomy reputation of its ancestor and the terrible Airbus/Boeing competition both precipitated its downfall.

Since the takeover of McDonnell Douglas by Boeing, the MD-11 has been confined to the function of a cargo aircraft. Today, the latest models in operation are used primarily for transporting freight and mail.

#7 – Boeing Dreamlifter

The Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter, nicknamed the “Dreamlifter”, is a 747-400 modified to carry Boeing 787 parts. Its maximum take-off weight of 364 tons allows it to carry gigantic cargo, such as whole 787 wings! First put into service in 2006, four examples have been created to date.

This strange cargo plane, with a curved fuselage, 21.54 meters high, opens by the tail. The Dreamlifter has an overall length of 71.68 meters and a wingspan of almost 65 meters. Its distinctive silhouette was requested by the president of the Boeing company, who jokingly apologized to the aeronautical engineer considered to be the father of the 747, the American Joe Sutter: “Sorry for what we forced you to do to this plane”!

In October 2015, a Dreamlifter lost its cargo over Seattle, after literally opening in half like a tin can just after takeoff. Miraculously, there were no victims, except for a poor dog, crushed in its kennel by a lot of kibble!

#6 – Antonov An-124

One of the world’s largest production aircraft was built in the Soviet Union in the early 1980s. With a wingspan of 73 meters and a length of 68.9 meters, the Antonov An-124 is a real titan: its huge cargo hold can hold up to 150 tons of military vehicles! This cargo plane with an outstanding autonomy can also transport ships and satellites.

Thanks to its 24 wheels, the An-124 can land on short, narrow, icy or snowy runways. In addition, it has the particularity of being able to load and unload quickly, since its cargo is accessible simultaneously by the nose and tail.

Today, half of the Antonov An-124 models in service fly for the Russian Air Force. The rest of the fleet belongs to several airlines, based in Ukraine, Russia and Libya.

#5 – Boeing 747-8

Fifth and last generation of the mythical Boeing 747, aka “Jumbo Jet”, the 747-8 is a wide-bodied airliner to be launched in 2011. It is 5.6 meters longer than its predecessor, making it the longest airliner in the world!

With a maximum takeoff weight of 442 metric tons, the Boeing 747-8 has the capacity to carry up to 467 passengers. This four-engine aircraft also exists in a cargo version, the 747-8 Freighter, which can carry 140 tons of cargo. Worldwide, nearly one out of every two cargo shipments is carried by a Boeing 747-8F.

In 2023, two 747-8 models will enter service with the U.S. Air Force, replacing the two presidential aircraft used under the Air Force One banner. Both aircraft are currently in the test phase.

#4 – Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

Developed in the 1960s by the American company Lockheed, the C-5 Galaxy is still the largest military transport aircraft of the US Air Force. Its height reaches almost 20 meters, for a length of 76 meters, and a wingspan of 68 meters.

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy can carry two tanks, or six Black Hawk helicopters, in its huge 1200 m3 cargo bay. In addition, the upper deck can carry a crew of 90 people. Its maximum take-off weight of 450 tons was a major ally in conflicts such as Vietnam, the Yom Kippur War, the first and second Gulf War.

Lockheed Martin’s upgraded version of the C-5 Galaxy, the “Super Galaxy,” is scheduled to remain in service until 2040.

#3 – Airbus A380-800

Among the world’s largest aircraft, the A380 is undoubtedly the best known. Entering service in 2007, this mastodon has forced many airports to make modifications to accommodate its almost 80-meter wingspan and 24-meter height! Moreover, at 72 meters long, the Airbus A380-800 is definitely the world’s largest aircraft for civil passenger transport.

Capable of covering a distance of 15,000 kilometers non-stop, the A380 from European aircraft manufacturer Airbus can carry 555 passengers, which is already a record. However, in its charter version, it can still carry 300 more people, not counting crew members!

In 2019, Airbus is announcing the end of production of the A380, due to a lack of orders. It would appear that Boeing has won the game with its famous 787.

#2 – Stratolaunch

This strange aircraft has two thin fuselages more than 72 meters long, joined by an oversized wing. That’s why the Stratolaunch is the widest wingspan aircraft in the world: no less than 117 meters! A crew of only three people is needed to maneuver it.

Designed as a rocket launch pad, it has a spectacular maximum take-off weight of 590 tons. Its first test flight took place in April 2019, over the Mojave Desert in California. During this test, the Stratolaunch reached an altitude of 5,180 meters, at a maximum speed of 304 km/h, thanks to its six high-powered engines from a Boeing 747.

Since the death of Stratolaunch’s founder, renowned businessman Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, the company has been slowing down. But its new owner still has the ambition to launch rockets into orbit thanks to its extraordinary aircraft.

#1 – Antonov An-225 Mriya

The n°1 of this top 14 of the world’s largest aircraft is Soviet, the Antonov An-225 called Mriya. Although exceeded in wingspan by the Stratolaunch, it remains the longest plane in the world, and also the heaviest, with a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tons!

Built in a single specimen, still in service since 1988, this air colossus is almost as long as a soccer field, and has a wingspan of over 88 meters. It is equipped with 6 engines, 32 wheels, and its silhouette is characterized by two humps, like a flying camel. Its cargo enters and exits through the nose of the aircraft, and it can hold a volume of 1300 m3.

The Antonov An-225 Mriya is the aircraft of all records: the heaviest load, the longest part… in all, the largest aircraft in the world has achieved no less than 240 world records!