Mriya - the world’s largest transport aircraft AN-225 built by Ukrainian engineers and aircraft builders. Its codename is translated from Ukrainian - a Dream. This aircraft was the flagship of the world aviation fleet.
The dimensions of this aircraft were indeed unique: Its length is 84 meters, its height is 18.2 m. To understand these figures, imagine a six-story building with four entrances. The “Mriya” weighed 550 tons and could lift another 250. This is an absolute record among the heavier-than-air vehicles that have ever been airborne on the planet. "Mriya" could transport a herd of 42 elephants, for example. Or a million iPhones. Or a whole Boeing 737.
In the history of the flights of the Mriya AN-225, there were episodes of transportation of giraffes, yachts, and parts of power plants. On its fuselage, the first Soviet «Shuttle» called «Buran» made its longest flight. At the end of February 2022, during the Russian attack, the Mriya was destroyed. but the dream won`t be demolished.
But engineers of “Metal Time” revive the plane as self-assembly scale model. Here is the Exclusive Edition of the awards winning “Ukrainian Dream” model.
Its specifications were astonishing: it was 275 feet long, 288 feet wide and 59 feet tall. To understand just how enormous Mriya was imagine a six-story house with four entrances. The Mriya weighed 350 tons (700,000 lbs.) and could lift another 250 tons (500,000 lbs.). This was an absolute record. Mriya was a beast. No plane on earth could come close to that much carrying capacity. For example, Mriya could transport a herd of 42 elephants, or more than 1.8 million iPhones.
Over the years, the Mriya AN-225, has transported giraffes, yachts, parts of power plants and other large items other planes could not transport. Mriya carried the first Soviet "Shuttle" called "Buran" made its longest flight. After a short flight into space, the Buran remained grounded, but the Mriya would continue to soar!
Such an amazing feat of engineering has rarely been seen on earth. Each takeoff and landing of the Mriya became spectacle, attracting the press and people from all over the world.
You can destroy a plane, but you can't kill a Dream. One day Mriya will fly again.