List of large aircraft - wikipedia List of large aircraft A size comparison of four of the largest aircraft. This is a list of large aircraft. The US Federal Aviation Administration defines a large aircraft as any aircraft with a certificated maximum takeoff weight of more than 12,500 lb ( 5,700 kg ) The European Aviation Safety Agency ( EASA ) defines a large aircraft as either `` an aeroplane with a maximum take - off mass of more than 5,700 kilograms ( 12,600 pounds ) or a multi-engined helicopter. '' Contents 1 Fixed - wing 1.1 Civilian 1.2 Military 1.3 Experimental and prototypes 1.4 Projects 2 Helicopters and rotary - wing aircraft 3 Airships 4 See also 5 References 5.1 Citations 5.2 Sources 6 External links Fixed - wing Civilian Wingspan comparison of the Stratolaunch carrier with other large airplanes In Service Aircraft First flight Note Antonov An - 225 Mriya 19881221 ! 21 December 1988 Generally acknowledged as the largest airplane in the world, the single Antonov An - 225 is the world 's heaviest aircraft ever ( maximum takeoff weight greater than 640 tons ) and the largest heavier - than - air aircraft ( in length and wingspan ) ever entering operational service. Airbus A380 - 800 20050427 ! 27 April 2005 The largest passenger aircraft ever made. Capable of carrying 850 passengers Airbus A340 - 600 20010423 ! 23 April 2001 The A340 - 600 has been in production since 2001, with a length of 75.30 m, the longest commercial aircraft, until surpassed by the Boeing 747 - 8. Antonov An - 124 19820000 ! 26 December 1982 Was the largest mass - produced aircraft in the world until the Airbus A380 was produced. Remains the world 's largest military aircraft currently in service. Antonov An - 22 19650227 ! 27 February 1965 World 's largest turboprop - powered airplane Boeing 747 - 8 20100208 ! 8 February 2010 ( F variant ) Lengthened version of 747 with increased wingspan. World 's longest passenger aircraft at 76.4 m ( 0.9 m / 3 ft longer than Airbus A340 ) capacity of 650 passengers. Boeing 747 19690209 ! 9 February 1969 Highest - capacity passenger aircraft until surpassed by Airbus A380 Boeing 747 `` Dreamlifter '' 20060909 ! 9 September 2006 747 with enlarged fuselage for transporting Boeing 787 Dreamliner sub-assemblies ( 1,800 cubic metres ( 65,000 cu ft ) ) Tupolev Maksim Gorki 19340519 ! 19 May 1934 Physically the largest aircraft, and heaviest land - based aircraft of the 1930s era ( 63 meter / 206.7 ft wingspan, 53 tonne MTOW ), required eight 900 hp Mikulin V12 engines for flight Dornier Do X 19290712 ! 12 July 1929 Largest successful flying boat and heaviest aircraft in the world from 1929 until 1942 when the Boeing B - 29 Superfortress first flew. Antonov An - 2 19470831 ! 31 August 1947 Largest mass - produced single - engine biplane. Military Aircraft First flight Note Blohm & Voss BV 238 19440311 ! 11 March 1944 Very large flying boat. The largest aircraft in the world 1944 to 1945 when the single one was destroyed. The even heavier Convair B - 36 first flew in 1946. Heaviest aircraft built during World War II, and largest aircraft produced by any of the Axis powers in World War II Douglas XB - 19 19410627 ! 27 June 1941 This experimental aircraft was the largest US bomber until 1946 when the Northrop YB - 35 flew. Boeing B - 29 Superfortress 19420921 ! 21 September 1942 Largest aircraft in the world from 1942 to 1943 when the even heavier Junkers Ju - 390 first flew. It was one of the largest bombers used during World War II Convair B - 36 Peacemaker 19460808 ! 8 August 1946 Largest aircraft in the world 1946 to 1947 when the even heavier Hughes H - 4 Hercules first flew. First intercontinental strategic bomber, longest wingspan for a combat aircraft Convair XC - 99 19471123 ! 23 November 1947 Developed from B - 36, single prototype was the largest piston - engined land - based transport aircraft ever built Kawanishi H8K 19410100 ! January 1941 Largest World War II aircraft produced by Japan in any quantity ( 167 built ) Linke - Hofmann R. II 19190000 ! 1919 Largest aircraft ever to fly with only one propeller, used largest airplane propeller ever used. Lockheed C - 5 Galaxy 19680630 ! 30 June 1968 Largest USAF strategic airlifter and one of the largest military aircraft in the world Martin JRM Mars 19410000 ! 1941 Largest flying boat to enter production ( 7 built ) Messerschmitt Me 323 `` Gigant '' 19410000 ! 1941 Biggest land - based cargo airplane during World War II Myasishchev VM - T 19810000 ! 1981 Derivative of the M - 4 as outsized cargo aircraft Tupolev Tu - 160 19811218 ! 18 December 1981 Heaviest combat aircraft, largest supersonic aircraft and largest swept - wing aircraft ever built. Zeppelin - Staaken R.VI 19160000 ! Circa 1916 Largest aircraft to see regular squadron service ( in 1917 ) in World War I Experimental and prototypes Aircraft First flight Note Bristol Brabazon 4 September 1949 A giant luxurious airliner in which each passenger was given the space of the interior of a small car. There was no commercial interest and only the prototype flew. Dassault Balzac 18 October 1962 Experimental VTOL jet. MTOW 29,630 lb. Douglas X-3 Stiletto 15 October 1952 Supersonic research aircraft. Gross weight 22,100 lb. Ekranoplan KM 16 October 1966 The ekranoplan had wingspan of 37.6 m, length - 92 m, maximum takeoff weight - 544 tons. Until An - 225 it was the largest aircraft in the world. Unit KM was tested at the Caspian Sea for 15 years until 1980. In 1980, pilot error caused a crash without human casualties. The vehicle was too heavy to be recovered from its watery wrecksite. Hughes H - 4 Hercules 1947, 2 November Largest aircraft in the world 1947 to 1952 when the even heavier Boeing B - 52 Stratofortress first flew. World 's largest flying boat, and largest wingspan of any aircraft. Only one was ever built and it performed only one short test flight. Commonly known as the `` Spruce Goose ''. Junkers Ju 390 1943, 20 October Largest aircraft in the world 1943 to 1944 when the even heavier Blohm & Voss BV 238 first flew. Selected and further developed as the Junkers firm 's entry for the Amerika Bomber design contract. North American XB - 70 Valkyrie 21 September 1964 Prototype Mach 3 strategic bomber. Maximum takeoff weight 542,000 lb ( 246 tonnes ). Stratolaunch 2019 ( Planned ) Stratolaunch is an aircraft currently under construction in Mojave, CA. With a wingspan of 385 ft ( 117 m ), it will be the world 's largest aircraft by wingspan and the largest all - composite aircraft ever built. It is designed as an aerial launch platform, capable of lifting orbital launch vehicles weighing up to 550,000 lb ( 250 t ) to an altitude of 45,000 ft ( 14,000 m ). A nearly - complete aircraft was first shown on 1 June 2017. Projects Aircraft Design or Conception Note Airbus A380 - 900 2006 development Announced in 2006 as a derivative of the Airbus A380 - 800. World 's highest - capacity passenger aircraft in history. In May 2010, Airbus announced that A380 - 900 development was postponed, until production of the A380 - 800 has stabilised. Beriev Be-2500 1980s proposal Would be the largest aircraft ever, if built ; development started in the 1980s Boeing New Large Airplane 1990s proposal Planned as a replacement for the 747, to be powered by the same engines used on the 777. Project canceled in the 1990s due to the airline industry 's lack of interest for very large aircraft. Boeing Pelican 1990s proposal Concept only for ground effect transport Boeing 2707 SST 1960s design. A mockup was built but no prototype. Planned as an answer to the Anglo - French Concorde supersonic transport ( SST ). At 306 feet ( 93 m ) long it would have been one of the longest airframes ever flown. Problems with the weight of the swing - wing mechanism and air friction heating in Mach 3 flight provoked a drastic redesign, by which time airline interest in SSTs was dropping because of environmental concerns. There was also political opposition to funding private industry. The U.S. Congress cut government funding in 1971 and airlines began canceling orders. McDonnell Douglas MD - 12 1990 proposal Proposed passenger aircraft, Designed to compete with the 747, project canceled in mid-1990s Sukhoi KR - 860 1990s proposal KR - 860 ( Kryl'ya Rossii or `` Wings of Russia '' ) early named as SKD - 717 is super large transport aircraft with weights about 650 tonnes ( Antonov An - 225 weight is 600 tonnes ), payload about 300 tonnes ( An - 225 payload is 250 tonnes ) and 860 to 1000 passengers, a proposed Double decker wide - body superjumbo jet by Russian aerospace company Sukhoi. Conroy Virtus Proposed 140 - metre wingspan aircraft capable of carrying Space Shuttle orbiter, or boosters, or Shuttle main tank `` Victory Bomber '' 1940 / 41 Proposed 50 - ton 52 - metre wingspan design by Barnes Wallis able to carry a ten - ton earthquake bomb ( of his own design ) and drop it from 14,000 m on strategic targets in Germany. Rejected by RAF due to lack of usefulness for other types of missions and unlikely to be completed before end of war. Skylon Proposed 345 - tonne reusable spaceplane Helicopters and rotary - wing aircraft Aeroflot Mil V - 12 at Groningen Airport in May 1971. Aircraft First flight Note Mil Mi - 26 1977, 14 December Heaviest ( 56 tonnes ), largest and most powerful helicopter in production ever. Hughes XH - 17 1952 Prototype heavy - lift helicopter with the largest rotor ( 129 ft ) flown V - 22 Osprey 1989, 19 March One of the largest ( 27 tonnes ) VTOL aircraft and the first operational tiltrotor Mil Mi - 10 1960, 15 June Heavy - lift `` skycrane '' developed from Mi - 6, 114 ft rotor, 43 tonne MTOW Mil V - 12 or Mi - 12 1968, 10 July Largest helicopter ever built ; not put into production. 2 × 114 ft rotors, 105 tonnes MTOW. Sikorsky Sea King Many variants. Typ. MTOW 20,500 lb. Sikorsky CH - 53E Super Stallion 1981 At 33 tonnes, largest helicopter in service with the US armed forces Fairey Rotodyne 1957 Largest compound gyroplane, 40 passenger capacity short haul airliner experiment Jump up ^ For designs that never flew the year of design or conception is used instead. Airships Hindenburg airship compared with the largest fixed - wing aircraft. Aircraft First flight Note HM Airship R100 1929, 16 December 220 m, 146,000 m HM Airship R101 1929, 14 October 236 m, 156,000 m R102 Planned Also known as ' Project H ', planned 240,000 m airship. Cancelled along with possible 270,000 m R103 USS Akron 1931, 8 August 239 m, 180,000 m US Navy airship and largest helium - filled airship. USS Macon 1933, 23 June Sister ship to Akron LZ 129 Hindenburg 1936, 4 April 245 m, 200,000 m Largest volume aircraft ever flown, but only 215t. LZ130 Graf Zeppelin 1938, 14 September Sister ship to LZ 129 Hindenburg U.S. Navy ZPG - 3W 1958, July Largest - ever United States Navy non-rigid airship, 1,011,000 cubic feet ( 23,648 cubic meters ) envelope volume. Hybrid Air Vehicles HAV 304 Airlander 10 2016, 17 August Largest - ever non-rigid airship / aircraft to fly, 38,000 m3 ( 1,300,000 cu ft ) envelope volume. Longest heavier than air aircraft at 92m. See also Wide - body aircraft References Citations Jump up ^ Schoolcraft, Don, FAA Definitions begining ( sic ) with the letter L., Aviation Safety Bureau Jump up ^ EASA Regulation -- Amendment of Implementing Rule 2042 / 2003, Version 1 ( PDF ). 13 January 2012. p. 4. Retrieved 20 May 2014. Jump up ^ Kaplan 2005, p. 140 - 149. Jump up ^ `` Commercial Airplanes - 747 - Boeing 747 - 8 Intercontinental and 747 - 8 Freighter ''. Boeing. Archived from the original on 1 July 2011. Retrieved 2011 - 03 - 03. Jump up ^ Kaplan 2005, p. 124 - 130. Jump up ^ Kaplan 2005, p. 10 - 11. Jump up ^ Kaplan 2005, p. 56 - 57. Jump up ^ Kaplan 2005, p. 82 - 83. Jump up ^ Kaplan 2005, p. 115 - 121. Jump up ^ Miller, J. ; The X-Planes, Speciality Press ( 1983 ) Jump up ^ `` Stratolaunch ''. stratolaunch.com. Retrieved 3 June 2017. Jump up ^ `` A380 - 900 and freighter both on ' back - burner ' : Enders ''. Flight International. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2011. Jump up ^ Buttler, Tony. Secret Projects : British Fighters and Bombers 1935 - 1950 Midland Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1 - 85780 - 179 - 2. Sources Jarrett, Philip ( 2008 ), The Colour Encyclopedia of Incredible Aeroplanes, Dorling Kindersley, ISBN 978 - 1405335980 Kaplan, Philip ( 2005 ), Big Wings, Pen & Sword Aviation, ISBN 978 - 1844151783 Layton, Julia ( 2011 ), What 's the world 's largest airplane ?, How Stuff Works Malone, Robert ( 2007 ), The World 's Biggest Planes, Forbes Patterson, Thom ( 2013 ), Stalking world 's biggest planes makes for photos that say ' wow ', CNN Robinson, Douglas ( 1973 ), Giants in the Sky, University of Washington Press, ISBN 978 - 0295952499 Ruffin, Steven ( 2005 ), `` Goliaths of the Air '', Aviation 's Most Wanted, Potomac, pp. 62 -- 67, ISBN 978 - 1574886740 External links Top 50 Largest Aircraft at Global Aircraft Largest Plane in the World at Aerospaceweb Lists of aircraft By name pre-1914 0 - Ah Ai - Am An - Az B - Be Bf - Bo Br - Bz C - Ca Cd - Cn Co-Cz La - Lh Li - Lz Q U V X Y Z Gliders List of human - powered aircraft List of unmanned aerial vehicles Civil aircraft By characteristic Type Aerobatic Bush planes Electric aircraft Flying wings Gliders Human - powered Prone - pilot Rocket - powered Seaplanes and amphibious aircraft STOL Supersonic Trimotors Triplanes Unmanned VTOL Fuselage Double - deck Narrow - body Wide - body Weight Size Maximum takeoff weight Light aircraft very light jets Large aircraft Manufacturer Airbus Antonov Boeing Bombardier Douglas / McDonnell Douglas Embraer Ilyushin Tupolev Engine number Trijets Trimotors Twinjets Range Jet airliners Regional airliners Use Light transport Racers Regional airliner regional jet Research Early flying machines Experimental X-planes Rotor - powered Rotorcraft utility Tiltrotors Executive Private Business jets Light - sport aircraft Roadable aircraft Other lists By date and usage By tail number Most - produced Military aircraft Role AEW Attack Bomber Torpedo Carrier - based Fighter Maritime patrol Submarine - borne Tanker Nation Afghanistan Albania Argentina Australia Bangladesh Belize Brazil Bulgaria Canada China Czech Republic Denmark Egypt Finland France Germany Greece India Indonesia Iran Ireland Israel Italy Japan Malaysia Morocco New Zealand Norway Pakistan Philippines Portugal Romania Russia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States Era WWI Entente WWI Central Powers Interwar World War II World War II jets Aviation lists General Aircraft manufacturers Aircraft engines manufacturers Airlines Defunct airlines Helicopter airlines Airports Aerobatic teams Civil authorities Gliders Museums Navigation and Transport Acts Registration prefixes Jet airliners Rotorcraft manufacturers Timeline Military Air forces Experimental Missiles Unmanned Weapons Accidents / incidents Commercial airliners by location Fatalities by death toll General aviation Military By registration Records Airspeed Altitude Distance Endurance Firsts Large Most - produced aircraft Most - produced rotorcraft Aviation portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_large_aircraft&oldid=801090690 '' Categories : Lists of aircraft Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from July 2013 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Español Français Português Русский Tiếng Việt Edit links This page was last edited on 17 September 2017, at 16 : 19. 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Question: which one is the biggest airplane in the world
Answer: Antonov An-225