Antonov An-124 Ruslan, Nato: Condor

(Download a higher resolution picture by clicking on any picture below.)

The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is the largest production freighter in the world. It was introduced to the west at the Paris Airshow of 1985. It succeeded the C-5A Galaxy in the role of world's biggest airplane. Construction continues in Kiev, Ukraine and Ulyanovsk, Russia.

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona, Monday, March 9, 2020

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82009 visited Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona on March 9, 2020.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82009

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82009

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona, Thursday, December 5, 2019

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82073 visited Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona on December 4 and 5, 2019 to pick up four Boeing AH-64E Apache helicopters for the Indian Air Force.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82073 at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on December 5, 2019.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82073 at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on December 5, 2019.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82073 at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on December 5, 2019.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82073 at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on December 5, 2019.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82073 at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on December 5, 2019.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82073 at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on December 5, 2019.

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona, Monday July 29, 2019

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82027 visited Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona on July 28 and 29, 2019 to pick up four Boeing AH-64E Apache helicopters for the Indian Air Force. It arrived at 6:05 PM on July 28.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82027 departed from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport at 8:10 PM on July 29.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Arizona, Wednesday June 15, 2016

Volga-Dnepr An-124 RA-82068 on approach to land on Runway 07 Right at Phoenix Sky Harbor at 8:55 in the morning on June 15, 2016. It came from Chubu Centrair International in Japan by way of Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, and MCAS Miramar. This An-124 was originally delivered to Polet - Rossijskaya Aviakompania as RU-82070. Air Foyle acquired it in December 2000 and registered it as UR-82070 on January 31, 2001. Antonov Design Bureau acquired it on October 29, 2001 and registered it as RA-82070 on April 16, 2003. Polet - Rossijskaya Aviakompania registered it as RA-82068 on December 22, 2004. It was ferried from Zhukovsky to Ulyanovsk on September 29, 2015 for rework. It was delvered to Volga-Dnepr quite recently.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 RA-82068 Landing, Phoenix Sky Harbor, June 15, 2016 Volga-Dnepr An-124 RA-82068 Landing, Phoenix Sky Harbor, June 15, 2016. You can purchase prints of this photo as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 RA-82068 took off from Runway 26 at 12:13 in the afternoon. It departed for Kinston Regional, North Carolina.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 RA-82068 Landing, Phoenix Sky Harbor, June 15, 2016 Volga-Dnepr An-124 RA-82068 Landing, Phoenix Sky Harbor, June 15, 2016. You can purchase prints of this photo as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Another Volga-Dnepr An-124 transited through Phoenix by the same route on Sunday.

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona, Friday April 8, 2011

On Friday, April 8, 2011, Polet Flight 4765 arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport at 1:51 PM to pick up a load of three Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for the Royal Saudi Land Forces.

See the locations where I have photographed Polet Flight An-124 Ruslans at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Google Earth.

Polet An-124-100 Ruslan RA-82080 on approach to land on Runway 30 Right. It was manufactured at Ulyanovsk, Russia and was delivered to Polet on June 18, 2004. Its construction number is 9773051462161.

Photography Prints You can buy prints up to 11" by 16" or 5" x 7" greeting cards of this photograph.

Polet An-124-100 Ruslan RA-82080 and Royal Saudi Land Forces Boeing AH-64D Longbow Apache 90433

Royal Saudi Land Forces Boeing AH-64D Longbow Apache 90433

Royal Saudi Land Forces Boeing AH-64D Longbow Apache 90432

Royal Saudi Land Forces Boeing AH-64D Longbow Apache 90434

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona, Friday January 15, 2011

On Saturday, January 15, 2011, Polet Flight 4712 departed from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport at 5:11 PM with a load of Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for the Royal Saudi Land Forces.

Polet An-124-100 RA-82080 prepares to depart from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in the late afternoon.

Art Prints This photo is available as prints as large as eleven inches by sixteen inches.

Polet An-124-100 RA-82080 bagins its take-off roll on Runway 30 Left.

Polet An-124-100 RA-82080 rotates after roling 6,000 feet down the runway.

A group of Marine Corp McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Hariers were parked on the flightline as Polet An-124-100 RA-82080 lifted off.

Art Prints This photo is available as prints as large as eleven inches by sixteen inches.

Polet An-124-100 RA-82080 retracts its landing gear as it climbs away from the airport.

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona, Friday January 14, 2011

On Friday, January 14, 2011, Polet Flight 4711 arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport at 11:38 AM to pick up a load of Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for the Royal Saudi Land Forces.

Polet An-124-100 RA-82080 on approach to land on Runway 30 Left. It was manufactured at Ulyanovsk, Russia and was delivered to Polet on June 18, 2004. Its construction number is 9773051462161.

Art Prints This photo is available as prints as large as eleven inches by sixteen inches.

Shortly after its arrival, its nose was raised to load the helicopters.

Art Prints This photo is available as prints as large as eleven inches by sixteen inches.

Its nose landing gear was retracted to the kneeling position.

Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, Wednesday April 25, 2007

This Antonov Design Bureau An-124 UR-82027 showed up at Vandenberg Air Force Base from Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport by way of Bangor, Maine at 10:50 AM on Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Low lying clouds partially obscured the view of its approach.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124 UR-82027. Its construction number is 19530502288.

NAS Pt. Mugu, California, Friday March 24, 2006

On Friday, March 24, 2006 an Antonov Design Bureau An-124 Ruslan flew from Keflavik, Iceland to NAS Pt. Mugu, California. Flight ADB7836 arrived at 12:51 PM PST.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124 Ruslan, UR-82007 flight ADB7836 on approach to Runway 21 at NAS Pt. Mugu, California, Friday March 24, 2006. UR-82007 is registered in Ukraine, not Russia.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124 Ruslan, UR-82007 at NAS Pt. Mugu, California, Friday March 24, 2006. Its construction number is 19530501005. This An-124 was displayed at the Aerospace America Airshow at Brown Field (see below), near San Diego, California on May 22, 1988. At the time it was registered CCCP-82007 and wore a Soviet flag on its tail. It was later leased to AAR Airlines by the Antonov Design Bureau. It was impounded on June 30, 2003 and assigned to Antonov Airlines on July 9, 2005.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124 Ruslan, UR-82007 at NAS Pt. Mugu, California, Friday March 24, 2006.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124 Ruslan, UR-82007 at NAS Pt. Mugu, California, Friday March 24, 2006.

Southern California Air Logistics Center, Victorville, California, Tuesday, March 14, 2006

On Tuesday, March 14, 2006 a pair of Volga-Dnepr An-124 Ruslans flew from Wheeler Sack AAF, New York to the Southern California Air Logistics Center at Victorville, California. Flight VDA3424 arrived at 12:35 PM PST and flight VDA3400 arrived at 2:20 PM.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 Ruslan, RA82045 Flight VDA3424 on approach to Runway 17 at Victorville on March 14, 2006. Its construction number is 9773052255113.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 Ruslan, RA82045 Flight VDA3424 at Victorville on March 14, 2006.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 Ruslan, RA82045 Flight VDA3424 at Victorville on March 14, 2006.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 Ruslan, RA82045 prepares to unload its payload at Victorville on March 14, 2006.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 Ruslan, RA82045 Flight VDA3424 at Victorville on March 14, 2006.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 Ruslan, RA82042 Flight VDA3400 on approach to Runway 17 at Victorville on March 14, 2006. Its construction number is 9773050455093.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 Ruslan, RA82042 Flight VDA3400 at Victorville on March 14, 2006.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 Ruslan, RA82042 Flight VDA3400 at Victorville on March 14, 2006. Volga-Dnepr An-124 Ruslan, RA82045 can be seen with its visor raised on the far side of the airport.

Volga-Dnepr An-124 Ruslan, RA82042 pulls into postion near RA82045 at Victorville on March 14, 2006.

On Wednesday, March 15 Volga-Dnepr An-124 flight VDA4301 flew from Victorville to Wheeler Sack. Volga-Dnepr An-124 flight VDA4303 flew from Victorville to Gander. Volga-Dnepr An-124 flight VDA4302 flew from Wheeler Sack to Victorville. AMT 757-300 Flight AMT5261 also flew from Wheeler Sack to Victorville.

On Thursday, March 16, Volga-Dnepr An-124 flight VDA4304 flew from Wheeler Sack to Victorville. Volga-Dnepr An-124 flight VDA4303 flew from Gander to Diori Hamani, Africa.

Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, Friday May 20

A Volga-Dnepr Antonov An-124 Ruslan RA-82074 delivered a large payload to Vandenberg Air Force Base on Friday May 20, 2005. Its construction number is 9773051459142. It was previously operated by Trans Charter Airlines. It was delivered to Volga-Dnepr on September 9, 1999.

Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, February 8 - 10, 2005

Volga-Dnepr An-124, RA-82045 flew from Denver to Vandenberg AFB, California on Tuesday, February 8, 2005. Its construction number is 9773052255113.

Volga-Dnepr An-124, RA-82045 at Vandenberg AFB, California, February 8, 2005.

Volga-Dnepr An-124, RA-82045 at Vandenberg AFB, California, February 8, 2005.

Volga-Dnepr An-124, RA-82045 at Vandenberg AFB, California, February 8, 2005.

An-124, RA-82045 flew back to Denver on Wednesday, February 9.

Volga-Dnepr An-124, RA-82045 returned from Denver to Vandenberg AFB, California on Thursday, February 10, 2005.

An-124, RA-82045 delivered the first Lockheed-Martin Atlas V booster and its Centaur upper stage to the west coast launch complex. In March, the Atlas team will transport the rocket segments to the newly refurbished Space Launch Complex 3 East for vertical stacking.

The Atlas V vehicle stands over 200 feet tall, an increase of about 50 feet over the Atlas IIAS vehicle that launched successfully three times from SLC-3E. The vehicle also incorporates a stretched Centaur upper stage. In performance, The Atlas V 400 and 500 series of launch vehicles will provide over two times the lift capability of the 100 percent successful Atlas IIAS vehicle.

An-124, RA-82045 flew to Huntsville, Alabama on Friday, Febuary 11 and on to Shannon, Ireland on Saturday, February 12.

Mojave, California, September 2002

Antonov Design Bureau An-124, UR-82072 looms over the buildings at the Mojave Airport on September 5, 2002. Its construction number is 9773053359136. It had delivered the GE-90-115B engine for installation on the GE 747 engine testbed It was previously operated by Rossia Airlines as RA-82072. It was assigned to Antonov Airlines in September 1999.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124, UR-82072 at Mojave, September 5, 2002. The Antonov Airlines livery has been revised. The lower surfaces are now white and the blue cheat line is a lighter shade and narrower, without the thin accent line.

Antonov Design Bureau An-124, UR-82072 at Mojave, September 5, 2002

Antonov Design Bureau An-124, UR-82072 at Mojave, September 5, 2002

Antonov Design Bureau An-124, UR-82072 at Mojave, September 5, 2002

Alexandria International Airport, Louisiana, April 1999

An-124 Ruslan, UR-82066, was photographed April 19, 1999 at Alexandria International Airport in Louisiana. Alexandria International Airport was formerly known as England AFB. This Ruslan belongs to the Antonov Design Bureau which is based in Kiev, Ukraine. Heavylift in England wet leases the aircraft from Antonov, complete with crews. The captain is a Russian. A contingent of Heavylift employees, based at London Stanstead, travel with the aircraft, serving various purposes. It is carrying oversize cargo in support of NATO humanitarian activity in Italy. Photo courtesy Ashley Waters

Tushino Aerodrome, Moscow, Russia, August 1996

An-124, RA-82031 was escorted by a pair of Su-27 Flankers of the Russian Knight Demonstration Team at the Moscow Airshow at Tushino Aerodrome in August 1996. Its construction number is 9773051832049.

Brown Field, San Diego, California, May 1988

The first appearance by an An-124 Ruslan in the United States was CCCP-82007 at the Aerospace America Airshow at Brown Field in San Diego in May 1988. The U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds can be seen in diamond formation in the background of this shot of CCCP-82007. The visor type upward hinged nose of the An-124 contains weather and ground mapping radars.

This An-124, now registered UR82007, was ferried from Ukraine to Manston in England to be used as a prop for the next James Bond film Die Another Day.

The An-124 is equipped with large loading doors at the rear end of the cargo compartment. They can be opened in flight to deploy oversize cargo by parachute.

The main landing gear of the An-124 Ruslan has five pairs of wheels on each side. The nose gear and rear two pairs of main gear on each side are steerable.


Links:

Find all about the Antonov An-124 Ruslan at Wikiverse.org.

Link to Antonov Airlines web site.

Link to Antonov Airlines An-124 page.

Link to accident reports for An-124 crashes at the Air Safety Network web site.

Air Foyle is a member of the European Heavy-Lift Group.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines operates the An-124.

Giant Jet Airplanes

  First Flight Wing Span Length Wing Area (ft2) Gross Weight (lbs) Engines
Boeing 777-9

2018

235ft 5in

251ft 9in

5,025

775,000

2 � 105,000 lb General Electric GE9X-105B1A
Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch

2018

385ft

238ft

?

1,300,000

6 � 56,750 lb Pratt & Whitney PW4056
Boeing 747-8 Jumbo Jet

2010

224ft,07in

250ft,02in

5,960

975,000

4 x 66,500 GEnx-2B67
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

2009

197ft, 03in

206ft

3,501

545,000

2 x 71,000 lb General Electric GEnx or Rolls-Royce Trent 1000
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

2009

197ft, 03in

186ft

3,501

502,500

2 x 64,000 lb General Electric GEnx or Rolls-Royce Trent 1000
Airbus A380

2005

261ft,10in

239ft,06in

9,100

1,235,000

4 x 84,000 lb RR Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP-7200
Boeing 777-300ER

2003

212ft,07in

242ft,04in

4,700

775,000

2 x 115,300 lb GE90-115B
Airbus A340-600

2001

208ft,02in

247ft,01in

4,729

811,300

4 x 56,000 lb RR Trent 556
Boeing 777-200

1994

209ft,01in

199ft,11in

4,605

545,000

2 x 74,000 lb PW4074, GE90-75B, or RR Trent 875
Airbus A330-300

1992

197ft,10in

208ft,10in

3,892

507,000

2 x 51,590 lb GE CF6-80E, PW4000, or RR Trent 700
Boeing 747-400 Jumbo Jet

1988

211ft,05in

231ft,10in

5,650

833,000

4 x 45,000 PW4062 or GE CF6-80C2B1F
Antonov An-225 Mryia

1988

290ft,00in

275ft,07in

10,280

1,300,000

6 x 51,590 lb DT-18T
Antonov An-124 Ruslan

1984

240ft,00in

227ft,00in

6,760

890,000

4 x 51,590 lb DT-18T
Tupolev 160 Blackjack 1981 182ft, 09in 177ft, 06in 3,660 606,000 4 x 50,900 lb NK-321
Lockheed C-5A Galaxy

1968

222ft,08in

247ft,10in

6,200

769,000

4 x 50,000 lb GE TF-39
Boeing 747-100 Jumbo Jet

1968

195ft,08in

231ft,04in

5,500

850,000

4 x 50,000 lb P&W JT9D
Antonov An-22 Antheus

1965

211ft,04in

189ft,07in

3,713

550,000

4 x 15,000 shp Kuznetsov NK-12MV
North American XB-70A Valkyrie

1964

105ft,00in

189ft,00in

6,297

530,000

6 x 33,000,lb J-93
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

1952

185ft,00in

157ft,07in

4,000

450,000

8 x 8,000 lb J-57
Convair YB-60

1952

206ft,05in

175ft,02in

5,239

410,000

8 x 8,000 lb J-57



- advertisement -

Antonov An-124 Ruslan

2019 calendar

You can buy a 2019 calendar featuring my photographs of Antonov An-124 Ruslans.

A dozen photos of Antonov An-124 Ruslans:


Aeroflot CCCP-82007, Brown Field, California, May 22, 1988,
Aeroflot RA-82031, Tushino Aerodrome, Moscow, Russia, August 18-1996,
Volga-Dnepr RA-82045, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, February 10, 2005,
Volga-Dnepr RA-82045, Victorville, California, March 14, 2006,
Antonov Design Bureau RA-82007, Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California, June 24, 2006,
Polet Flight RA-82080, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Arizona, January 14, 2011,
Polet Flight RA-82080, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Arizona, January 15, 2011,
Polet Flight RA-82080, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Arizona, April 8, 2011,
Volga-Dnepr RA-82068, Phoenix, Sky Harbor, Arizona June 15, 2016.

Put a copy of the Antonov An-124 Ruslan 2019 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.


Antonov An-225 Mriya

2020 calendar

You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of the Antonov An-225 Mriya.

Three photos show the Antonov An-225 Mriya with the Soviet Space Shuttle Buran at the Paris Airshow in 1989. The other nine photos were taken at the Zhukovsky Aerodrome outside Moscow in 1993.

Put a copy of the Antonov An-225 Mriya 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.


Air Freighters

2020 Calendar

You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of Air Freighters.

A dozen photos of Air Freighters. All new pictures for 2020. Aircraft pictured include:

Antonov An-225 RA-82060, Zhukovsky, Russia, September 3, 1993,
Boeing 747-8F N50217, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, September 2, 2010,
Cavok Air Antonov An-12B UR-CKL, Phoenix Sky Harbor, December 2, 2015,
Volga-Dnepr An-124 RA-82068, Phoenix Sky Harbor, June 15, 2016,
Volga-Dnepr Ilyushin Il-76 RA76951, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, August 27, 2017,
Atlas Air Boeing 747-47UF N499MC, Phoenix Sky Harbor, December 20, 2017,
Asia Pacific Airlines Boeing 727-223F N705AA, Phoenix Sky Harbor, July 22, 2018,
Fedex Express Airbus A300F4-605R N681FE, Phoenix Sky Harbor, August 24, 2018,
Fedex Express Boeing 777-FS2 N868FD, Phoenix Sky Harbor, August 24, 2018,
Fedex Express MD-11F N604FE, Phoenix Sky Harbor, August 26, 2018,
UPS Boeing 767-34AF(W) N311UP, Phoenix Sky Harbor, August 28, 2018,
Kalitta Charters II Boeing 737-436F N733CK, Phoenix Sky Harbor, September 4, 2018.

Put a copy of the Air Freighters: 2020 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.


Giant Airplanes

2020 calendar

You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of Giant Airplanes.

A dozen photos of giant airplanes, most of the airplane types with wingspans greater than 195 feet. All new pictures for 2020:
Coulson Flying Tankers Martin JRM C-FLYL Hawaii Mars, Lake Elsinore, California, October 27, 2007,
NASA Boeing 747-123 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft N905NA/Endeavour, Edwards Air Force Base, December 10, 2008,
Lockheed C-5B Galaxy 87-0032, Nellis Air Force Base, April 25, 1997,
Volga-Dnepr Antonov An-124 RA-82068, Phoenix, Sky Harbor, June 15, 2016,
Saudi Arabian Boeing 777-368ER HZ-AK17, Los Angeles International Airport, January 19, 2015,
Delta Boeing 747-451 N668US, Phoenix Sky Harbor, January 8, 2016,
Antonov An-225 Mriya UR82060, Zhukovsky, Russia, September 3, 1993,
American Airbus A330-323 N273AY, Phoenix Sky Harbor, December 20, 2017,
Virgin Atalntic Airbus A340-642 G-VWKD, Los Angeles International Airport, January 19, 2015,
Asiana Airbus A380-800 HL7625, Los Angeles International Airport, May 3, 2016,
Lufthansa Boeing 747-830 D-ABYK, Los Angeles International Airport, January 19, 2015,
All Nippon Airlines Boeing 787-9 JA837A, Phoenix Sky Harbor, January 28, 2018,

Put a copy of the Giant Airplanes: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.

- advertisement -





Send a message to Brian.

Go to home page of the Goleta Air and Space Museum.