Herpa 614313 1/250 SNAP-FIT Antonov Airlines Antonov AN-225 "Mriya"

The world's largest aircraft is now available as a Herpa SnapFit model in 1:250 scale. Powered by six Progress D18T turbofan engines, each with 230 kN thrust, the AN-225 made its maiden flight on December 21, 1988. "Mriya" ("Dream") was originally developed to support the Soviet space program, including transporting the "Buran" space shuttle. The aircraft was granted civil certification in 2001, and the first commercial flight took off from Stuttgart that same year. The Antonov AN-225 has set 240 world records, including the heaviest total cargo (five tanks with a total of 253.8 tons) and the heaviest individual part (a generator with 187.6 tons). The AN-225 is virtually self-sufficient, has a range of 15,000 km, requires no ground support and is equipped with a bow loading ramp, internal bridge cranes and cable winches. Operated by Ukraine's Antonov Airlines (the transportation division of ANTONOV Company), the AN-225 has proven its value and capabilities in relief operations following natural and environmental disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, as well as in supporting industrial and infrastructure projects around the world. As part of the Covid-19 pandemic relief effort, "Mriya" has been in continuous operation around the world, setting another world record in the process: the Antonov giant transported more than 1,000 cubic meters of cargo - the largest volume ever transported by air. In February 2022, the world's largest cargo aircraft was destroyed in a Russian attack in the war against Ukraine. Initial hopes of repairing the only aircraft of this type have probably evaporated given the extent of the damage.