Hacker News Reader

The AN-225 was in a category of its own. In fact, the Dreamlifter was modified to fit components for the 787, but it actually has a lower max takeoff weight (803k lbs) than the original 747 it came from (875k lbs).

Meanwhile, the Beluga XL only has a max takeoff weight of 500k lbs.

The AN-225 had a max takeoff weight of 1.4m lbs.

View on HN

Well yeah, both the Dreamlifter and the Beluga were designed to carry aircraft parts, which are large, but not particularly heavy. Also, they are modified versions of civilian cargo aircraft. Both the AN-124 and the AN-225 are (were) basically military transport aircraft with high wings and short landing gears to allow loading via ramps - so a different kind of beast...

Mriya also has internal crane to help in loading and unloading - a legacy of being designed for carrying all sorts of "project cargo" that isn't easy to palletize (it, and M4 bombers modified into VM-T, had to carry rocket parts that were too big to move by rail as Baikonur can't be supplied easily otherwise)

wow 747 doesn't mess around huh, just a naive lb/engine would bring 747 up to 1.3m lbs (4 on 747 and 6 on AN-225) very cool

Reply on news.ycombinator.com