Seven months since the destruction of the Antonov An-225 Mriya at Hostomel Airport, Ukraine is already working on plans to rebuild the largest cargo aircraft in the world. While the road to Mriya’s fame has been long and bumpy, no one is questioning the necessity to rebuild the aircraft, which has taken on immeasurable symbolic importance for Ukraine.
So, how did one aircraft become such an important wartime symbol, and how likely is it that one day the Mriya will fly again? AeroTime answers these questions – and more – in the first of our new series, AeroTime Explains.
Also, you can check out AeroTime’s extensive coverage on the life, death, and possible rebirth of the Mriya.
The chronology of loss
AeroTime extensively covered the sad destruction of the Mriya in the early days of the war in Ukraine. You can read some of our coverage below.
The An-225’s most impressive moments
The Mriya was a sight to behold. Almost every one of its missions was memorable and unique in some way. Let’s take a look at some of these feats.
Trivia time
The story of the An-225’s creation is certainly unique. Here, you can take a deep dive into the details of this unforgettable plane.
Dreams for the Mriya
A relic of the ambitious Soviet space program, the An-225 was the subject of many unrealized projects. Some saw the aircraft launching spaceplanes, while others envisioned the Mriya as a passenger plane. There were even plans targeted at building more Mriyas.
Test your knowledge
Now you’ve come this far, are you ready to test your knowledge of the An-225, its sisters and competitors?
