The Biggest And Baddest Aircraft Ever Produced By The Military
The history of military aviation is filled with powerful and deadly aircraft that have played significant roles in warfare. From World War I to the present day, these planes have showcased technological advancements and the pursuit of air superiority. Here are some of the iconic and formidable aircraft that have left a lasting impact on history and continue to capture our fascination.
Keep reading through this list in order to see what incredible feats the Supermarine spitfire can do...
The Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire was the sole aircraft produced by Great Britain throughout the entirety of World War II. Mostly used by the Royal Air Force, the combat craft played a major role in the Battle of Britain. It is admired today as one of the greatest warplanes ever created.
The plane was designed by R.J. Mitchell to reach a top speed of 360 miles per hour. Several variations with different wing shapes were produced. Overall, 20,351 Supermarine Spitfires were made, all using versions of Rolls-Royce engines.
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The Kawanishi H8K
The Kawanishi H8K, known as "Emily" by Allied forces, was initially used by Japan for ocean patrols. With a ten-man crew, it achieved a top speed of 290 mph and a range of 4,400 miles on a full tank.
At least two H8Ks live submerged in the ocean. One lives off the coast of Saipan where it has become a popular scuba diving attraction. The other one lays wrecked under the surface of Chuuk Lagoon in Micronesia.
The Caspian Sea Monster
Few names match the machine as well as the Caspian Sea Monster does. The beast of a plane was created by Russia to aid with rescue missions close to the water's surface. Only one of these monsters was ever produced, and then it was destroyed.
If you want to feel what it's like to be in the cockpit of the Caspian Sea Monster, it is a playable vehicle in Flight Simulator X by Microsoft. Let us know how many shipwrecked souls you save!
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules
Introduced in 1996, the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules carries on the esteemed legacy of the Hercules family. This versatile aircraft has served the United States Air Force and Marine Corps.
Despite past contenders, such as the Advanced Medium STOL Transport, the Super Hercules remains in active duty. Over 400 of these remarkable aircraft have been manufactured and sold to date.
The Antonov An-124
Designed for the Soviet Union in the 1980s, the Antonov An-124 is one of the largest military transport airplanes used today. It also holds the record for longest flight without refueling after travelling for 25 straight hours. Since it first went into production, 55 have been produced.
Production on the Antonov An-124 ceased production in 2004 but is still in active service today. Overall, one of these vehicles can carry 88 passengers and can reach speeds up to 490 miles per hour. It can also carry a payload of up to 33,000 pounds.
The Sopwith Camel
For three years, the Sopwith Camel was the single-seat fighter of choice for the Royal Flying Corps. The biplane was armed with twin synchronized machine guns and equipped with a single rotary engine. During the fleets three years of service (1917-1920), they were credited with shooting down 1,294 enemy aircraft.
When the aircraft was retired in 1920, all ships left working were destroyed. The destruction of the surviving aircraft was deliberate so they would not fall into enemy hands.
The B-52
Peacemaker is the wrong name for this beast. Unless you consider being the first aircraft capable of dropping nuclear bombs peaceful. It could also travel over international waters without being refueled. Luckily, this deadly bird of prey didn't stick around for very long.
Unluckily, the B-36 was replaced with the B-52 Stratofortress, proving that names do matter. Once the B-52 became the military's weapon of choice, the B-36 was retired. That was in 1959, well after it had participated in several "peacekeeping" missions.
The Northrop YF-17
In 1971, the US announced a Lightweight Fighter program. This resulted in the proto-type Northrop YF-17: nicknamed the "Cobra." The Navy joined three years later, but unfortunately, it didn't make it past this stage as the production of another aircraft was soon to follow.
Had both planes seen combat together, adversaries stood no chance - reaching top speeds of 1,320mph!
The Kongjing-2000 Radar Plane
Taking its maiden flight in 2003, the Kongjing-2000 Radar Plane is dedicated to monitoring the skies for enemy targets and tracking ballistic missiles. This is one aircraft you want to avoid if you can! It can track fighter targets from 470 kilometers away and ballistic missiles from 1,200 kilometers away.
In 2013, a second generation of the Kongjing-2000 Radar Plane was spotted in the skies. The new variant was loaded with next-generation radar an can assumably track targets and missiles from longer distances.
The Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI
Despite its unconventional appearance, the Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI biplane was a formidable weapon during World War I. With its ability to carry a staggering 30 tonnes of bombs, it dealt significant damage to German forces.
Only 18 of these impressive aircraft were produced between 1917 and 1919. While locating these historic machines is challenging, a breakthrough occurred in 2007 when Dutchman Piet Steen, aided by Polish historians, discovered a crash site containing elements belonging to this renowned fleet.
The MiG-21 Fighter
In the movie Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise, Maverick is forced to fight MiG 28 Fighters in aerial combat. The supersonic jet is a fictional variation on the MiG-21 Fighter, the most produced supersonic jet in history. Originally produced by the Soviet Union, the craft has been in active service for over 50 years.
The MiG-21 Fighter is so deadly that it has never gone out of style. There are several different versions, like the MiG-29 and the MiG-31, but none can touch the classic. Since the start of the Korean War, no combat plane has been produced in such high numbers.
The Super Guppy
Used by NASA, there is no denying the Super Guppy is one of the most unique looking planes on our list. The plane was used in the '60s to transport oversized cargo components. It was the successor of the Pregnant Guppy and could be opened from the front end to unload its cargo.
Five of these spacious airships were built, and all remain intact in some form, today. Four of them are on display at museums worldwide. One, the Super Guppy Turbine N941NA, is still in service by NASA today and is based at the El Paso Forward Operating location.
The Boeing 747-8 Freighter
If you recognize the name Boeing, that's because the company is the world's largest manufacturer in aerospace engineering. The 747-Freighter topped the scales when it was released in 2010, able to achieve a 975,000-pound takeoff weight. These planes, including earlier versions, are responsible for carrying half of the world's air freight!
Before designing the 747-8F, Boeing considered making a larger version of the cargo aircraft. It would have been a stretched version of their 747 and use the wings of the 777 model. When they announced the plane, there was not enough interest to pursue development.
The Antonov An-225 Mriya
The Antonov An-225 Mriya was designed by the Soviet Union in the 1980s and has the largest wingspan of any military craft in operational service. With a maximum takeoff weight of 710 tons, there is no mission this machine can't handle.
Originally designed by Antonov Design Bureau, it's powered by six turbofan engines and was created to transport the Buran spaceplane. Several halts in production have troubled the history of the plane and its original purpose. It was reimagined in 2009 as a commercial aircraft and is currently used by Antonov Airlines.
The Martin JRM Mars
The Martin JRM Mars was first produced in 1942 and served during World War II. The craft was used as a long range ocean patrol vehicle and could even land on the water if necessary. Of the seven produced, only one is still being used today.
After the war, four of the JRM Mars were converted to be used as firefighting water bombers. Of those fours, the Hawaii II is still used today and was even used by British Columbia to help fight fires during a particularly bad season in 2015.
The Lockheed U-2
The U-2, nicknamed the "Dragon Lady," is a high-altitude military jet used to collect intelligence. It was created by Clarence Johnson in 1953 and first flew in 1955. The CIA used it during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
It has also been operated by the Republic of China Air Force and NASA – they used it to take photos of a space shuttle launch at high altitude in 1989 so that causes of tile loss could be identified. Tile loss was a big problem during this decade.
The Tupolev T-160
Created by the Russian Air Force, the Tupolev Tu-160 is the heaviest and largest combat aircraft still in use today. It was first used in 1987 and is the last strategic bomber ever produced for the Soviet Union. If it had propellers we bet they'd move faster than the speed of sound!
In 2016, it was reported that Russia still had at least 16 Tu-160s in service. Since the start of the century, the aircraft has been receiving regular upgrades technologically. The first fully updated Tu-160 took flight in 2016.
The Blohm And Voss BV 238
Development for the BV 238 began in 1941 in Germany. It was created after the impressive successes of its ancestor, the BV 222. In 1944 it became airborne and set a record as the heaviest aircraft ever built at that time, being also the most important one assembled by Axis powers.
Just one model was built; two more attempts were made to build prototypes, but they failed. The tremendous seaplane reached speeds up to 250 mph while weighing 200,000 pounds.
The Hawker Hurricane
During the Battle of Britain, the Supermarine Spitfire might get all the credit, but it was actually the Hawker Hurricane that was responsible for most of the enemy losses. The single-seat fighter craft was produced in large numbers (14,000) between 1937 and 1944.
There were various types of Hawker Hurricanes developed. One was created to be a bomber-interceptor while another was a fighter-bomber. In addition, the Hawker Aircraft Company also produced several models to serve as ground support vehicles. Today, there are about 17 Hawker Hurricanes still in flight-ready condition.
The Ilyushin II-76
In 1967 the Soviet Union began work on the Ilyushin II-76 to replace Antonov aircraft. Today, close to 1,000 of these four-jet heavy transport planes remain in service. They measure 152 feet long and can fly at 559 mph.
The military has used them for aerial refueling and they are still capable of delivering heavy machinery to remote locations. It is Russia's first four-jet heavy transporter and remains a vital part of their air force today.
The Hughes H-4 Hercules
Designed as a floating boat by the United States, the Hughes H-4 Hercules ended up being a monstrous failure. The massive aircraft was supposed to cost $2.5 million to produce. In total, the project cost $23 million, a pricetag equalling $238 million today with inflation.
Operationally, the H-4 only made one flight, and even that's debatable. During a taxi run, the aircraft lifted off the water to a height of 70 feet. It flew for one mile at 135 miles per hours before landing. Howard Hughes (the inventor), claimed this proved the cost of the plane was worth it.
The Stratotanker
One of the priciest planes created by Boeing is the KC-135 Stratotanker. This craft has been operating since 1957, providing refueling capabilities to US Airforce jets. Having this kind of support allows assaults that would only take a few minutes to last multiple hours, giving US an upper hand against its adversaries.
The cost for one unit amounts up to whopping $39.6 million! Even though it's popularly known as the Stratotanker, many people still love its predecessor, the Stratofortress, more than it.
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy made its first flight for the United States Air Force in 1970. Today, almost 50 years later, it's still in service. With modern upgrades and new engines, the current fleet is expected to remain in service until at least 2040.
In 1974, Iran offered the United States $160 million to help in production of the aircraft. The country had good relations with America at the time and planned to buy their own units. When the Iranian Revolution happened in 1979, the deal was called off.
The Convair XC-99
Another one of the heaviest crafts ever created, the Convair XC-99 come in just behind the H-4 as the second largest piston engine powered plane. On one mission, the massive craft carried over 40,000 tons of cargo. After years of service, the plane "retired" in 1957 and currently resides in Ohio.
The Convair XC-99 was mostly used by the United States Air Force, making its first flight for the organization in 1947. Only one was ever built, and it logged a total of 7,400 working hours.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon
Nicknamed the "Viper" by some because it bears a resemblance to the deadly snake, the F-16 Fighting Falcon was built for aerial combat but has been used in several other capacities as well. This plane is fast, swift, and has 11 positions for mounted weapons and other equipment.
The F-16 was created in 1974 and was introduced four years later. It has been used by 26 countries, including the United States. With a unit cost of $14 million, it's also one of the cheaper aircraft on our list!
The P-51 Mustang
The P-51 Mustang has been used by several countries including China and England. The North American bomber was most vitally used by Allied forces during World War II to help overcome German forces. It was later used with varying success during the Korean War.
The single-seat, long-range fighter bomber made its first flight for the United States in 1942. It was officially retired from service 42 years later in 1984. If you happen to see one in the air above you today, it is probably a scale flying replica as there are few — if any — original P-51 Mustangs still in flying condition.
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