The Antonov An-225 “Mriya,” built in 1985, was the world’s largest plane until it was destroyed during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Antonov was a Soviet Comapny, although it is headquartered in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, and when Ukraine got independence in 1991, Antonov went with it.
Mriya was reactivated in 2001 after being put on the shelf for a number of years and used to fly huge transport missions around the globe carrying cargoes that no other aircraft could handle. In February 2022, it completed its final mission, transporting roughly 90 tonnes of Covid-19 test kits from China to Denmark.
Russian forces attacked Ukraine on February 24; one of their first targets was the Antonov Airport in Hostomel. While Ukrainian forces were able to quickly retake the airport, the Mriya—the only one of its kind—had already been destroyed.
It was a significant loss for aviation lovers everywhere. This was the large plane—it wasn’t just a big plane. the largest of all of them. As my British friends would put it, an absolute unit. If this were an American aircraft, a football field would be needed to depict it. To take off, it required a runway that was two full miles long.
The Antonov An-225 Will Fly Again
The good news is that Microsoft Flight Simulator will soon feature a digital version of the enormous bird. Previously, the An-225 could be flown in Flight Sim through third-party mods, but this version will result from a formal licencing agreement between Microsoft, Antonov, and game creator IniBuilds (opens in new tab). To achieve the greatest degree of accuracy, the An-225 captain Dmytro Antonov(opens in new tab) is also participating in the design of the aircraft.
“We said a year ago that it was incredibly upsetting when the plane was destroyed. We’re going to remake this for the digital environment, I seem to recall saying. But you do realise that we require assistance? We lacked a lot of information, there was no reference, and you couldn’t go scan it, among other things. They have so been really supportive in all of our attempts to resolve things with Antonov.”
Microsoft Flight Simulator’s Jorg Neumann said
The An-225 Mriya, also known as “Dream” in English, will debut in Microsoft Flight Simulator on February 27, the day after the plane was obliterated. The plane will cost $20, according to IniBuilds, and all funds will go to Antonov/Ukraine. I’ve contacted Microsoft to ask for additional details on that, and I’ll update if I hear back.
Also returning is the genuine Mriya. In November 2022, Antonov stated that the An-225 would be rebuilt.
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