Soviet Union once built a plane so massive it could carry multiple tanks—The Antonov An-225.

A closer look

The Antonov An-225 wasn’t just a plane—it was a flying continent. Created during the Soviet era, this giant was so enormous that entire tanks rode inside as though tucked inside a toy chest. Its wingspan stretched longer than some football fields, and it was so heavy that airports needed surgery—lengthened runways, reinforced pavement—before it could even visit. For decades, it toured the skies as an awe-inspiring marvel until its tragic destruction in 2022. More than a machine, it was humanity testing the limits of ‘How big is too big?’—and proving the answer is always further than we think.