AN-225 Fundraising

[MIflyer]

From Avweb:
Ukraine aircraft manufacturer Antonov is launching an international fundraising campaign to find the $3 billion it says will be needed to build another An-225 cargo plane. The only An-225 was destroyed during a battle for control of Hostomel Antonov Airport near Kyiv in late February. It's not clear if the aircraft was intentionally attacked or was collateral damage in the attack.

 

[me109g4]

It was my understanding a second airframe had been started in 2016,, I have to wonder where it is currently and how far along it is,,

 

[MIflyer]

Yes, I recall seeing a TV show with that 2nd airframe.

 

[nuuumannn]

There are a couple of issues surrounding the second airframe. It's current condition is unknown as the hangar it is stored in at Hostomel has been reportedly struck by Russian artillery, also it was built for ground testing, so it might not be suited as an airworthy airframe without considerable modification. There was a scheme announced back in 2016 that China was going to resume production of the type. Article here, with images of the second fuselage included.

Antonov An-225 Mriya programme to resume production?

In a brief statement on 31st August, the Antonov Company confirmed that it had signed a co-operation agreement on the Antonov An-225 Mriya (‘dream’) programme, with the Aerospace Industry Corporation of China (AICC). In the agreement, both parties expressed their intensions for long-term cooperation

flyinginireland.com

 

[MIflyer]

Back on the X-33 Program, the Lockheed design could only be transported by the AN-225. The Rockwell and MDAC designs could be hauled around by the NASA 747 used to transport the Space Shuttle.

When the Lockheed X-33 was chosen they came up with an absurd scheme to launch it from Edwards AFB and land it in places such as Montana. They would bring the X-33 back by going down the highways and using a gigantic overpass to go over the overpasses in the way.

My recommendation was to launch it from the Cape and recover it at airfields with sea access, such as Paris Island and Pax River; their reply was "That will take too long!" My reply was, "Even if you got the AN-225, do you have any idea what the weather constraints would be for the flight or for using a couple of cranes to lift it up and put it on the airplane? I am sure putting it on a barge will be much safer and faster."

 

[nuuumannn]

Back on the X-33 Program, the Lockheed design could only be transported by the AN-225.

That's a peculiar approach for a US manufacturer to rely on a foreign country's singular aircraft to do necessary work. Was there ever a US alternative investigated, other than the 747 Shuttle transporter? Perhaps, an outlandish C-5 derivative that matches the An-225 in size and lifting capacity?

 

[MIflyer]

The only alternative I heard of was that absurd over-land transport. It was also ridiculous that they wanted to fly over land in order to to be able to make emergency landings. The X-33 was huge and they thought it would be like a J-3 making a deadstick landing in a cornfield. The MDAC advanced Delta Clipper design needed a flamebucket to land on, or else it would not survive the landing, and a minimum 10,000 ft runway so the 747 could pick it up.

The whole program was an attempt to Do the Space Shuttle Over And Get It Right This Time. A vehicle that could go SSTO without a payload could have been a significant advance and a basis for future development. But, no, they wanted the full Space Shuttle 40,000 lb to LEO capability. They eventually cancelled the X-33 program, while during the same time period the USAF developed both the Delta IV and Atlas V without NASA involvement.

 

[Dimlee]

The fallen bird today.

 

[Denniss]

Not much left of this formerly proud aircraft. 3-4 engines might be recoverable but the rest is gone forever.

 

[GreenKnight121]

 

[Old Wizard]

 

[MIflyer]

Well, supposedly the UKR has captured twelve AN-124 aircraft. That's like an AN-225 but with four engines.