Aviation Lifters. Part-One.

From civil to Military.

Air freight is one thing, but to lift specialist loads aircraft have been designed for the job. Initially these types of aircraft started off as the heavy bombers of the early years in aviation history and during World War-II (1939-45) they were developed for the movement of mass troops and long range flying boats.

After the second world war there was a demand for the movement of main battle tanks and missiles components and so began the need for bigger and bigger aircraft. 

Soviet Russia had its giant Antonov An-22, while the United States developed the C-141 Starlifter, Boeing 747-100-400/8, Globemasters 1-111 and the C-5 Galaxy.

Russia replied with the need for an aircraft to carry its robotic space shuttle Buran and so was born the Antonov An-124 Ruslan and 224 Mirya.