Once the man had taken flight, he considered how to develop his extraordinary new invention. One of the priorities from that moment on was to make the best possible use of the ability to fly. The transport of people and cargo was the most obvious, although military supremacy in the air, the new space to be dominated, was one of the most effective stimuli for overcoming technological barriers and building more complex machines.
One of the constant challenges in the aeronautics industry throughout the 20th century has been to build machines that could transport higher loads and at greater distances. As a result, huge aircraft were developed that seemed impossible to fly. It is true that some of them, in fact, could barely fly a few metres. Others suffered from unavoidable safety deficiencies as they pushed the limits of aerodynamics. But there were, and are, some of them marvellous works of engineering.
There is a huge difference between aerostats and aerodynes. The former are, without a doubt, the aircraft with the most colossal dimensions of history, which was a product of the need for space for the storage of gases that allowed them to remain in the air, mainly helium. Airships of this type include the Hindenburg class, which reached a length of 245 metres. There are currently various initiatives aimed at recovering this type of transport, especially for cargo, tourism and advertising.
Aerodynes, craft that are capable of generating lift by their own means, are the ruling class in today's skies, especially fixed-wing (conventional aircraft). They are used interchangeably for cargo, passenger and military uses although some models, such as the Antonov An-225, were designed specifically for freight transport. Without reaching the size of the aerostats, they are also colossal. Have you ever stood next to one of these aircraft? If so, you will have been able to see for yourself.
In this infographics We show you some of the largest aircraft in history and put their silhouettes together in order to compare their extraordinary dimensions. We hope you enjoy it.
