Antonov AN-225 Mriya & Buran Space Orbiter

Product description

Quality metal model of the legendary Antonov AN-225 Mriya & Buran Orbiter. It is a detailed and precisely processed model based on a real machine.

In the early 1970s, development work on the Soviet Buran space program took concrete shape, and construction of the first space shuttle finally began in 1980. On November 1, 1988, Buran 1.01 took off on its first and ultimately only unmanned space flight. In addition to the outward resemblance to NASA's space shuttle, there were other similarities, such as the concept of launching with a huge launch vehicle, or transporting the shuttle within the Earth's atmosphere between orbital flights. While the Americans converted two slightly outdated Boeing 747s, the Soviets decided to develop a new carrier based on the Antonov AN-124, which was equipped with six turbofans to ensure adequate performance and payload. It succeeded, and on December 21, 1988, the largest airplane of all time took off for its first flight. A whopping 34 tons payload, 110 tons of which was on the outside, was enough to transport the Buran to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan or the 1989 Paris Air Show.