List of large aircraft

This is a list of large aircraft, including three types: fixed wing, rotary wing, and airships. The US Federal Aviation Administration defines a large aircraft as any aircraft with a certificated maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of more than 12,500 lb (5,700 kg) The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) defines a large aircraft as either "an aeroplane with a maximum take-off mass of more than 12,566 pounds (5,700 kilograms) or a multi-engined helicopter."

Tables

· Fixed-wing

Ilya Muromets

Type

Ilya Muromets

First flight

1913

Role

airliner/bomber

Built

85+

Length

19 yards (17 meters)

Span

32 yards (29 meters)

MTOW

4 tons

Capacity

Pax: 16

Notes

First multi-engine aircraft in serial production, Russky Vityaz development

Zeppelin-Staaken R

Type

Zeppelin-Staaken R

First flight

1916

Role

Bomber

Built

Length

24 yards (22 meters)

Span

46 yards (42 meters)

MTOW

11 tons

Notes

Largest WWI aircraft in regular service

Tarrant Tabor

Type

Tarrant Tabor

First flight

1919

Role

Bomber

Built

Length

24 yards (22 meters)

Span

43 yards (40 meters)

MTOW

19 tons

Capacity

4 t

Notes

Crashed on first flight

Dornier Do X

Type

Dornier Do X

First flight

12 Jul 1929

Role

Flying boat

Built

Length

43 yards (40 meters)

Span

52 yards (47 meters)

MTOW

51 tons

Capacity

Pax: 100

Notes

Then longest, widest and heaviest

Kalinin K-7

Type

Kalinin K-7

First flight

11 Aug 1933

Role

Transport

Built

Length

30 yards (28 meters)

Span

57 yards (53 meters)

MTOW

45 tons

Capacity

Pax: 120

Notes

Widest aircraft until the Tupolev ANT-20

Tupolev ANT-20

Type

Tupolev ANT-20

First flight

19 May 1934

Role

Transport

Built

Length

35 yards (32 meters)

Span

68 yards (63 meters)

MTOW

52 tons

Capacity

Pax: 72

Notes

Widest and heaviest until the Douglas XB-19

Douglas XB-19

Type

Douglas XB-19

First flight

27 Jun 1941

Role

Bomber

Built

Length

44 yards (40 meters)

Span

70 yards (64 meters)

MTOW

72 tons

Notes

Longest until the Laté. 631, widest until the B-36, heaviest until the Martin Mars

Messerschmitt Me 323

Type

Messerschmitt Me 323

First flight

20 Jan 1942

Role

Transport

Built

198

Length

30 yards (28 meters)

Span

60 yards (55 meters)

MTOW

42 tons

Capacity

11 tons

Notes

Highest cargo capacity land-based World War II transport

Martin JRM Mars

Type

Martin JRM Mars

First flight

23 Jun 1942

Role

Flying boat

Built

Length

39 yards (35 meters)

Span

66 yards (61 meters)

MTOW

73 tons

Capacity

14 tons

Notes

Heaviest until the Junkers 390, Largest serial production flying boat

Latécoère 631

Type

Latécoère 631

First flight

4 Nov 1942

Role

Flying boat

Built

Length

47 yards (43 meters)

Span

62 yards (57 meters)

MTOW

70 tons

Capacity

Pax: 46

Notes

Longest until the Convair B-36

Junkers Ju 390

Type

Junkers Ju 390

First flight

20 Oct 1943

Role

Bomber

Built

Length

37 yards (34 meters)

Span

55 yards (50 meters)

MTOW

74 tons

Capacity

9 tons

Notes

Heaviest until the BV 238, Junkers entry for the Amerika Bomber project

Blohm & Voss BV 238

Type

Blohm & Voss BV 238

First flight

Apr 1944

Role

Flying boat

Built

Length

47 yards (43 meters)

Span

65 yards (60 meters)

MTOW

98 tons

Notes

Heaviest built during WWII, destroyed in 1945

Convair B-36

Type

Convair B-36

First flight

8 Aug 1946

Role

Bomber

Built

384

Length

54 yards (49 meters)

Span

76 yards (70 meters)

MTOW

183 tons

Notes

Heaviest until the B-52, longest and widest until the Hughes H-4

Hughes H-4 Hercules (Spruce Goose)

Type

Hughes H-4 Hercules (Spruce Goose)

First flight

2 Nov 1947

Role

Flying boat

Built

Length

72 yards (66 meters)

Span

106 yards (97 meters)

MTOW

177 tons

Notes

Longest until the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy and widest until the Stratolaunch

Convair XC-99

Type

Convair XC-99

First flight

23 Nov 1947

Role

Transport

Built

Length

60 yards (55 meters)

Span

76 yards (70 meters)

MTOW

142 tons

Capacity

44 tons

Notes

B-36 development, most capable transport aircraft until the An-22

Boeing B-52

Type

Boeing B-52

First flight

15 Apr 1952

Role

Bomber

Built

744

Length

53 yards (48 meters)

Span

61 yards (56 meters)

MTOW

216 tons

Notes

Heaviest until the XB-70, still in service

XB-70

Type

XB-70

First flight

21 Sep 1964

Role

Bomber

Built

Length

61 yards (56 meters)

Span

34 yards (31 meters)

MTOW

242 tons

Notes

Heaviest until the An-22, Mach 3 prototype bomber

Antonov An-22

Type

Antonov An-22

First flight

27 Feb 1965

Role

Transport

Built

Length

63 yards (57 meters)

Span

70 yards (64 meters)

MTOW

246 tons

Capacity

80 t

Notes

Heaviest until the C-5, Heaviest turboprop aircraft

Caspian Sea Monster

Type

Caspian Sea Monster

First flight

16 Oct 1966

Role

Ekranoplan

Built

Length

100 yards (92 meters)

Span

41 yards (37 meters)37 m

MTOW

535 tons

Notes

Ground-effect vehicle. Heaviest and longest flying vehicle until the An-225, 1980 crash

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

Type

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

First flight

30 Jun 1968

Role

Transport

Built

131

Length

82 yards (75 meters)

Span

74 yards (67 meters)

MTOW

410 tons

Capacity

125 tons

Notes

Largest payload capacity until the An-124

Boeing 747

Type

Boeing 747

First flight

9 Feb 1969

Role

Airliner

Built

1557

Length

77 yards (70 meters)

Span

65 yards (59 meters)

MTOW

406 tons

Capacity

Pax: 550/660

Notes

Highest passenger capacity airliner until the Airbus A380; most built wide-body airliner until the Boeing 777

Antonov An-124

Type

Antonov An-124

First flight

26 Dec 1982

Role

Transport

Built

Length

75 yards (69 meters)

Span

80 yards (73 meters)

MTOW

395 tons

Capacity

147 tons

Notes

Most capable transport until the An-225

Airbus A320

Type

Airbus A320

First flight

22 Feb 1987

Role

Airliner

Built

12198

Length

41 yards (37 meters)

Span

39 yards (35 meters)

MTOW

78 tons

Capacity

Pax: 150/164

Notes

Most built airliner

Antonov An-225 Mriya

Type

Antonov An-225 Mriya

First flight

21 Dec 1988

Role

Transport

Built

Length

91 yards (84 meters)

Span

96 yards (88 meters)

MTOW

629 tons

Capacity

246 tons

Notes

Heaviest aircraft and most capable transport, destroyed in 2022

Boeing 777

Type

Boeing 777

First flight

12 Jun 1994

Role

Airliner

Built

1767

Length

80 yards (73 meters)

Span

70 yards (64 meters)

MTOW

351 tons

Capacity

Pax: 550

Notes

Most built wide-body airliner

Airbus Beluga

Type

Airbus Beluga

First flight

13 Sep 1994

Role

Outsize cargo

Built

Length

61 yards (56 meters)

Span

48 yards (44 meters)

MTOW

152 t

Capacity

1,961 cubic yards (1,500 cubic meters)

Notes

Airbus A300 derivative, largest volume until the Dreamlifter

Airbus A380

Type

Airbus A380

First flight

27 Apr 2005

Role

Airliner

Built

254

Length

79 yards (72 meters)

Span

87 yards (79 meters)

MTOW

565 tons

Capacity

Pax: 850

Notes

Highest passenger capacity airliner

Boeing Dreamlifter

Type

Boeing Dreamlifter

First flight

9 Sep 2006

Role

Outsize cargo

Built

Length

78 yards (71 meters)

Span

70 yards (64 meters)

MTOW

358 tons

Capacity

2,406 cubic yards (1,840 cubic meters)

Notes

Boeing 747-400 derivative, largest volume until the BelugaXL

Airbus BelugaXL

Type

Airbus BelugaXL

First flight

19 Jul 2018

Role

Outsize cargo

Built

Length

69 yards (63 meters)

Span

65 yards (60 meters)

MTOW

223 tons

Capacity

2,889 cubic yards (2,209 cubic meters)

Notes

Airbus A330 derivative, largest volume

Scaled Composites 351 Stratolaunch

Type

Scaled Composites 351 Stratolaunch

First flight

13 Apr 2019

Role

Air launch

Built

Length

79 yards (73 meters)

Span

127 yards (117 meters)

MTOW

580 t

Capacity

246 t

Notes

Current heaviest and widest, prototype air-launch-to-orbit carrier

Type	First flight	Role	Built	Length	Span	MTOW	Capacity	Notes
Ilya Muromets	1913	airliner/bomber	85+	19 yards (17 meters)	32 yards (29 meters)	4 tons	Pax: 16	First multi-engine aircraft in serial production, Russky Vityaz development
Zeppelin-Staaken R	1916	Bomber	56	24 yards (22 meters)	46 yards (42 meters)	11 tons		Largest WWI aircraft in regular service
Tarrant Tabor	1919	Bomber	1	24 yards (22 meters)	43 yards (40 meters)	19 tons	4 t	Crashed on first flight
Dornier Do X	12 Jul 1929	Flying boat	3	43 yards (40 meters)	52 yards (47 meters)	51 tons	Pax: 100	Then longest, widest and heaviest
Kalinin K-7	11 Aug 1933	Transport	1	30 yards (28 meters)	57 yards (53 meters)	45 tons	Pax: 120	Widest aircraft until the Tupolev ANT-20
Tupolev ANT-20	19 May 1934	Transport	2	35 yards (32 meters)	68 yards (63 meters)	52 tons	Pax: 72	Widest and heaviest until the Douglas XB-19
Douglas XB-19	27 Jun 1941	Bomber	1	44 yards (40 meters)	70 yards (64 meters)	72 tons		Longest until the Laté. 631, widest until the B-36, heaviest until the Martin Mars
Messerschmitt Me 323	20 Jan 1942	Transport	198	30 yards (28 meters)	60 yards (55 meters)	42 tons	11 tons	Highest cargo capacity land-based World War II transport
Martin JRM Mars	23 Jun 1942	Flying boat	7	39 yards (35 meters)	66 yards (61 meters)	73 tons	14 tons	Heaviest until the Junkers 390, Largest serial production flying boat
Latécoère 631	4 Nov 1942	Flying boat	11	47 yards (43 meters)	62 yards (57 meters)	70 tons	Pax: 46	Longest until the Convair B-36
Junkers Ju 390	20 Oct 1943	Bomber	2	37 yards (34 meters)	55 yards (50 meters)	74 tons	9 tons	Heaviest until the BV 238, Junkers entry for the Amerika Bomber project
Blohm & Voss BV 238	Apr 1944	Flying boat	1	47 yards (43 meters)	65 yards (60 meters)	98 tons		Heaviest built during WWII, destroyed in 1945
Convair B-36	8 Aug 1946	Bomber	384	54 yards (49 meters)	76 yards (70 meters)	183 tons		Heaviest until the B-52, longest and widest until the Hughes H-4
Hughes H-4 Hercules (Spruce Goose)	2 Nov 1947	Flying boat	1	72 yards (66 meters)	106 yards (97 meters)	177 tons		Longest until the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy and widest until the Stratolaunch
Convair XC-99	23 Nov 1947	Transport	1	60 yards (55 meters)	76 yards (70 meters)	142 tons	44 tons	B-36 development, most capable transport aircraft until the An-22
Boeing B-52	15 Apr 1952	Bomber	744	53 yards (48 meters)	61 yards (56 meters)	216 tons		Heaviest until the XB-70, still in service
XB-70	21 Sep 1964	Bomber	2	61 yards (56 meters)	34 yards (31 meters)	242 tons		Heaviest until the An-22, Mach 3 prototype bomber
Antonov An-22	27 Feb 1965	Transport	68	63 yards (57 meters)	70 yards (64 meters)	246 tons	80 t	Heaviest until the C-5, Heaviest turboprop aircraft
Caspian Sea Monster	16 Oct 1966	Ekranoplan	1	100 yards (92 meters)	41 yards (37 meters)37 m	535 tons		Ground-effect vehicle. Heaviest and longest flying vehicle until the An-225, 1980 crash
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy	30 Jun 1968	Transport	131	82 yards (75 meters)	74 yards (67 meters)	410 tons	125 tons	Largest payload capacity until the An-124
Boeing 747	9 Feb 1969	Airliner	1557	77 yards (70 meters)	65 yards (59 meters)	406 tons	Pax: 550/660	Highest passenger capacity airliner until the Airbus A380; most built wide-body airliner until the Boeing 777
Antonov An-124	26 Dec 1982	Transport	55	75 yards (69 meters)	80 yards (73 meters)	395 tons	147 tons	Most capable transport until the An-225
Airbus A320	22 Feb 1987	Airliner	12198	41 yards (37 meters)	39 yards (35 meters)	78 tons	Pax: 150/164	Most built airliner
Antonov An-225 Mriya	21 Dec 1988	Transport	1	91 yards (84 meters)	96 yards (88 meters)	629 tons	246 tons	Heaviest aircraft and most capable transport, destroyed in 2022
Boeing 777	12 Jun 1994	Airliner	1767	80 yards (73 meters)	70 yards (64 meters)	351 tons	Pax: 550	Most built wide-body airliner
Airbus Beluga	13 Sep 1994	Outsize cargo	5	61 yards (56 meters)	48 yards (44 meters)	152 t	1,961 cubic yards (1,500 cubic meters)	Airbus A300 derivative, largest volume until the Dreamlifter
Airbus A380	27 Apr 2005	Airliner	254	79 yards (72 meters)	87 yards (79 meters)	565 tons	Pax: 850	Highest passenger capacity airliner
Boeing Dreamlifter	9 Sep 2006	Outsize cargo	4	78 yards (71 meters)	70 yards (64 meters)	358 tons	2,406 cubic yards (1,840 cubic meters)	Boeing 747-400 derivative, largest volume until the BelugaXL
Airbus BelugaXL	19 Jul 2018	Outsize cargo	6	69 yards (63 meters)	65 yards (60 meters)	223 tons	2,889 cubic yards (2,209 cubic meters)	Airbus A330 derivative, largest volume
Scaled Composites 351 Stratolaunch	13 Apr 2019	Air launch	1	79 yards (73 meters)	127 yards (117 meters)	580 t	246 t	Current heaviest and widest, prototype air-launch-to-orbit carrier

· Fixed-wing › Projects

Poll Triplane

Type

Poll Triplane

Proposed

1917 (circa)

Notes

50 m (160 ft) wingspan

Victory Bomber

Type

Victory Bomber

Proposed

1940/1941

MTOW

47 tons

Notes

52 m (171 ft) wingspan, to carry a ten-ton earthquake bomb, rejected by the RAF

Boeing 2707 SST

Type

Boeing 2707 SST

Proposed

1960s

MTOW

301 tons

Notes

A 93 m-long (305 ft) Concorde answer, canceled in 1971

Lockheed CL-1201

Type

Lockheed CL-1201

Proposed

1960s

MTOW

6,318 tons

Notes

Nuclear-powered, 1,120 feet (340 m) wing span, airborne aircraft carrier

Boeing RC-1

Type

Boeing RC-1

Proposed

1970s

MTOW

1,584 tons

Notes

"flying pipeline", proposed before the 1973 oil crisis

Conroy Virtus

Type

Conroy Virtus

Proposed

1974

MTOW

379 tons

Notes

140 m (460 ft) wingspan, to carry Space Shuttle parts

Beriev Be-2500

Type

Beriev Be-2500

Proposed

1980s

MTOW

2,460 tons

Notes

Super heavy amphibious transport aircraft

Beriev Be-5000

Type

Beriev Be-5000

Proposed

1980s

MTOW

4,921 tons

Notes

Twin fuselage Be-2500

McDonnell Douglas MD-12

Type

McDonnell Douglas MD-12

Proposed

1990

MTOW

423 tons

Notes

Proposed double deck airliner, canceled in mid-1990s

Boeing New Large Airplane

Type

Boeing New Large Airplane

Proposed

1990s

MTOW

523 tons

Notes

747 replacement powered by 777 engines, canceled in the 1990s

Aerocon Dash 1 wingship

Type

Aerocon Dash 1 wingship

Proposed

1990s

MTOW

4,921 tons

Notes

US ground effect aircraft, developed with Russian consultation

Tupolev Tu-404

Type

Tupolev Tu-404

Proposed

1990s

MTOW

595 tons

Notes

Blended wing body airliner for 1,214 passengers, 110 m (360 ft) wingspan

Sukhoi KR-860

Type

Sukhoi KR-860

Proposed

1990s

MTOW

639 tons

Notes

Transport for 300 t payload or 860–1,000 passengers Double deck airliner

Skylon

Type

Skylon

Proposed

1993

MTOW

339 tons

Notes

Reusable spaceplane, cancelled in 2024

Boeing 747X

Type

Boeing 747X

Proposed

1996

MTOW

465 tons

Notes

747-400 stretch, Airbus A3XX competitor

Boeing Pelican

Type

Boeing Pelican

Proposed

2002

MTOW

2,657 tons

Notes

Ground effect and medium altitude transport

Airbus A380-900

Type

Airbus A380-900

Proposed

2006

MTOW

580 tons

Notes

Airbus A380-800 stretch, postponed in May 2010

TsAGI HCA-LB

Type

TsAGI HCA-LB

Proposed

current

MTOW

984 tons

Notes

Ground effect aircraft powered by LNG

Type	Proposed	MTOW	Notes
Poll Triplane	1917 (circa)		50 m (160 ft) wingspan
Victory Bomber	1940/1941	47 tons	52 m (171 ft) wingspan, to carry a ten-ton earthquake bomb, rejected by the RAF
Boeing 2707 SST	1960s	301 tons	A 93 m-long (305 ft) Concorde answer, canceled in 1971
Lockheed CL-1201	1960s	6,318 tons	Nuclear-powered, 1,120 feet (340 m) wing span, airborne aircraft carrier
Boeing RC-1	1970s	1,584 tons	"flying pipeline", proposed before the 1973 oil crisis
Conroy Virtus	1974	379 tons	140 m (460 ft) wingspan, to carry Space Shuttle parts
Beriev Be-2500	1980s	2,460 tons	Super heavy amphibious transport aircraft
Beriev Be-5000	1980s	4,921 tons	Twin fuselage Be-2500
McDonnell Douglas MD-12	1990	423 tons	Proposed double deck airliner, canceled in mid-1990s
Boeing New Large Airplane	1990s	523 tons	747 replacement powered by 777 engines, canceled in the 1990s
Aerocon Dash 1 wingship	1990s	4,921 tons	US ground effect aircraft, developed with Russian consultation
Tupolev Tu-404	1990s	595 tons	Blended wing body airliner for 1,214 passengers, 110 m (360 ft) wingspan
Sukhoi KR-860	1990s	639 tons	Transport for 300 t payload or 860–1,000 passengers Double deck airliner
Skylon	1993	339 tons	Reusable spaceplane, cancelled in 2024
Boeing 747X	1996	465 tons	747-400 stretch, Airbus A3XX competitor
Boeing Pelican	2002	2,657 tons	Ground effect and medium altitude transport
Airbus A380-900	2006	580 tons	Airbus A380-800 stretch, postponed in May 2010
TsAGI HCA-LB	current	984 tons	Ground effect aircraft powered by LNG

· Rotary-wing

Cierva W Air Horse

Type

Cierva W Air Horse

First flight

7 December 1948

MTOW

8 t

Number built

Notes

Three rotor helicopter

Hughes XH-17

Type

Hughes XH-17

First flight

23 October 1952

MTOW

23 t

Number built

Notes

Prototype heavy-lift helicopter, largest rotor at 39 m (130 ft)

Mil Mi-6

Type

Mil Mi-6

First flight

5 June 1957

MTOW

44 t

Number built

926

Notes

Heavy transport helicopter, 35 m (115 ft) rotor

Mil V-12 or Mi-12

Type

Mil V-12 or Mi-12

First flight

10 July 1968

MTOW

105 t

Number built

Notes

Largest prototype helicopter, 2 × 35 m (115 ft) rotors

Mil Mi-26

Type

Mil Mi-26

First flight

14 December 1977

MTOW

56 t

Number built

316

Notes

Heaviest serial production helicopter

Fairey Rotodyne

Type

Fairey Rotodyne

First flight

6 November 1957

MTOW

15 t

Number built

Notes

Largest gyrodyne. Prototype for 40 passengers

Kamov Ka-22

Type

Kamov Ka-22

First flight

15 August 1959

MTOW

42 t

Number built

Notes

Composite rotorcraft

Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey

Type

Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey

First flight

19 March 1989

MTOW

21 t

Number built

400

Notes

First operational VTOL tiltrotor

Type	First flight	MTOW	Number built	Notes
Cierva W Air Horse	7 December 1948	8 t	1	Three rotor helicopter
Hughes XH-17	23 October 1952	23 t	1	Prototype heavy-lift helicopter, largest rotor at 39 m (130 ft)
Mil Mi-6	5 June 1957	44 t	926	Heavy transport helicopter, 35 m (115 ft) rotor
Mil V-12 or Mi-12	10 July 1968	105 t	2	Largest prototype helicopter, 2 × 35 m (115 ft) rotors
Mil Mi-26	14 December 1977	56 t	316	Heaviest serial production helicopter
Fairey Rotodyne	6 November 1957	15 t	1	Largest gyrodyne. Prototype for 40 passengers
Kamov Ka-22	15 August 1959	42 t	4	Composite rotorcraft
Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey	19 March 1989	21 t	400	First operational VTOL tiltrotor

Large balloons · Lighter than air

Preusen ("Prussia")

Type

Preusen ("Prussia")

Date

1901

Volume

8,400 m3

Description

German experimental prototype

CL75 AirCrane

Type

CL75 AirCrane

Date

2001

Volume

110,000 m3

Description

CargoLifter experimental prototype, approximately 120 tonnes with helium fill

Type	Date	Volume	Description
Preusen ("Prussia")	1901	8,400 m3	German experimental prototype
CL75 AirCrane	2001	110,000 m3	CargoLifter experimental prototype, approximately 120 tonnes with helium fill

Large airships · Lighter than air

Zeppelin LZ 1

Type

Zeppelin LZ 1

First flight

1900

Volume

11,300 m3

Length

128 m

Notes

German experimental prototype

R38 (US: ZR-2)

Type

R38 (US: ZR-2)

First flight

1921

Volume

77,100 m3

Length

212 m

Notes

UK military, built for US Navy

R100

Type

R100

First flight

1929

Volume

193,970 m3

Length

216 m

Notes

UK experimental passenger transport

HM Airship R101

Type

HM Airship R101

First flight

14 Oct 1929

Volume

156,000 m3 (5,500,000 cu ft)

Length

236 m

Notes

Followed by the smaller 146,000 m3 (5,200,000 cu ft) R100 (220 m) on 16 Dec 1929

US Navy USS Akron

Type

US Navy USS Akron

First flight

8 Aug 1931

Volume

180,000 m3 (6,400,000 cu ft)>

Length

239 m

Notes

Largest helium-filled airship along with its USS Macon sister ship

LZ 129 Hindenburg

Type

LZ 129 Hindenburg

First flight

4 Apr 1936

Volume

200,000 m3

Length

245 m

Notes

Largest volume along with its LZ130 Graf Zeppelin II sister ship, approximately 237 tonnes with hydrogen fill

Type	First flight	Volume	Length	Notes
Zeppelin LZ 1	1900	11,300 m3	128 m	German experimental prototype
R38 (US: ZR-2)	1921	77,100 m3	212 m	UK military, built for US Navy
R100	1929	193,970 m3	216 m	UK experimental passenger transport
HM Airship R101	14 Oct 1929	156,000 m3 (5,500,000 cu ft)	236 m	Followed by the smaller 146,000 m3 (5,200,000 cu ft) R100 (220 m) on 16 Dec 1929
US Navy USS Akron	8 Aug 1931	180,000 m3 (6,400,000 cu ft)>	239 m	Largest helium-filled airship along with its USS Macon sister ship
LZ 129 Hindenburg	4 Apr 1936	200,000 m3	245 m	Largest volume along with its LZ130 Graf Zeppelin II sister ship, approximately 237 tonnes with hydrogen fill

References

FAA Definitions begining [
http://www.faa-aircraft-certification.com/faa-definitions.html#L.
EASA Regulation – Amendment of Implementing Rule 2042/2003, Version 1
https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232749/http://www.bureauveritas.com/wps/wcm/connect/76a270804a3ec2d19ecdfe26af34d9ac/CONTINUING%20AIRWORTHINESS.pdf
Gunston, Bill, 1991. Giants of the Sky: The Largest Aeroplanes of All Time. Sparkford, UK: Patrick Stephens Limited.
Buttler, Tony. Secret Projects: British Fighters and Bombers 1935 -1950 Midland Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1-85780-179-2.
testpilot
https://web.archive.org/web/20180714222106/https://testpilot.ru/russia/tupolev/404/404_e.htm
Flight International
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/05/20/342239/a380-900-and-freighter-both-on-back-burner-enders.html
"World's largest aircraft delivers colossal cargo to makeshift airstrips"
https://newatlas.com/aircraft/worlds-largest-aircraft-tradia-windrunner/
"WSJ News Exclusive | How the World's Biggest Plane Would Supersize Wind Energy"
https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/how-the-worlds-biggest-plane-would-supersize-wind-energy-2f116e9b
IEEE Spectrum
https://spectrum.ieee.org/wind-turbine-blade-transport-plane
Ege, L.; "Balloons and Airships", Blandford (1973).
"R38/ZR2"
https://web.archive.org/web/20120729132916/http://www.airshipsonline.com/airships/r38/index.html
Energy Conversion and Management: X
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2019ECMX....300016H
Chron
https://www.chron.com/news/bizarre/article/Artist-wants-to-float-1-000-foot-balloon-over-1845204.php