So, what is the largest single engine prop plane? The biggest I can think of off the top of my head is the Cessna Caravan. 12 passenger 42' fuse and 52' span. I thought that there might be some WWII fighters that were bigger, but the ones I checked were all smaller. Anyone know of a bigger plane?

Antonov AN-2 Russian Biplane

My guess would be the ANT-25 of the 1930's

In physical size I wont guess, but I'll bet the "Spad" AD-1 has the highest gross weight of any single engined prop plane.

But if we allow single props to include single rotor helicopters...

Bill.

The worlds largest single engine fixed wing aircraft is the Air Tractor 802.

http://www.airtractor.com/models/802A/

Having stood next to this thing and set in the cockpit I can tell you that this thing in huge, especially when it is on floats and set up as a firefighter. Look at the size compared to the Aerostar twin sitting next to it. BTY the Aerostar is a 6 place airplane.



-Chris

Chris:

Your Airtractor has the span, 58 feet to the AD-1's 51 feet, but the gross weight? The AT max is 16,000 pounds, the AD1 has a gross TO weight of 25,000 pounds.

Yours is larger size, mine is larger mass. Depends on definition of 'biggest."

And the Skycrane helicopter will carry either of these two fixed wing planes.While it's multi engined, it still has only one "Propellor."

Bill.

Simply considering wing-span: The Bristol Type 138 could be a contender.

It held world altitude record twice in the 1930's (up to 53,937ft in June 1937).

Regards,
=Adrian=

Can't be an airplane if the wings are going faster than the fuselage. I agree that the AD is the biggest/badest.

Forgot to mention: The Type 138 has a span of 66 feet.

Regards,
=Adrian=

OK.

Largest so far by span is the Bristol 138, which was a much more modern looking plane than one would think by its age. See picture.

Largesst by gross weight is the Douglas AD1 AT 25,000 pounds.

Shall we continue with two separate "Biggest" ratings?

Bill.

Bill-

Lets look a little deeper into this one and broaden the spectrum a bit. The Deadalus Project Light Eagle airplane was a single engine (although it was a human engine) airplane that had a wingspan of 101.7 feet. By wingspan this would be the largest single engine, but it only weighed a total of 68 lbs without the pilot.

I know that is a little far reaching, but still interesting.

-Chris

[b]Chris:

Not my thread, but I'd say you have the champion to this point. On size, at least.

Bill.

Actually the largest so far by span is not the Bristol 138 it is the ANT-25. The ANT-25 has a 112 ft wingspan. So far I have not found anything larger.



SLICK

Slick:

You and Major Tom (he noted it first) have it at the moment. 111' 6.5" span. The Tupolev ant-25.

Bill.

That's why I love this website. I've never heard of the The Tupolev ant-25. I could only search the specs of airplanes that I know of I guess I should've been more specific, but I was thinking biggest in length (fuse, span, height), not necessarily mass. I did find a reference to some large AG planes, but the ones I found were still smaller than the Caravan. Nice try with the skycrane, but I bet it has a wingspan (zero) that is much smaller than the rest of the craft. Thanks for the replies, I guess the Tupolev has it for now.

GriaviticEnemy:

With a rotary wing, the rotor diameter is considered wing span. The Skycrane S-64 is only 78 feet, so it's not the champ there either. But the weight...

The S-64 Skycrane has a max gross TO of 47,000 pounds, its empty weight is a shade under 20,000 pounds. Sling weight is max at 22,900 pounds.

Here's a CH-64 (military verion) and an S-64.

Bill.

That may be, but you can't call it both a prop and a wing. Either it has a wing and no prop or a prop and no wing. Don't even think about bringing the tail rotor into this

Oh well, the S-64 is powered by twin turboshaft engines anyhow.

Bill.

Thank you I needed ONE right today!

Bill-

I got you on this one. Try this one on for size...MIL MI-26 Halo! Main rotor diameter: 114 feet 10 inches / Tail rotor diameter 20 feet 8 inches / Fusalage length: 108 feet 10 inches / Empty weight: 60,050 pounds / Max loaded weight: 93,700 pounds

-Chris

Chris:

WOW! Makes the S-64 look like a child's toy. But I'd hate to pay the fuel bill, much less the maintenance.

Bill.

Looks like at least two engines to me.

If you add the top wing and the bottom wing of the AN-2 it's 106 feet. You did say prop plane, not motor glider (different class) or helicopter (different class).

Technical details
Wingspan: 59 ft 8 in (18.2 m) upper, 46 ft 9 in (14.2 m) lower
Length: 40 ft 8 in (12.4 m)
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 12,125 lb (5,500 kg)
Powerplant: 1 Shvetsov ASh-62R nine-cylinder supercharged radial engine, 1,000 hp (750 kW)- This unit was a license-built version of the Wright 'Cyclone' engine, as fitted to the Douglas DC-3 and many other aircraft of the 1930s, 40s and 50s.
Cruising Speed: 105 to 120 mph (170 to 190 km/h)
Range: 525 miles (845 km)
Service Ceiling: 14,750 feet (4.5 km)

If we are starting to look for the largest helicopter here it is. It is the Mil Mi-12.

General characteristics
Crew: six
Capacity: up to 25,000 kg (55,000 lb) of cargo
Length: 37.00 m (121 ft 4 in)
Main rotor diameter: 2x 35.00 m (114 ft 10 in)
Height: 12.50 m (41 ft 0 in)
Main rotor area: 1,924 m² (20,700 ft²)
Empty: 69,100 kg (152,020 lb)
Loaded: 97,000 kg (213,400 lb)
Maximum takeoff: 105,000 kg (231,000 lb)
Powerplant: 4x Aviadvigatel D-25VF turboshafts, 4,847 kW (6,497 shp) each
[edit]
Performance
Maximum speed: 260 km/h (163 mph)
Range: 1,000 km (625 miles)
Service ceiling: 3,500 m (11,480 ft)
Rate of climb: m/min ( ft/min)
Main rotor loading: 50 kg/m² (10 lb/ft²)
Power/Mass: 0.20 kW/kg (0.12 hp/lb)

SLICK

Slick:

Doesn't qualify - it's a twin rotor. We're stretching things to allow single rotor birds.

Bill.