China's transport, tanker & heavy lift aircraft

taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
they were talking about super heavy strategic airlifter in C-5/AN-124 category. a strong rumor emerged recently from trusted PLA sources.
Thanks, but I should have asked why should any heavy lift aircraft be related to moon landing. The capsule either lands in desert or at sea, no need for the heavy lifter. If it is for rocket stage, it is too much work (larger than AN-124) and nothing to gain because the launch interval is many months (>= 6) at the very least. People just have too big brain-hole. :D
 

Tessier2501

New Member
Registered Member
Thanks, but I should have asked why should any heavy lift aircraft be related to moon landing. The capsule either lands in desert or at sea, no need for the heavy lifter. If it is for rocket stage, it is too much work (larger than AN-124) and nothing to gain because the launch interval is many months (>= 6) at the very least. People just have too big brain-hole. :D
Recently, the Chang'e 7 lunar lander was transported to Hainan by an An-124. China still lacks domestically produced heavy-lift aircraft of this class. I think this is why people think it is related to the human moon landing.

If you can read Chinese, Google "嫦娥七号 安-124". Many people on the Chinese internet have also discussed this matter and its relevance to domestically produced heavy-lift aircraft.
 
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taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
Recently, the Chang'e 7 lunar lander was transported to Hainan by an An-124. China still lacks domestically produced heavy-lift aircraft of this class. I think this is why people think it is related to the human moon landing.

If you can read Chinese, Google "嫦娥七号 安-124". Many people on the Chinese internet have also discussed this matter and its relevance to domestically produced heavy-lift aircraft.
Well Chang'e landers are much smaller, adding the air-conditioned container, it is still small enough to fit in the cargo hold of AN-124. Mengzhou and Lanyue are much larger, the diameter is at least 4.5 meters already larger than AN-124's cargo hold, adding the container I imagine the size to be 7 or 8 meters, even AN-225 can not take it. Using AN-124 instead of ship is "it is faster why not" instead of "it is more reliable and safer, we'd better use it".

I have no objection to having an AN-124 class for any reason, but moon landing program is the least reason for having it, especially rushing it for the first moon landing, hence the intial question.
 

Tessier2501

New Member
Registered Member
Well Chang'e landers are much smaller, adding the air-conditioned container, it is still small enough to fit in the cargo hold of AN-124. Mengzhou and Lanyue are much larger, the diameter is at least 4.5 meters already larger than AN-124's cargo hold, adding the container I imagine the size to be 7 or 8 meters, even AN-225 can not take it. Using AN-124 instead of ship is "it is faster why not" instead of "it is more reliable and safer, we'd better use it".

I have no objection to having an AN-124 class for any reason, but moon landing program is the least reason for having it, especially rushing it for the first moon landing, hence the intial question.
That makes sense. I was just explaining why people would think it is relevant.
 

ACuriousPLAFan

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
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Deino

General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
The full video reveals that the Y-20A shown in Figure 1 is, in fact, the aircraft positioned behind the Y-20B in Figure 2.

Link to the official original video.
A short clip on Bilibili from a documentary where the above shots are taken: 【运20B生产画面-哔哩哔哩】
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Given that #20201 is said to be the first serial production Y-20B, hence this footage is very much not recent, and certainly no later than 2025 if not 2024.

But is No. 20201 the first serial aircraft or the first prototype? IMO it is the first production Y-20B.
 
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