The power of modern aircraft is staggering, and these incredible machines grow ever more powerful.
When the Heinkel He 178, the first pure turbojet aircraft, first flew in 1939, it did so with 4.41 kilonewtons (kN) of thrust; the number 1 entry in our list has a quite bonkers 1776kN. Here are the 10 Most Powerful Planes ever made:
Quick note: Science geeks can rightly be pedantic about the units used to measure thrust; we will use kilonewtons, which measure force, but we will use casual rather than scientific language and sometimes use the word ‘power’ or ‘thrust’. Thrust levels, where possible, are given as static at sea level
10: Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy
 of thrust; the number 1 entry in our list has a quite bonkers 1776kN. Here are the 10 Most Powerful Planes ever made:
Quick note: Science geeks can rightly be pedantic about the units used to measure thrust; we will use kilonewtons, which measure force, but we will use casual rather than scientific language and sometimes use the word ‘power’ or ‘thrust’. Thrust levels, where possible, are given as static at sea level
10: Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy
Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy
The massive C-5M Galaxy is the US Air Force’s heaviest and largest aircraft. This strategic transport plane has a maximum weight of 840,000 pounds (381,024 kilograms), and moving such a massive bulk requires enormous force, and the C-5M relies on four huge engines.
The C-5M has four General Electric F-138-GE100 engines, each offering up a thwacking 51,250Ibfs of thrust; this is 227 kilonewtons or 912Kn in total. This is a lot of muscle, and considering the hefty loads the C-5M can take, including two M1 Abrams main battle tanks, this is much needed.
10: Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy
Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy
The C-5 is a giant machine, and until the Soviet An-124 arrived on the scene in 1986, the Galaxy was the world’s largest aeroplane. The C-5 is 75.31 metres (247 ft) long with a wingspan of 67.89 metres (223 ft) and a height of 19.84 m (65 ft).
Though the early C-5 (which first flew in 1968) was fraught with technical issues, the C-5M seems to have rectified most of them. It is more reliable and more powerful. In 2009, it smashed a series of world records, mostly relating to climb rate with a given payload and altitudes reached.
9: Tupolev Tu-144
Tupolev Tu-144
Two airliners of the 1960s were far faster than their modern equivalents and were even faster than today’s F-35 and Super Hornet fighters: the Anglo-French Concorde and the Soviet Tu-144. While modern airliners travel below the speed of sound (Mach 1), both the Concorde and Tu-144 could go more than double that, exceeding Mach 2.
Such high speeds demanded an extremely exacting combination of shaping, materials and power, especially as these were not quick dashes into Mach 2 as fighter aircraft do, but prolonged cruises. The Cold War was on during the Tu-144 and Concorde’s development, and there was much international prestige to be won from becoming the leader in the new field of supersonic transport.
9: Tupolev Tu-144
Tupolev Tu-144
The Soviet equivalent of Concorde was bigger, faster and more powerful. Concorde had a maximum thrust of 677 kN, while the Tu-144 had 960 kN (some sources put the figure as 800kN). This did not make the Tu-144 better, as, in most ways, it was an inferior design.
The Soviet Tu-144 first flew on 31 December 1968, two months before the Concorde. This made it the first genuinely supersonic airliner to fly, but then went onto crash at the 1973 Paris air show. After a short, disastrous service life, the Tu-144 was withdrawn from passenger service (and later freight service). Surprisingly, one ended its life in the service of NASA. 16 Tu-144s were built.
8: Tupolev Tu-160 ‘Blackjack’
Tupolev Tu-160 ‘Blackjack’
The heaviest combat aircraft ever flown, maxing out at 275,000 kg (606,271 lb) the same as 45 adult elephants, the Soviet Tu-160 heavy bomber remains in service today. It is as fast as Concorde was, topping at just over twice the speed of sound. The Tupolev Tu-160 can carry 45,000 kg (99,208 lb) of air-launched weapons, including nuclear missiles.
In many ways it’s like a scaled-up version of the US B-1 bomber, and the Tu-160 also employs variable geometry ‘swing-wings’ to achieve efficiency for both high-speed flight and benign take-off and landing characteristics at lower speeds. Compared to the B-1B, the Tu-160 has much more thrust, boasting 980 kilonewtons to the B-1B’s 547.
8: Tupolev Tu-160 ‘Blackjack’
Tupolev Tu-160 ‘Blackjack’
Comparison with the US B-1B is hard to resist, and it is interesting to note that the original B-1, the B-1A, was faster than the Tu-160, but the actual aircraft that entered service, the B-1B, traded speed (it is capable of Mach 1.25 from an original Mach 2.2) for a greater degree of stealth through both materials, shaping and mission profile (moving to lower-level attack).
The Tu-160’s maximum thrust level involves the use of reheat (afterburner) to pump additional fuel into the aft of the engine to generate greater thrust at the cost of greatly reduced fuel efficiency. Each of the four Samara NK-321 afterburning turbofan engines deliver 245 kN with afterburner for a total of 980 kilonewtons.
7: Boeing 777-300ER/200LR/777F
Boeing 777-300ER/200LR/777F
What may come of something of a surprise is the absence of military types from now on in this story, because today’s airliners have staggering amounts of thrust. The Boeing 777 is the most powerful (and largest) twin-engined aircraft ever flown, with 1026 kilonewtons of thrust at its disposal.
To put the sheer grunt of the 777 into perspective, it has the same thrust as 2.8 Vulcan B.2 bombers, a famously large and loud bomber used by Britain’s Royal Air Force.
7: Boeing 777-300ER/200LR/777F
Boeing 777-300ER/200LR/777F
Key to the 777’s success was the General Electric GE90, a new generation of very big, very efficient and relatively quiet turbofan engines, the largest diameter then ever seen on an aircraft. It was also the first Boeing aircraft to be planned entirely with computer-assisted design (CAD).
The Boeing 777, a long-range wide-body airliner, first flew in 1994. Its timing was perfect as older aircraft like the DC-10 and TriStar were beginning to bow out. Here was a new superior aircraft that could do the job, on two rather than the three or four engines of earlier airliners. It proved a massive success, with 1738 made and counting.
6: Airbus A340-600
Airbus A340-600
The European Airbus A340-600 is a ‘rocket-ship’ of an airliner, and pilots tend to love it. The baseline A340 is a long-range, wide-body passenger airliner, a project officially launched in 1987. The Airbus A340-300 took its maiden flight on 25 October 1991.
When we spoke to former A340 pilot Ian Black, he noted, “You have to remember that this was an aeroplane that had the capacity to carry 300+ passengers, 100+ tons of fuel and stacks of cargo, yet fully loaded it was still powerful; empty it was gloriously overpowered!”
6: Airbus A340-600
Airbus A340-600
The A340-600 is the longest member of the A340 series. Just over 75 metres (246 feet) it was for a time the longest airliner (being outdone by the 747-8’s arrival). It is the longest aircraft Airbus has ever made, 1.5 metres (5 feet) longer than the A350-1000 and around three metres (10 feet) more than the A380.
The A340-600 with the most thrust is the A340-600HGW version with 1080 kN thrust from four Rolls-Royce Trent 560 turbofans. The HGW is a beefed-up aircraft with a strengthened fuselage and more fuel. The charismatic A340 was produced from 1991 to 2018, and was replaced in the Airbus range by the more fuel-efficient twin-engined Airbus A350.
5: Boeing 747-8
Boeing 747-8
The ultimate member of the 747 family, the 747-8 is a longer aircraft, offering greater efficiency and harvesting new technology from Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. It is powered by a smaller version of the General Electric GEnx turbofan from the 787 Dreamliner. Each GEnx-2B67B turbofan engine generates 296 kN for a rather exciting total of 1184 kN.
The 747-8 is a beast, with a maximum take-off weight of 975,000 pounds (442,252kg), making it the heaviest Boeing airliner. The 747-8 is the largest variant of the 747, and Boeing’s largest aircraft. It is not, however, Boeing’s longest aircraft, as the Boeing 777-9 is a cheeky 72cm (2 feet) longer.
5: Boeing 747-8
Boeing 747-8
The Boeing 747-8 is likely the ultimate in the much-loved Boeing 747 ‘Jumbo’ series, and shares a similar appearance but the superficial similarity hides many differences. For example, while outwardly, the wing appears little different to older 747s, it is a far more advanced design: it’s thicker and deeper. The new wing can carry more fuel and fitted raked wingtips for greater efficiency.
Though production ended in 2023 after only 13 years and 155 airframes, the good news for the 747-8 is that the United States Air Force has ordered two to serve as the next presidential aircraft, Air Force One. These will be designated VC-25Bs and are hoped to enter service in 2027.
4: Boeing 747-400ER/-400ERF
Boeing 747-400ER/-400ERF
The age of wide-body airliners began in 1970 with the American Boeing 747. A wide-body aircraft can accommodate two passenger aisles with seven or more seats abreast. The 747, which initially carried up to 440 passengers, could carry far more people than earlier aircraft. The aircraft proved popular with airlines, and soon many fell in love with the iconic ‘Jumbo-jet’ and its distinctive ‘hump’.
In 1989 a new version named 747-400 began operating. Enhancements included more efficient engine options, a 10% reduction in operating costs, lighter materials, and a new cockpit not requiring a Flight Engineer, reducing the flight crew to two.
4: Boeing 747-400ER/-400ERF
Boeing 747-400ER/-400ERF
The current most powerful version of the 747-400, the ER (Extended Range) and Extended Range Freighter (ERF, pictured) boast a whopping 1124 kilonewtons from their four engines. The 747-400ERF has a maximum take-off weight of 910,000 pounds (412,769 kg) and can carry a maximum payload of 248,600 pounds (112,763kg).
The 747-400ERF freight variant is a capable machine, with a maximum payload of 112,760 kg (248,600 pounds), around the same weight as 19 elephants (though why you would need to move so many elephants is anyone’s guess).
3: Antonov An-225 Mriya
Antonov An-225 Mriya
The Antonov An-225 was a giant, even among giants. Purpose-designed to move booster rockets and Buran orbiters (the Soviet space shuttle) for the space programme, the An-225 needed to be big. Prior to its development, the biggest aircraft in the world at the time, the Antonov An-124, was too small and not powerful enough for this new task.
The new design took much from the An-124 but added an additional pair of engines, a longer fuselage, and a completely new tail to handle the wake turbulence generated by the massive external loads carried ‘piggy-back ’on the aircraft’s upper fuselage.
3: Antonov An-225 Mriya
Antonov An-225 Mriya
The Antonov An-225 Mriya (Ukrainian for ‘dream’) first flew in late December 1988 and was soon smashing a series of world records. The An-225 set 214 national and 124 world records, including transporting the heaviest payload ever lifting by air, an astonishing 559,577 pounds (253,820 kg) – the same as 42 elephants!
Six massive Progress D-18T turbofans powered it, each pumping out an awe-inspiring 229.5 kN for a grand total of 1377 kilonewtons. Sadly, the only Antonov An-225 was destroyed at the Battle of Antonov Airport in Ukraine in February 2022, though there is an effort to fund and rebuild this fantastic machine.
2: Airbus A380
Airbus A380
With its full double-deck configuration and capacity to carry up to 853 passengers, The massive Airbus A380 airliner is in a class of its own. The A380’s maximum take-off weight is 1,267,658 pounds (575,000 kg), equivalent to 17 fully-loaded Lancaster bombers.
Rival firm Boeing explored double-deck designs, but only Airbus chose to develop a large wide-body double-decked airliner, and the A380 has earned an enviable reputation for comfort and space on long-haul flights. However, it has failed to achieve the commercial success Airbus hoped for.
2: Airbus A380
Airbus A380
Such an impressive aircraft needs a lot of power, and the most powerful A380 is the A380-842s of Qantas (pictured) and Emirates with their Rolls-Royce Trent 972-84 engines. The 972-84 can deliver a rather intense 356kN, but, in service, is limited to 341kN to preserve engine life (and is plenty). Multiply this by four, and you get an extremely hearty 1364 kilonewtons.
Despite its popularity with passengers, the A380 has suffered because of its high price tag, the need to fill the large number of seats for each flight, and the adaptions airports need to make to accommodate this behemoth. Despite production ending in 2021, some predict something of a renaissance for the A380 with aircraft returning into service.
1: Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch/Roc
Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch/Roc
The incredible Stratolaunch Roc is the biggest aircraft flying and the most powerful. Used for the air launch of space rockets and hypersonic vehicles, this ‘mothership’ is powered by two six Pratt & Whitney PW4000 turbofans combining to give a massive maximum of 1776 kilonewtons of thrust.
The brainchild of Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen, the Roc is named for a legendary bird of prey big and strong enough to carry elephants in its talon; this is an appropriate name for this gargantuan aircraft. The Roc boasts a wingspan of 117 metres (or 385 feet) the largest of all aircraft, dwarfing the next biggest, the ‘Spruce Goose’ of 1947 with its relatively paltry 97.51 m (319 ft 11 in) wingspan.
1: Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch/Roc
Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch/Roc
Like the twin aircraft of World War II the Roc has a dual-fuselage configuration. It has a high-wing design that allows for the launches of spacecraft and aircraft from the aircraft centreline and below the wing.
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The enormous Roc can carry a payload of over half a million (500,000 lbs or 226,796 kg) and is not built for speed. Despite being the most powerful aircraft on this list, it is also the slowest with a cruising speed, at 250mph, more suitable for a 1940s airliner.
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