What is the largest aircraft or airborn vehicle that can land on an aircraftcarrier and how big is it ?

Question

What is the largest aircraft or airborn vehicle that can land on an aircraftcarrier and how big is it ?

Answer 1

JATO rocket assisted C-130  

Answer 2

The largest aircraft designed to operate from a carrier was the A3D Skywarrior.  According to at least one website it still holds the record for max weight for a carrier launch (84,000 lbs).

Answer 3

Sorry, guys, the C-130 is not the largest. Blimps have made flight ops from carriers, and they are much larger than C-130 or B-25.

Regards,

Dan

Answer 4

I think an C2A Greyhound is one of the biggest planes. It a big twin turboprop plane. It's max takeoff weight is 60,000lbs and it delivers mail and supplies ect.

Answer 5

Apart from trials with the C130 Hercules,the North American A-5 Vigilante was probably the largest aircraft regularly operated from carriers.

The A-5 had a maximum take off weight of 79,588lbs,the C130 used as a one-off trial is unlikely to have been fully loaded.

Answer 6

I think a Marine helicopter no? HUGE! In WWII, they launched B17s, but I don't think they were that big relative to today.  

Answer 7

Actually it was B25s in WW2.  But yes, I believe that the C130 was the largest aircraft tested for carrier ops.  The largest US "carrier aircraft" was probably the RA-5 Vigilante.

Answer 8

C-130,Despite the successful test landing in October, 1963, the Navy deemed it too risky to do on an operational basis.

Length: 97 ft 9 in (29.8 m)

Wingspan: 132 ft 7 in (40.4 m)

Height: 38 ft 3 in (11.6 m)

Empty weight: 83,000 lb (38,000 kg)

Answer 9

In the 1960s, tests were conducted successfully with landing a C-130 (a 4-engine turboprop cargo airplane) on the deck of the carrier USS Forrestal, and taking off from the deck.  All were successful, though C-130 carrier operations never became routine procedure.

Pretty sure that's the heaviest airplane ever operated on and off an aircraft carrier.

You can find the story and pictures by searching on "USS Forrestal."

Answer 10

The largest aircraft that CAN land on a carrier is the C-130. Although it would have been impractical because of the amount of space it would take on deck, it has proven it's potential for carrier operations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHtYfhZP2...