This An-2 is on display at the headquarters building of the Kiev Aviation Plant

Antonov Airlines' An-225 UR-82060 parked alongside An-124 Ruslan UR-82009 at the company's facility at Kiev-Gostomel airport, Ukraine.

The one and only An-225 UR-82060 at Kiev-Gostomel airport in September 2010. Antonov Airlines operates the gargantuan aircraft from Gostomel.

A narrow aluminium staircase leads to the very top of the An-124 Ruslan's fin.

The An-225's nose opens upward to facilitate loading of cargo using huge ramps installed in the nose.

There are four aircrew positions, one each for a navigator, two flight engineers and a loadmaster, in aft compart of the An-225's flight deck.

The flight deck of the An-225 Mriya.

Inside the cavernous cargo hold of the An-225 Mriya.

Six yellow throttles catch the eye in the otherwise dull grey cockpit of the An-225.

One of three An-148 regional jets on the production line at the Kiev Aviation Plant during the author's visit