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Airbus A400 Grizzly

The Airbus A400 is a military transport aircraft, roughly sized in between the Lockheed Hercules and the Boeing C-17. It is quite easy to recognise, because there are no other four-engined turboprop aircraft with high wings and a T-tail. You are more likely to confuse it with a Boeing C-17, which has a similar silhouette (but is a jet), or the Antonov An-70, which also has multi-blade propellers, but not a T-tail. Some characteristics of the A400 are eight blade curved propellers with large blunt spinners, and main landings gears with each three double wheel bogeys. Finally, the A400 has a fixed refuelling probe above the cockpit.

There is essentially one version of the A400, the A400M. The aircraft is designated Atlas C1 is Royal Air Force service.

A full view of an Airbus A400M of the Turkish air force.

One typical aspect of the A400 are the eight blade curved propellers with blunt spinners.

The Airbus A400M has main landing gears consisting of three two-wheel bogeys on each side.

Confusion possible with

Boeing C-17

c 17

While the C-17 Globemaster III has a very similar silhouette as the A400M, the C-17 is a jet aircraft and the A400 a prop aircraft. Also the A400 is smaller than the C-17. Finally, the C-17 has winglets.

Antonov An-70

an 70

The An-70 is also a prop-driven transport aircraft, and of the same size as the A400, but with contra-rotating props with sickle shaped blades. However, the An-70 has a conventional horizontal stabiliser, attached to the fuselage instead of on top of the vertical stabiliser.