Antonov 124 pulls a huge crowd at Brisbane Airport

Today Brisbane was treated with a special visitor in the form of an Antonov AN-124. The Antonov arrived here in Brisbane on Wednesday night around 11.15pm (local) 13.15 UTC and sat on the ground until today. It was originally down for an 8pm departure last night and then revised that to 10am today. It finally got away at 12.19 from runway 01 Right and after circling the airport headed to Colombo.

The Antonov An-124 is a large, strategic airlift, four-engined aircraft that was designed in the 1980s by the Antonov design bureau in the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union (USSR).
The An-124 remains the largest military transport aircraft in service.

Key Specifications:
Wingspan: 

73.3 meters wide (240.5 ft)

Length: 

69.1 meters long (226.7 ft)

Height: 

20.78 meters high (68.2 ft)

Maximum Take-Off Weight

405,000 kg (900,000 lb)

Maximum Payload: 

120,000 kg (264,600 lb)

Engines: 

4 x ZMKB Progress D-18T turbofans

Maximum Range: 

4,650 km (2,889 miles)

Cruise Speed: 

800 km/h (497 mph)

Wheels:
24 wheels
The landing gear of the An-124 is outfitted with an oleo strut suspension system for its 24 wheels. This suspension has been calibrated to allow for landing on rough terrain and the aircraft is able to kneel, which allows for easier loading and unloading via the front cargo door.

ANTONOV AN-124 RUSLAN UR-82007 (MSN 19530501005)

The An-124 is the world's second heaviest gross weight production cargo airplane and heaviest operating cargo aircraft, behind the destroyed one-off Antonov An-225 Mriya.

I went to Perth Western Australia to see this giant back in May 2016.

ANTONOV AN-225 MRIYA UR-82060 (MSN 19530503763)