Manufacturer: Airbus (EADS)

Model: A380M

Name: Airbus Super Transport

Type: Transport

Date:

Status: Operational

Country: United States of America

Service: U.S. Air Force

Designation: C-58A Airbus ST

With the C-5 Galaxy nearing retirement and the insufficient length of the C-17 Globemaster III, the USAF issued in 2013 a specification for a ULMT (Ultra Large Multitask Transport).

Quite naturally, EADS/Airbus submitted a cargo version of its A380 airliner, which they called the A380M Super Transporter. Boeing declined to bid as the company didn't think it could produce a rivaling design and fly it within the three years allocated by the Air Force.

The A380M was accepted on June 6, 2014 and was designated the EADS C-58A Airbus ST.

The original image was a superb photography by Daniel Wales (see below right), which I found in his very nice deviantART gallery [link].

The tough part is always to change the color of an aircraft while still making it look realistic. I think it worked out pretty fine in this particular case.

• (Roddy1990)
• Now that would be a sexy airlifter IMO. . (Ahzlon)
• Hi! I know your art works are flights of what could have beens or what ifs but this one actually makes sense and is actually an excellent what may be a should be. This is so brilliantly created and wonderfully rendered! However, as is shown by America's inability to get a tanker replacement chosen and underway this probably won't happen until both the C-5 and C-17 are fully retired and even then who knows? (dinobatfan)
• Funny thing is, that I really could see this happening. (Shohdon)