Guess This Aircraft ?

[DGL Fox]

We have recently come back from holiday in the UK and Russia, we were in my wife's home town and my son took me down to a new WW2 display, it had some tanks and anti-aircraft guns with placards telling us all about the equipment, in Russian by the way, but the aircraft in the photo was just added to the display and did not have a placard erected yet to tell us what it was and it's history.

 

Anyone know what type of aircraft it is, looks to me to be a plane from the late 1930's, anyone know it?

 

David

 

 

[Roundsounds]

That'd be an Antonov AN2.

 

 

[SDQDI]

I bet it didn't bounce like an auster with that rolled barb wire spring, I guess not much bungee cord back in those days:wink:

 

 

[diesel]

Quite a lot still flying doing all sorts from ag spraying to just hauling eqipment. Would love to fly one. Chas

 

 

[DGL Fox]

Yes thanks guys...she was certainly a big old airplane...probably ferried around some soviet general at some stage..

 

David

 

 

[red750]

David,

 

It's one of the most remarkable aircraft built, and just about rivals the DC-3 for longevity. There have been more variants than you can poke a stick at. It has been built under licence in a number of countries, the largest majority in Poland. I believe there may be variants still being built somewhere in the world, and I saw something in the news leads on the Home page in the last couple of weeks talking about another new variant with a turbo-prop engine. Google it and read the wikipedia page. There are a couple here in Australia (see photo at link below). They were/are used for everything from crop spraying to fire fighting to regular scheduled services to joyriding and more.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49587346@N02/8947121030/in/album-72157633866768542/

 

 

[DGL Fox]

Yes thanks for the info...I will have a look..

 

David

 

 

[red750]

Here's a photo of the An-2 with a Honeywell turboprop that has just finished flight testing in Russia.

 

 

It was previously fitted with a Glushenkov TVD-20-03 turboprop in the 1980's but proved unsuccessful and only a few were built. This model was known as the An-3.

 

 

There was even a ground effect version, the An-2e WIG.

 

 

 

[cscotthendry]

David:

 

Yes, it is the AN2. There are two of them here in Oz painted bright yellow and they often attend major fly ins and give joy flights. They are owned by a couple of airline pulots I believe.

 

How is the plane hunting going?

 

 

[diesel]

Thanks for the pics. Chas

 

 

[DGL Fox]

Interesting..thanks

 

all..

 

David

 

 

[DGL Fox]

David:Yes, it is the AN2. There are two of them here in Oz painted bright yellow and they often attend major fly ins and give joy flights. They are owned by a couple of airline pulots I believe.

 

How is the plane hunting going?

Hi Scott,

Yes still looking for a nice Tecnam at the right price but no hurry, your new ride must not be far away hey?

 

David

 

 

[Kiwi303]

First flew in 1947 designed for the forestry commission of the USSR, they quit making them in 1991, but started again in 2000, VERY popular in africa and siberia. They'll even fly backwards with a decent headwind,

 

 

[DGL Fox]

Maybe they should start making the Dc3 again but with a turbo prop?

 

David

 

 

[Kiwi303]

Too many current competitors for the DC3 slot with more modern design features. The G.222/C27J and the CASA C-295 and the AN-32 families.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

imagine loading freight into a tail dragger? much easier with a flat floor

 

 

[facthunter]

You have to lift it further initially. I'm sure a few toes got cut off with loads sliding back in a DC3. Nev

 

 

[Yenn]

I don't know about freight but it is an uphill battle to get to the cockpit.

 

 

[red750]

You think that's bad. To top up the oil in the radial, you climb up some footholds in the rear fuselage, walk up a footway on the roof of the plane, over the cockpit and windscreen, and sit on the engine cowl.

 

 

But that engine has a beautiful purr, just like a kitten. I was in the garden one day and heard this unusual soft purr, looked around and there was the big yellow bird. Home base is Watts Bridge, I believe, but particularly in cyclone season, it relocates to Lilydale.

 

 

[facthunter]

On others with more engines you have to get out through a window and crawl along a slippery wing about 20+ feet up, no grip anywhere. The oil tank is behind a firewall for safety. It's not in the hot ZONE for obvious reasons. The single row Radial on the AN is about 1,000 HP. Similar style but a bit smaller than the Wright in the T 28 Trojan. Big round engines have a noise and character all of their own. Nev

 

 

[Robmus]

There is one AN-2 based at Lethbridge YLED

 

 

[DWF]

This one was at YMKT (just south of Darwin) last Sept.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

When the Soviet Union collapsed they needed coal but couldn't afford to pay their coal miners. However they had lots of AN-2s so they gave those to the coal miners....some getting more than one. They took the wings off and turned them into houses for winter shelter.

 

 

[Garfly]

Regarding DC3's in Turbo version:

 

http://www.baslerturbo.com

 

 

 

[pylon500]

There have been various attempts to modernise the AN-2 over the years;

 

 

 

 

Watch the video here;