Country of origin:

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Description:

General purpose utility transport

Power Plant:

One 746 kw (1,000 hp) Shvetsov ASH-62R nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine

Specifications:

History:

Designed originally for agricultural duties under the designation SKH-1, the A n-2 “Colt” was built in large numbers, 5,450 being built in the Soviet Union alone between 1948 and 1960.  11,625 were built under licence in Poland by the PZL Mielec concern before production ceased in the early 1990s, the first Polish machine flying on 23 October 1960.

In 1957 production commenced in China at the Shijiazhuang Aircraft Plant as the SAP-5 or the Type 5 Transport Aeroplane. These were powered by a 746 kw (1,000 hp) Zhuzhou (SMPMC) HS5 nine-cylinder radial engine driving a four-blade Baoding propeller.

The Y-5 variant was first flown on 7 December 1957, 727 being built at Nanchang between 1957 and 1968, when production transferred to the Shijiazhuang plant, where it was believed to be still in small scale production in the 1990s. The type has been used extensively by the People’s Liberation Army/Air Force; and in the civil capacity for agricultural and general transport work. Nanchang production included 229 Y-5s for agricultural work and 114 for regional transport work. On 2 June 1989 a new variant known as the Y-5B was flown, specifically for agricultural and forestry work.

In 1964 production resumed in Russia of a new model, the An-2M, with larger tail surfaces, a new variable-pitch propeller, and a hermetically-sealed cabin to exclude chemicals from the cockpit during spraying operations. Later the Polish production line switched to this model. Of those produced in Poland, over 7000 were supplied to the Soviet Union. The type has also been assembled from kits in Colombia.

A number of variants were built, including the An-2T for parachute training; An-2V floatplane version; An-2F general purpose model; An-2S agricultural aircraft; and An-2ZA for high altitude meteorological research. In Poland further variants included the An-2PR television relay aircraft, specialised agricultural models, aerial ambulance, etc.

Of rugged construction, and suitable for operation from short unprepared strips, the type has been extensively used in Afghanistan, Albania, Bulgaria, China, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, East Germany, Hungary, Iran, Mali, Mongolia, North Korea, Poland, Romania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, USSR and Vietnam. In later years it has been a type sought by western ‘warbird groups’. Examples have been flying in the United Kingdom and 14 are known to be in the USA.

The prototype An-2 flew for the first time on 31 August 1947 powered by a 567 kw (760 hp) Shvetsov Ash-621R engine, entering production in late 1948. The biplane layout was chosen because of its good field performance and excellent low-speed handling. Structure was of all-metal with the wings and tailplane being fabric covered. Fuel capacity was 1,200 litres (264 Imp gals). Accommodation was provided for a flight crew of two and 12 passengers in four rows of three with a centre aisle. Developments included the An-3 fitted with a 1,140 kw (1,528 shp) Glushenkov TVD-1500 turboprop, and later the 1,067 kw (1,430 shp) TVD-20 unit, but few were built with these engines.

First of the type seen in Australia was on 11 February 1970 when the Russian vessel “OB” visited Australia on the way to the Antarctic, at the time carrying two An-2s as deck cargo CCCP-44956 and CCCP-04354. This vessel also visited Wellington, NZ on the way to the Antarctic in February 1958, at the time having an An-2 on board. Later CCCP-01100 arrived during late December 1991 accompanied by seven Yak 18Ts, remaining in Australia for a couple of weeks, the eight aircraft being involved in an around-the-world flight commencing and ending in Moscow.

In late 1991 the Alpine Fighter Collection at Wanaka in New Zealand sought to obtain two examples from Russia, along with a range of spares, but, due to the break-up of the Soviet Union, delivery did not take place.

In October 1992 a Polish built An-2TP (SP-FAO – c/n IG23409) arrived in Australia, having been flown from Poland to Brisbane, QLD in a time of 15 days and 2 hours, arriving at Darwin, NT on 6 October 1992. It was expected to become VH-CCC but in the event became VH-CCE in July 1988. Since then has been painted in a couple of colour schemes and has been seen regularly at aviation events in Queensland before being sold to an operator in Victoria.

Another example was imported from Bulgaria in January 2010, this aircraft LZ-919 (c/n UG15509) being obtained by a group at Noonamah in the Northern Territory. In June 2011 it became VH-YNT registered to its owner at Karama, NT.

Late in 1995 a Latvian registered example LY-AKH (c/n IG16037) was flown to New Zealand where it was seen at a number of aviation events but in later years it was grounded and has been on display at the Transport and Toy Museum at Wanaka.

In 2010 an An-2TP ER-AIS and an An-2R ER-33645 were imported to Victoria from Singapore and placed in storage at Footscray, VIC pending assembly. The former was a convertible cargo carrier and short-range airliner, having folding seats along the fuselage sides. Russian- built models seated 10 whereas the Polish built examples seated 12.

These aircraft were originally registered in Moldavia and, up until 2007, were used to carry seafood from Seletar in Singapore, and Batam Island and other parts of the Te Riau Islands of Indonesia. The two aircraft were offered for sale at auction and were purchased and imported to Victoria. They remained in open storage in a yard at Footscray for a period before again being sold and moved to the Dandenong area for restoration. They have since been owned by an operator in the Latrobe Valley and are in storage.

The pilot’s handbook basically states the An-2 has no stalling speed, and states: “If the engine quits in instrument conditions, or at night, the pilot should pull the control column full aft and keep the wings level. The leading-edge slats will snap out at about 64 km/h (40 mph), and when the airplane slows to a forward speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph), the airplane will sink at about a parachute descent rate until the aircraft hits the ground.”