Antonov An-26
history
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The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name: Curl) is a military twin-engined light turboprop transport aircraft, designed and produced in the USSR from 12 march 1968.[Gordon An-24/>
]
Development
After successful operations of the An-24T tactical transport in austere locations, interest in a version with a retractable cargo ramp increased. Initial studies for the retractable ramp were carried out as part of the projected An-40 medium transport. When given the go-ahead for the An-26 in march 1968 the Antonov OKB adapted the ramp design of the An-40 to the An-24 fuselage, thus was born the An-26. Particular attention was given to the military mission and the majority of early An-26 production was delivered to the VT-A.[Gordon An-24/>
]
Using the majority of the An-24 airframe, with its high set cantilevered wings, twin turboprops and stalky main undercarriage, the An-26 included mitary equipment, such as, Tip-up paratroop canvas seats, overhead travelling hoist, bulged observation windows and parachute static line attachment cables. The An-26 made it's public debut at the 27th Paris Air Show at Le Bourget where the second prototype, CCCP-26184 (c/n00202), was shown in the static aircraft park.
The An-26 is also manufactured without a licence[Gordon An-24/> in China by Xian Aircraft Factory as the Y-14, later changed to be included in the Xian Y7 series][Gordon An-24/>.
]
Variants
- An-26 "Curl-A" : Twin-engined tactical transport aircraft.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26-100 and An-26B-100 : Convertible passenger/cargo aircraft modified from 'An-26' and 'An-26B' aircraft at the kiev plant from 1999.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26 ''Nel'mo (meaning unknown) : An Ice reconnaissanc e aircraft fitted with the ''Nel'mo equipment suite.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26 ''Pogoda (Weather) : Another aircraft for weather control duties, similar to the 'An-26 ''Tsiklon ', with a simplified equipment suite.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26 ''Polyot (Flight) : A single aircraft modofied for research into a unified air traffic control system throughout the USSR, with a comprehensive navigatiohn suite including precision compasses and Doppler speed/shift sensors.
[/>]
- An-26 ''Sfera (Sphere) : A single production aircraft built with instruments for atmospheric research.
[/>]
- An-26 ''Shtabnoy (Staff) : some 'An-26's delivered to the Soviet and DDR air forces for use as staff transports/mobile command posts.
[/>]
- An-26 ''Vita (Life) : A single mobile surgery/intensive care unit ('25 Blue', c/n5406), for the Ukrainian air force.
[/>]
- An-26A : A one-off Assault transport prototype with higher performance due to removal of some military equipment.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26ASLK (Avtomatizeerovannaya Sistema Lyotnovo Kontolya - automated flight check system) : A more modern flight checker with automatric calibration equiopment and navigation suite. Recognisable by the distinctive pod low on the forward fuselage side.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26B A civil cargo version equipped with roller gangs which can be swung up against the cabin walls when not in use. It was also equipped with two ZMDB Progress(Ivchyenko)Al-24VT turboprop engines for more power.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26B 'Mobile Hospital' : The prototype 'An-26B' modified as a mobile hospital for civilian use.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26B ''Tsiklon (Cyclone) : a weather research/control and cloud-seeding aircraft for the Central Aerologic Laboratory. This aircraft was used for rain production and protection using cloud-seeding chemicals dropped from slab sided pods hung from pylons.
[/>]
- An-26BL : Alternative designation for the 'An-26L'.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26BRL : Alternative designation of the 'An-26RL' ice reconnaissance aircraft.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26D (Dahl'niy - long-range) : An extended range version with more fuel in wing tanks and semi-conformal tanks either side of the fuselage. One aircraft ('21 Yellow', c/n 13806) was modified and delivered, but no further orders were forthcoming.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26K ''Kaira (Great Auk) : A single An-26 aircraft converted to a Kaira testbed for the development of airborne Laser designator equipment.
[/>]
- An-26K ''Kaplya (Drop »liquid) : After completion of the laseer designator trials the 'An-26K Kaira' was modified for research into optical correlation for guided weapon navigation systems. During a night test flight at low-level, in March 1989, the An-26K Kaplya suffered a massive birdstrike, which destroyed the windscreen and injured the pilot, who involuntarily bunted the aircraft into the Azov Sea.
[/>]
- An-26KPA (Kontrol'no-Poverochnaya Apparatoora - checking and calibration equipment) : A navigation aids checking aircraft with comprehensive navigation equipment and calibration equipment.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26L : A single 'An-26', (14 Orange, c/n 00607), used at Sperenburg air base near Berlin, for airfield and navaid calibration.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26LL-PLO (Letayuschaya Laboratoriya - Protivolodochnoy Oborny - ASW(Anti-Submarine Warfare) testbed) : A single 'An-26A' aircraft,(c/n 0901), modified for testing of sophisticated sensors for detecting stealthy nuclear submarines.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26LP : Fire-fighting version, possibly for delivery of equipment and para-dropping fire-fighters rather than water-bombing (any more info?).
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26M ''Spasatel (rescue worker) : Flying Hospital with operating theatre and consultaion rooms.
[/>]
- An-26P (Protivopozharnyy - fire-fighting) : Fire fighting version with water tanks in pods either side of the lower fuselage.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26P ''Prozhektor (Searchlight) : A single conversion of an An-26 to a guided missile system testbed.
[/>]
- An-26REP (RahdioElektronnoye Protivodeystviye - ECM (Electronic Counter-Measures) »aircraft) : Electronic Counter-Measures aircraft fitted with active jammers in cylindrical pods either side of the lower fuselage sides, as well as chaff and I/R flares for self-defence.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26RL (Razvedchik Ledovyy - ice reconnaissance) : An ice reconnaissance aircraft fitted with SLAR (Sideways Looking Airborne Radar) in long pods either side of the lower fuselage, extra fuel in a cargo hold fuel tank and provision for observers and radar operators.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26RR : Alternative unit designation of the 'An-26RT' ELINT(ELectronic INTelligence) aircraft.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26RT "Curl-B": (First use of the designation) A generic designation for a series of ELINT aircraft fitted with a wide range of electro-magnetic surveillance equiopment. At least one aircraft, (tactical code '152'), fitted with the Tarahn (Ramming Attack) ELINT suite for use in Afghanistan.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26RT (ReTranslyator - communications relay) : (Second use of designation) Battlefield communications relay aircraft, fitted with powerful Inzheer(Fig) radio relay suite, for connecting forward units to headquarters units.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26RTR : Alternative unit designation of the 'An-26RT' ELINT aircraft.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26S (Salon - »VIP cabin) : A new VIP aircraft for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence delivered in 1997.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26Sh (Shtoormanskiy - naviagator) : Navigator trainer for the VVS, 36 built at Kiev.
[Gordon An-24/>]
Non-USSR/-Ukrainian variants
- An-26M : DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Republik - German Democratic Republik) air Force Navaids calibration and flight checker, converted from An-26 c/n11402, and transferred to the post-unification Luftwaffe as 52+09.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26SM : DDR ELINT aircraft, modified from An-26 c/n14208.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26ST : DDR special duties aircraft.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26T : DDR unofficial designation for 'An-26's' operated by Transportfliegerstaffel 24 (transport squadron 24).
[Gordon An-24/>]
- An-26Z-1 : Czechoslovakian ELINT conversion of c/n12904 for ELINT duties.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- Xian Y-7H : Military transport version. Chinese production version.
[Gordon An-24/>]
- Xian Y-14 : Initial designation of the 'An-26' copy, later changed to 'Y-7H' (Hao - cargo).
[Gordon An-24/>]
Operators
Military
]]
An-26 at Farnborough Airshow, 2008]]
An-26B aircraft]]
]]
]]
An-26]]
:Source: Aerospace Source Book 2007[ "Aerospace Source Book 2007", Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.]
- Afghan Air Force - (1975 to present) 2; 20+ historically
;
- Angolan Air Force - 12
;
- Bangladesh Air Force - none; retired
;
- Belarusian Air Force - 6
;
- Benin Air Force - none
;
- Bulgarian Air Force - 3
;
- Cape Verde Army - 3
;
- Chad Air Force - 1
;
- 23 Xian Y-7; 4 Xian Y-7-100; includes all types of Y-7 aircraft
;
- Congolese Air Force - 1
;
- Cuban Air Force - (3) of 17
One example, of the FAR (Fuerza AĂ©rea Revolucionaria), is displayed at the Museo del Aire (Cuba)[Ogden (2008)]
;
Czech Air Force - 4
;
Czechoslovakian Air Force - none; retired
;
Democratic Republic of the Congo Air Force - 1
;
East German Air Force - none; retired
;
Ethiopian Air Force - 1
;
Luftwaffe - none; retired
;
Guinea-Bissau Air Force - none; retired
;
Hungarian Air Force - 4, to be replaced 2010-2012.
;
Iraqi Air Force - none; retired
;
Kazakh Air Force - 1
;
Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force - 3
;
Libyan Air Force - 10
;
Lithuanian Air Force - 3; 2 to remain in service until 2009.
;
Malagasy Air Force - 4
;
Mali Air Force - 1
;
Mongolian Air Defense Forces Command - 1
;
Moldovan Air Force - 1
;
Mozambique Air Force - 5
;
Namibian Air Force - 2
;
Nicaraguan Air Force - 2
;
Niger Air Force - 1
;
Pakistani Air Force - none; retired
;
Peruvian Air Force
;
Polish Air Force - none; last flight on 16 January 2009
;
Romanian Air Force - 4 still operational (15 total acquired)
;
Russian Air Force - 9 An-26; 21 An-26B
Russian Naval Aviation
Border Guard Service of Russia
;
Serbian Air Force - 8
;
Slovak Air Force - 2
;
Somali Air Corps
;
Soviet Air Force - Passed on to successor states in 1991
Soviet Naval Aviation -
;
Syrian Air Force - 5
;
Military of Turkmenistan - 10 in service
;
Tanzanian Air Force - none
;
United States Air Force - Used by the 6th Special Operations Squadron
;
Ukrainian Naval Aviation - 3
Ukrainian Air Force - 28
;
Uzbek Air Force - 13
;
Vietnamese Air Force - 48 [[http//www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/08/2211412.htm?section=justin ABC news story 2008-04-08]]
Civil
Image"> [»Air Force - 26
;
Yugoslav Air Force
;
Zambian Air Force and Air Defence Command - 4
Civil
thumb|right|[[MIAT Mongolian Airlines|MIAT Antonov An-26, used for domestic transportation, at Chinggis Khaan International Airport
]
In August 2006 267 Antonov An-26 aircraft remain in airline service. Major operators include: Lao Airlines (6), Syrian Arab Airlines (6), Aerocom (5), ARP 410 Airlines (5), Air Urga (10), Exin (9), RAF-Avia (5), Turkmenistan Airlines (5), Iraero (7), Scorpion Air (6), Yakutia Airlines (5) and Aerogaviota (18). Some 106 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type.[ Flight International, 3-9 October 2006]
- Air Sofia
- Heli Air
- Scorpion Air
;
- Aerogaviota (18)
- Aero Caribbean(3)
;
- SAS Cargo Group (1)
; Hungary
- Cityline Hungary (4)
;
- RAF-Avia (5)
;
- Lao Airlines (6)
;
- Aerocom (5)
;
- Mongolian Airlines MIAT
;
- Askari Aviation
;
- Interisland Airlines
- Mosphil Aero
;
- Exin (6)
;
- Yakutia Airlines (5)
;
- Syrian Arab Airlines (6)
;
- Turkmenistan Airlines (5)
;
- Air Urga (10)
- ARP 410 Airlines (5)
;
- SolarCargo
{| class="wikitable" align=center style="font-size
90%;"
|-
|+ align=center style="background:#BFD7FF"| An-26 operators within Aeroflot and post break-up Commonwealth of Independent States (data from[Gordon An-24/>)
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! UGA - (Oopravleniye Grazhdahnskoy Aviahtsii - Civil Aviation Directorate)
! OAO - (Otdel'nyy Aviaotryad – independent flight detachment)
! LO - (Lyvotnyy Otryad – flight) / Aviaeskadril'ya - squadrons)
! Home Base
! CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) Airline
|-
|align=left|Azerbaijan
|align=left|Baku
|align=left|360th / 1st & 3rd squadrons
|align=left|Baku-Bina
|align=left|AZAL (no An-26s)
|-
|align=left|Belorussian
|align=left|Gomel'
|align=left|105th / 2nd squadron
|align=left|Gomel'
|align=left|Gomel'avia
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|1st Minsk
|align=left|353rd / 2nd Squadron
|align=left|Minsk-Loshitsa (Minsk-1)
|align=left|Belavia;Minsk-Avia
|-
|align=left|Central Regions
|align=left|Bykovo
|align=left|61st / 4th Squadron
|align=left|Moscow-Bykovo
|align=left|Bykovo Avia
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Kursk
|align=left|
|align=left|Kursk
|align=left|Kurskavia
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Tula
|align=left|294th
|align=left|Tula
|align=left|Tula Air Enterprise
|-
|align=left|East Siberian
|align=left|Chita
|align=left|136th / 1st Squadron
|align=left|Chita
|align=left|Chita Avia
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Irkutsk
|align=left|134th
|align=left|Irkutsk-1
|align=left|Baikal Airlines
|-
|align=left|Far Eastern
|align=left|1st Khabarovsk
|align=left|289th
|align=left|Khabarovsk
|align=left|Dalavia Far East Airlines Khabarovsk
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Kamchatkat CAPA / Petropavlovsk
|align=left|
|align=left|Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy
|align=left|Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy Air Enterprise
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Sakhalin CAPA / Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk UAD
|align=left|147th /
|align=left|Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk / Khomutvo
|align=left|Sakhalinskiye Aviatrassy
|-
|align=left|Komi
|align=left|Pechora
|align=left|
|align=left|Pechora
|align=left|Komiavia;Komiinteravia
|-
|align=left|Krasnoyarsk
|align=left|Igarka
|align=left|251st
|align=left|Igarka
|align=left|
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|2nd Krasnoyarsk
|align=left|126th
|align=left|Krasnoyarsk-Severnyy
|align=left|Kras Air
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Khatanga
|align=left|221st / 2nd Squadron
|align=left|Khatanga
|align=left|
|-
|align=left|Leningrad
|align=left|2nd Leningrad
|align=left|70th / 2nd Squadron
|align=left|Leningrad-Rzhevka
|align=left|Rzhevka Air Enterprise
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Pskov
|align=left|320th / 2nd Squadron
|align=left|Pskov
|align=left|Pskov Avia
|-
|align=left|Lithuanian
|align=left|Vilnius
|align=left|277th / (1st Squadron?)
|align=left|Vilnius
|align=left|Lithuanian Airlines
|-
|align=left|Magadan
|align=left|Anadyr'
|align=left|150th / 2nd Squadron
|align=left|Anadyr'-Oogol'nyy
|align=left|Chukotavia
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|1st Magadan
|align=left|185th
|align=left|Magadan-Sokol
|align=left|Kolyma-Avia
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Seymchan
|align=left|
|align=left|Seymchan
|align=left|NW Aerial Forestry Protection Base
|-
|align=left|Moldavian
|align=left|Kishinyov
|align=left|407th
|align=left|Kishinyov
|align=left|Air Moldova
|-
|align=left|North Caucasian
|align=left|Krasnodar
|align=left|241st
|align=left|Krasnodar
|align=left|ALK Kuban Airlines
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|1stKrasnodar
|align=left|406th
|align=left|Krasnodar
|align=left|
|-
|align=left|Tajik
|align=left|Leninabad
|align=left|292nd / 2nd Squadron
|align=left|Leninabad
|align=left|
|-
|align=left|Training Establishments Directorate
|align=left|KVLUGA (Kirovograd Civil Aviation Higher Flying School)
|align=left|
|align=left|Kirovograd
|align=left|Ukraine State Flight Academy
|-
|align=left|Turkmen
|align=left|Krasnovodsk
|align=left|360th
|align=left|Krasnovodsk
|align=left|Turkmenistan AirlinesKhazar
|-
|align=left|Tyumen'
|align=left|Salekhard
|align=left|234th 5th Squadron
|align=left|Salekhard
|align=left|
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|2ndTyumen'
|align=left|357th
|align=left|Tyumen'-Roschchino
|align=left|Tyumen'AviaTrans (UTair)]]
|-
|align=left|Ukrainian
|align=left|Dnepropetrovsk
|align=left|327th
|align=left| Dnepropetrovsk-Volos'kie
|align=left|Dniproavia
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Kirovograd
|align=left|
|align=left|Kirovograd-Khmelyovoye
|align=left|Air URGA
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Simferopol'
|align=left|84th
|align=left|Simferopol'
|align=left|Aviakomaniya Krym / Crimea AL
|-
|align=left|Urals
|align=left|Izhevsk
|align=left|
|align=left|Izhevsk
|align=left|Izhavia
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Magnitogorsk
|align=left|
|align=left|Magnitogorsk
|align=left|Magnitogorsk Air Enterprise
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|1st Perm'
|align=left|
|align=left|Perm'-Bolshoye Savino
|align=left|Perm Airlines
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|1st Sverdlovsk
|align=left|
|align=left|Sverdlovsk-Kol'tsovo
|align=left|Ural Airlines »Yekaterinburg
|-
|align=left|Volga
|align=left|Penza
|align=left|396th
|align=left|Penza
|align=left|Penza Air Enterprise
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Saransk
|align=left|
|align=left|Saransk
|align=left| Saransk Air Enterprise
|-
|align=left|West Siberian
|align=left|Barnaul
|align=left|341st
|align=left|Barnaul
|align=left|Barnaul Air Enterprise
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Kemerovo
|align=left|196th
|align=left|Kemerovo
|align=left|
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Novokuznetsk
|align=left|184th
|align=left|Novokuznetsk
|align=left|Aerokuznetsk
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Omsk
|align=left|365th
|align=left|Omsk
|align=left|Omsk-Avia
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Tolmachovo
|align=left|448th
|align=left| Novosibirsk-Tolmachovo
|align=left|Sibir'
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Tomsk
|align=left|119trh
|align=left|Tomsk
|align=left|Tomsk Avia
|-
|align=left|Yakutian
|align=left|Kolyma-Indigirka
|align=left|
|align=left|Cherskiy?
|align=left|
|-
|align=left|
|align=left|Mirnyy
|align=left|190th
|align=left|Mirnyy
|align=left|Almazy Rossii – Sakha (Alrosa)
|-
align=left|
|align=left|Yakutsk
|align=left|139th / 3rd Squadron
|align=left|Yakutsk
|align=left|
|-
|align=left|GosNII GVF (Gosoodarstvenny Naoochno-Issledovatel'skiy Institoot Grazdahnskovo Vozdooshnovo Flota - state scientific test institute for civil air fleet)
|align=left|
|align=left|
|align=left|Moscow - Sheremet'yevo-1
|align=left|
|-
|}
]
Incidents and accidents
- 1992 Libya. Yasir Arafat's An-26 crashed on April 8, 1992 during a sandstorm. Of the 13 on board, two pilots and an engineer were killed.
- 2007 Kinshasa, DRC crash. On October 4, 2007 an Africa One-operated An-26 crashed into the Kinshasa neighbourhood of Kimbaseke just after takeoff. Twenty-five out 27 people on board died. Initial reports indicate a lost propeller.
- 2007 Balad aircraft crash was a January 9, 2007 airplane incident involving an Antonov An-26 airliner, which crashed while attempting to land at the U.S. military base in Balad, Iraq.[3] The crash killed 34 people aboard and left one passenger critically injured.
- 2008 Hanoi military plane crash was a 8 April 2008 incident during a training mission, killing five Vietnamese military pilots.
- 2010 Exin's An-26B registered SP-FDO made an emergency landing on the Lake Ăślemiste on March 18, 2010, close to Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport. None of the 6 people crew members was injured. Initial reports indicated problems with one of the engines.
[»Globalfligt news article 2010-03-18]
Specifications (An-26)
See also
References
- Chant, Christopher. Commercial Aircraft and Airline Markings
- Ogden, Bob (2008). Aviation Museums and Collections of The Rest of the World. UK: Air-Britain. ISBN 9780851303949
- Taylor, John W.R. 1988. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89. Jane's Defence Data. ISBN 0710608675.
- Gordon, Yefim. Komissarov, Dmitry & Sergey. “Antonov's Turboprop Twins”. Hinkley. Midland. 2003. ISBN 1 85780 153 9
External links
Pictures of An 26
