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An-22 Antonov
An-22 Antei
ASCC codename: Cock
Heavy Transport

DESCRIPTION:
Until the advent of the C-5 Galaxy, the An-22 Antei (Antheus) was the world's largest aircraft, and the design remains the world's largest turboprop-powered airplane. The An-22 follows traditional cargo transport design with a high-mounted wing allowing a cargo space 108 ft (33 m) in length and with a usable volume of 22,500 ft³ (639 m³). The An-22 is essentially an enlarged version of the earlier An-12 except the tail was redesigned to incorporate twin vertical tails.

Key to the An-22's performance is its four powerful turboprop engines, each employing contra-rotating propellers that generate a significant slipstream over the wings. Combined with large double-slotted flaps along the wing trailing edge, the An-22 is capable of operating from relatively short runways for a plane of its size. The powerful engines have also allowed the An-22 to set a number of payload and payload-to-height world records.

The landing gear are ruggedized for operations from rough airstrips, and the tire pressures can be adjusted in flight for optimum landing performance. A pressurized forward fuselage provides space for 5 to 8 crew and up to 28 passengers, but the cargo space is unpressurized allowing the rear cargo doors to be opened during flight for paradrops.

Although 100 examples of the An-22 were ordered for the Soviet Air Force and Aeroflot, only about half of these are actually believed to have been built. Approximately 45 remained in service by the mid-1990s, mostly with the Russian Air Force, but these are slowly being replaced by the An-124.

Last modified 12 February 2011

HISTORY:
First Flight 27 February 1965
Service Entry

1968 (?)

CREW: five: pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer, navigator, radio operator

PASSENGERS: 28

ESTIMATED COST:

unknown

AIRFOIL SECTIONS:
Wing Root unknown
Wing Tip

unknown

DIMENSIONS:
Length 189.96 ft (57.90 m)
Wingspan 211.28 ft (64.40 m)
Height 41.11 ft (12.53 m)
Wing Area 3,713.67 ft² (345.00 m²)
Canard Area

not applicable

WEIGHTS:
Empty 251,325 lb (114,000 kg)
Normal Takeoff unknown
Max Takeoff 551,155 lb (250,000 kg)
Fuel Capacity unknown
Max Payload

176,370 lb (80,000 kg)

PROPULSION:
Powerplant four Kuznetsov NK-12MA turboprops
Thrust 60,000 shp (44,744 kW)

PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed at altitude: 460 mph (740 km/h)
at sea level: unknown
cruise speed: 375 mph (600 km/h)
Initial Climb Rate unknown
Service Ceiling 32,780 ft (10,000 m)
Range typical: 2,700 nm (5,000 km) with max payload
ferry: 5,910 nm (10,950 km)
g-Limits unknown

ARMAMENT:
Gun none
Stations none
Air-to-Air Missile none
Air-to-Surface Missile none
Bomb none
Other none

KNOWN VARIANTS:
An-22 Production model for a heavy transport; between 50 and 100 built
(?) A model exists that carries outsize cargo piggy-back above the fuselage, can be distinguished by a third tailfin
(?) Proposed civil airliner version to seat 724 passengers on upper and lower decks; not built

KNOWN COMBAT RECORD:

Yom Kippur War (Soviet Union, 1973)

KNOWN OPERATORS:
Civil Aeroflot
Military Russia, Voyenno Vozdushniye Sili (Russian Air Force)
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Voyenno Vozdushniye Sili (Soviet Air Force)

3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:

An-22


SOURCES:
  • Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1997, p. 55.
  • Gunston, Bill, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Warplanes. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1995, p. 43.
  • Rendall, David. Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide, 2nd ed. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 1999, p. 117.
  • Winchester, Jim. Military Aircraft of the Cold War. San Diego, CA: Thunder Bay Press, 2006, p. 16-17, Antonov An-22 Antei 'Cock'.









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