Antonov An-26

An-26
An-26 of the Romanian Air Force
Role Transport aircraft
National origin Soviet Union (Ukraine)
Design group Antonov
First flight 21 May 1969[1]
Status Operational
Primary user Soviet Air Force
Number built 1,403
Developed from Antonov An-24
Variants Antonov An-32

The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name: Curl) is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the USSR from 12 March 1968.[1]

Contents

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.[1]

Using the majority of the An-24 airframe, with its high-set cantilevered wings, twin turboprops and stalky main undercarriage, the An-26 included military equipment, such as tip-up paratroop canvas seats, overhead traveling hoist, bulged observation windows and parachute static line attachment cables. The An-26 made its 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 license agreement[1] in China by Xian Aircraft Factory as the Y-14, later changed to be included in the Xian Y7 series.[1]

Variants

An-26
"Curl-A" : Twin-engine tactical transport aircraft.[1]
An-26-100
Convertible passenger/cargo aircraft modified from 'An-26' aircraft at the Kiev plant from 1999.[1]
An-26 Nel'mo
(meaning unknown) An arctic surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft retrofitted with the Nel'mo equipment.[1]
An-26 Pogoda
(Weather Another aircraft for weather control duties, similar to the 'An-26 Tsiklon ', with a simplified equipment test lab.[1]
An-26 Polyot
(Flight) A single aircraft retrofitted with the purpose of research of unified air traffic control and monitoring system throughout the USSR, with a comprehensive navigation test lab including precision compasses and Doppler speed/shift sensors.[1]
An-26 Sfera
(Sphere) A single production aircraft built as laboratory for atmospheric research.[1]
An-26 Shtabnoy
(Shtab: or Headquarters) some 'An-26's delivered to the Soviet and DDR air forces for use as staff transports/mobile command posts.[1]
An-26 Vita
(Life) A single mobile operating room, surgery and intensive care unit ('25 Blue', c/n5406), for the Ukrainian Air Force.[1]
An-26A
A one-off Assault transport prototype with higher performance due to removal of some military equipment.[1]
An-26ASLK
(Avtomatizeerovannaya Sistema Lyotnovo Kontolya – automated flight control and monitoring system) : A modern flight control and monitoring system equipped with automatic calibration and navigation system. Recognizable by the distinctive pod low on the forward fuselage side.[1]
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 power plants to deliver higher trust.[1]
An-26B
'Mobile Hospital' : The prototype 'An-26B' retrofitted as a mobile civilian emergency hospital.[1]
An-26B Tsiklon
(Cyclone) A weather research/control and cloud-seeding aircraft for the Central Aerologic Laboratory. This aircraft was used for rain induction and protection using cloud-seeding chemicals dropped from slab sided pods hung from pylons.[1]
An-26B-100
Convertible passenger/cargo aircraft modified from 'An-26B' aircraft at the Kiev plant from 1999.[1]
An-26BL
Alternative designation for the 'An-26L'.[1]
An-26BRL
Alternative designation of the 'An-26RL' Arctic surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.[1]
An-26D
(Dahl'niy – long-range) An extended range version with extra fuel in wing tanks and additional external tanks attached to the airframe of the fuselage. One aircraft ('21 Yellow', c/n 13806) was retrofitted and delivered, but no further orders were forthcoming.[1]
An-26K Kaira
(Great Auk) A single An-26 aircraft converted to a Kaira test airframe for the development of airborne LASER guided systems.[1]
An-26K Kaplya
(Drop [of liquid]) After completion of the LASER designator trials the 'An-26K Kaira' was retrofitted to search or optically guided weapons as the navigation systems. During a night test flight at low-level, in March 1989, the An-26K Kaplya suffered a massive bird strike, which consequently destroyed the windshield and injured the pilot, who involuntarily downed the aircraft into the Azov Sea.[1]
An-26KPA
(Kontrol'no-Poverochnaya Apparatoora – Testing and calibration equipment) : A navigation aids inspecting aircraft with comprehensive navigation equipment and calibration equipment.[1]
An-26L
A single 'An-26', (14 Orange, c/n 00607), used at Sperenberg air base near Berlin, for airfield and NAVAID calibration.[1]
An-26LL-PLO
(Letayuschaya Laboratoriya – Protivolodochnoy Oborony – ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) testbed) : A single 'An-26A' aircraft, (c/n 0901), retrofitted and modified to accommodate range of sophisticated laboratory for surveillance systems, detecting and tracking stealthy nuclear submarines.[1]
An-26LP
Fire-fighting version, for delivery of field equipment and para-dropping fire-fighters in lieu of water-bombing (any more info?).[1]
An-26M Spasatel
(rescue worker) Flying Hospital with an emergency surgery facility and consultation conference room.[1]
An-26P
(Protivopozharnyy – fire-fighting) : Aircraft fire engine fighter, retrofitted with water lifting vessels in pods either side of the lower fuselage.[1]
An-26P Prozhektor
(Projector or Searchlight) A single conversion of an An-26 as a guided missile system airframe.[1]
An-26REP
(RahdioElektronnoye Protivodeystviye – ECM (Electronic Counter-Measures) [aircraft]) : Electronic Counter-Measures aircraft fitted with active jammers in cylindrical pods on either side of the lower fuselage sides, as well as chaff and I/R flares for self-defense.[1]
An-26RL
(Razvedchik Ledovyy – An arctic surveillance, reconnaissance and monitoring) : An arctic surveillance, reconnaissance and monitoring aircraft used to monitor the icebergs and ice formations at arctic circle fitted with SLAR (Sideways Looking Airborne Radar) in long pods on either side of the lower fuselage, extra fuel in a cargo hold fuel tank, provision for surveyors and radar operators.[1]
An-26RR
Alternative unit designation of the 'An-26RT' ELINT(ELectronic INTelligence) aircraft.[1]
An-26RT
"Curl-B": (First use of the designation) A basic designation for a series of ELINT aircraft fitted with a wide range of electro-magnetic surveillance equipment. At least one aircraft, (tactical code '152'), retrofitted with the Tarahn (Ramming Attack) ELINT suite for use in Afghanistan.[1]
An-26RT
(ReTranslyator – Interpreter -Translator): (Substitute of designation) Battlefield communications relay aircraft, fitted with powerful Inzheer (Fig) radio relay system, for connecting forward units to headquarters units.[1]
An-26RTR
Alternative unit designation of the 'An-26RT' ELINT aircraft.[1]
An-26S
(Salon – [VIP] Lounge) : A new VIP Lounge aircraft for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense delivered about 1997.[1]
An-26Sh
(Shtoormanskiy – Navigator) : Navigator trainer for the VVS, 36 built at Kiev.[1]
An-50
A proposed jet powered variant of the An-26.

Non-USSR /-Ukrainian versions

An-26M
DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Republik – German Democratic Republic) Air Force NAVAID calibration and flight monitoring, retrofitted from An-26 c/n11402, and transferred to the post-unification Luftwaffe as 52+09.[1]
An-26SM
DDR ELINT aircraft, retrofitted from An-26 c/n14208.[1]
An-26ST
DDR special duties aircraft.[1]
An-26T
DDR unofficial designation for 'An-26's' operated by Transportfliegerstaffel 24 (transport squadron 24).[1]
An-26Z-1
Czechoslovakian ELINT conversion of c/n12904 for ELINT duties.[1]
Xian Y-7H
Military transport version. Chinese production version.[1]
Xian Y-14
Initial designation of the 'AN-26' copy, later changed to 'Y-7H' (Hao – cargo).[1]

Operators

Military operators

Source: Aerospace Source Book 2007[2]
 Afghanistan
 Angola
 Bangladesh
 Belarus
 Benin
 Bulgaria
 Cape Verde
 Chad
 China
 Republic of the Congo
 Cuba
 Czech Republic
 Czechoslovakia
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
 East Germany
 Ethiopia
 Germany
 Guinea-Bissau
 Hungary
 Iraq
 Kazakhstan
 Kyrgyzstan
 Laos
 Libya
 Lithuania
 Madagascar
 Mali
 Mongolia
 Moldova
 Mozambique
 Namibia
 Nicaragua
 Niger
 Pakistan
 Peru
 Poland
 Romania
 Russia
 Serbia
 Slovakia
 Somalia
 Soviet Union
 Syria
 Turkmenistan
 Tanzania
 Ukraine
USA
 Uzbekistan
 Vietnam
 Yemen
 Yugoslavia
 Zambia

Civil operators

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.[8]

 Bulgaria
 Cuba
 Denmark
 Hungary
 Latvia
 Laos
 Moldova
 Mongolia
 Pakistan
 Peru
 Philippines
 Poland
 Russia
 Sudan
 Syria
 Turkmenistan
 Ukraine
 Venezuela
AN-26 operators within Aeroflot and post break-up Commonwealth of Independent States (data from[1])
UGA – (Oopravleniye Grazhdahnskoy Aviahtsii – Civil Aviation Directorate) OAO – (Otdel'nyy Aviaotryad – independent flight detachment) LO – (Lyvotnyy Otryad – flight squad) / Aviaeskadril'ya – squadrons) Home Base CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) Airline
Azerbaijan Baku 360th / 1st & 3rd squadrons Baku-Bina AZAL (no An-26s)
Belorussian Gomel' 105th / 2nd squadron Gomel' Gomel'avia
1st Minsk 353rd / 2nd Squadron Minsk-Loshitsa (Minsk-1) Belavia;Minsk-Avia
Central Regions Bykovo 61st / 4th Squadron Moscow-Bykovo Bykovo Avia
Kursk Kursk Kurskavia
Tula 294th Tula Tula Air Enterprise
East Siberian Chita 136th / 1st Squadron Chita Chita Avia
Irkutsk 134th Irkutsk-1 Baikal Airlines
Far Eastern 1st Khabarovsk 289th Khabarovsk Dalavia Far East Airlines Khabarovsk
Kamchatkat CAPA / Petropavlovsk Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Air Enterprise
Sakhalin CAPA / Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk UAD 147th / Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk / Khomutvo Sakhalinskiye Aviatrassy
Komi Pechora Pechora Komiavia;Komiinteravia
Krasnoyarsk Igarka 251st Igarka
2nd Krasnoyarsk 126th Krasnoyarsk-Severnyy Kras Air
Khatanga 221st / 2nd Squadron Khatanga
Leningrad 2nd Leningrad 70th / 2nd Squadron Leningrad-Rzhevka Rzhevka Air Enterprise
Pskov 320th / 2nd Squadron Pskov Pskov Avia
Lithuanian Vilnius 277th / (1st Squadron?) Vilnius Lithuanian Airlines
Magadan Anadyr' 150th / 2nd Squadron Anadyr'-Oogol'nyy Chukotavia
1st Magadan 185th Magadan-Sokol Kolyma-Avia
Seymchan Seymchan NW Aerial Forestry Protection Base
Moldavian Kishinyov 407th Kishinyov Air Moldova
North Caucasian Krasnodar 241st Krasnodar ALK Kuban Airlines
1stKrasnodar 406th Krasnodar
Tajik Leninabad 292nd / 2nd Squadron Leninabad
Training Establishments Directorate KVLUGA (Kirovograd Civil Aviation Higher Flying School) Kirovograd Ukraine State Flight Academy
Turkmen Krasnovodsk 360th Krasnovodsk Turkmenistan Airlines/Khazar
Tyumen' Salekhard 234th / 5th Squadron Salekhard
2ndTyumen' 357th Tyumen'-Roschchino Tyumen'AviaTrans (UTair)]]
Ukrainian Dnepropetrovsk 327th Dnepropetrovsk-Volos'kie Dniproavia
Kirovograd Kirovograd-Khmelyovoye Air URGA
Simferopol' 84th Simferopol' Aviakomaniya Krym / Crimea AL
Urals Izhevsk Izhevsk Izhavia
Magnitogorsk Magnitogorsk Magnitogorsk Air Enterprise
1st Perm' Perm'-Bolshoye Savino Perm Airlines
1st Sverdlovsk Sverdlovsk-Kol'tsovo Ural Airlines [Yekaterinburg]
Volga Penza 396th Penza Penza Air Enterprise
Saransk Saransk Saransk Air Enterprise
West Siberian Barnaul 341st Barnaul Barnaul Air Enterprise
Kemerovo 196th Kemerovo
Novokuznetsk 184th Novokuznetsk Aerokuznetsk
Omsk 365th Omsk Omsk-Avia
Tolmachovo 448th Novosibirsk-Tolmachovo Sibir'
Tomsk 119trh Tomsk Tomsk Avia
Yakutian Kolyma-Indigirka Cherskiy?
Mirnyy 190th Mirnyy Almazy Rossii – Sakha (Alrosa)
Yakutsk 139th / 3rd Squadron Yakutsk
GosNII GVF (Gosoodarstvenny Naoochno-Issledovatel'skiy Institoot Grazdahnskovo Vozdooshnovo Flota – state scientific test institute for civil air fleet) Moscow - Sheremet'yevo-1

Accidents and incidents

Specifications

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89[12]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au Gordon, Yefim. Komissarov, Dmitry & Sergey. “Antonov's Turboprop Twins”. Hinkley. Midland. 2003. ISBN 978-1-85780-153-8
  2. ^ "Aerospace Source Book 2007", Aviation Week & Space Technology, 15 January 2007.
  3. ^ Ogden (2008)
  4. ^ (Polish) D. Sałata, K. Sałata, A. Wrona, Pożegnanie Ana-26 (Goodbye to An-26) in: Skrzydlata Polska 2/2009, p.28
  5. ^ Marnix Sap, Carlo Brummer: Fortele Aeriene Romane in: Lotnictwo Nr. 4/2010, p.39 (Polish)
  6. ^ "6th Special Operations Squadron Fact Sheet". http://www2.hurlburt.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3496. 
  7. ^ ABC news story 2008-04-08
  8. ^ Flight International, 3–9 October 2006
  9. ^ Globalfligt news article 2010-03-18
  10. ^ Hradecky, Simon. "Accident: Exin AN26 at Tallinn on Aug 25th 2010, gear collapse during takeoff". Aviation Herald. http://avherald.com/h?article=430171a8&opt=0. Retrieved 26 August 2010. 
  11. ^ "DHL cargo plane crashes in Gabon, no fatalities". BNO News. http://wireupdate.com/wires/17971/dhl-cargo-plane-crashes-in-gabon-no-fatalities/. Retrieved 7 June 2011. 
  12. ^ Taylor (1988), pp. 222—223.
  • Chant, Christopher. Commercial Aircraft and Airline Markings
  • Ogden, Bob (2008). Aviation Museums and Collections of The Rest of the World. UK: Air-Britain. ISBN 978-0-85130-394-9
  • Taylor, John W.R. 1988. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89. Jane's Defence Data. ISBN 978-0-7106-0867-3.
  • Gordon, Yefim. Komissarov, Dmitry & Sergey. “Antonov's Turboprop Twins”. Hinkley. Midland. 2003. ISBN 978-1-85780-153-8

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