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First taking to the skies in August 1947, the Antonov An-2 has a record-setting production run and flying career that spans over four decades. The aircraft was the first design of the OKB-153 Design Bureau, led by Oleg K. Antonov and eventually based in Kiev, Ukraine. It was originally designed for civil utility uses, but its versatility allowed the An-2 to serve in a wide range of roles, including transportation, search-and-rescue, agriculture and forestry, geographical survey, fire bombing, and research. Military versions served with Soviet, later Russian, armed forces and their allies. NATO assigned the code name "Colt" to the aircraft, but it is known throughout the former Soviet Union as "Annushka" (Annie).
The An-2 is one of the largest single-engine biplanes ever produced. It was particularly prized for its versatility and extraordinary slow-flight, short takeoff, and landing capabilities. In fact, the An-2 has no published stall speed, and pilots have been known to fly the plane under full control at 30 mph. This combined with its ability to handle extreme weather conditions and rough, makeshift runways made it an ideal workforce in undeveloped and remote operational environments.
In addition to its original factory in Novosibirsk in the former Soviet Union, the plane has seen production runs in the Ukraine, Poland, and China. It is equipped with a single 1,000-horsepower 9-cylinder Shvetsov ASh-62 radial engine. It has been produced in dozens of variants that span civil, military, and scientific uses.
The Museum's An-2 was manufactured in 1977. In April 1998, the aircraft, named Polar 1, recreated a 1928 transpolar flight originally made by Hubert Wilkins and Ben Eielson from Barrow, Alaska, USA to Spitsbergen, Norway. The recreation flight included a landing at the North Pole on April 13, 1998. The An-2 was donated to the Museum by owner Shane Lundgren and Air Berlin. In July 1999, Captain Lundgren, an Air Berlin pilot, flew the An-2 across the Atlantic and mainland United States to Seattle.
First taking to the skies in August 1947, the Antonov An-2 has a record-setting production run and flying career that spans over four decades. The aircraft was the first design of the OKB-153 Design Bureau, led by Oleg K. Antonov and eventually based in Kiev, Ukraine. It was originally designed for civil utility uses, but its versatility allowed the An-2 to serve in a wide range of roles, including transportation, search-and-rescue, agriculture and forestry, geographical survey, fire bombing, and research. Military versions served with Soviet, later Russian, armed forces and their allies. NATO assigned the code name "Colt" to the aircraft, but it is known throughout the former Soviet Union as "Annushka" (Annie).
The An-2 is one of the largest single-engine biplanes ever produced. It was particularly prized for its versatility and extraordinary slow-flight, short takeoff, and landing capabilities. In fact, the An-2 has no published stall speed, and pilots have been known to fly the plane under full control at 30 mph. This combined with its ability to handle extreme weather conditions and rough, makeshift runways made it an ideal workforce in undeveloped and remote operational environments.
In addition to its original factory in Novosibirsk in the former Soviet Union, the plane has seen production runs in the Ukraine, Poland, and China. It is equipped with a single 1,000-horsepower 9-cylinder Shvetsov ASh-62 radial engine. It has been produced in dozens of variants that span civil, military, and scientific uses.
The Museum's An-2 was manufactured in 1977. In April 1998, the aircraft, named Polar 1, recreated a 1928 transpolar flight originally made by Hubert Wilkins and Ben Eielson from Barrow, Alaska, USA to Spitsbergen, Norway. The recreation flight included a landing at the North Pole on April 13, 1998. The An-2 was donated to the Museum by owner Shane Lundgren and Air Berlin. In July 1999, Captain Lundgren, an Air Berlin pilot, flew the An-2 across the Atlantic and mainland United States to Seattle.
