Antonov An-2 DM-SKL VolkelA Antonov An-2 in the Deutsche Lufthansa livery. The photo was made at the 2009 Royal Dutch Air Force days in Volkel.
The Antonov An-2 (Russian nickname: кукуру́зник kukuruznik - a kolkhoz maize worker (inherited from Polikarpov Po-2)) also nicknamed "Annushka"; is an extremely durable, light, single-engine biplane which first flew on 31 August 1947 and was the first plane designed by Antonov. It is used as a light transport, capable of carrying 12 passengers, and for parachute drops and agricultural work. Its slow-flight and STOL capabilities make it suited for short, unimproved fields, and some specialized variants have also been built for cold weather and other extreme environments. The Guinness Book of World Records states that the 45-year production run for the An-2 was the longest ever, for any aircraft, only recently beaten by the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. (USAF/DoD reporting name Type 22,[2], NATO reporting name Colt.
Picture added on 22 June 2009 at 14:12
