Antonov An-24 SSSR-46746 AeroflotPhotographed at Monino Air Force Museum on 24 August 2009. C/n 47300903.
This (NATO reporting name: Coke) is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau. It was first flown in 1959, and over 1,000 An-24s were built.
It was designed to replace veteran piston Il-14 transport on short to medium haul trips. The design of the aircraft was optimised for operating from rough strips and unprepared airports in remote locations. The high-wing layout protects engines and blades from debris, and the power-to-weight ratio is higher than that of many comparable aircraft. The machine is rugged and does not require sophisticated ground equipment for maintenance.
The prototype build and the main production line was at the Kiev-Svyatoshin (now "Aviant") aircraft production plant which built 985 and 180 were built at Ulan Ude. A further production line at Irkutsk built 197 freighter variants. China's Xian Aircraft Manufacturing Company makes copies of the An-24 as the Yunshuji Y-7. Production continues in China, though production in Ukraine was shut down in 1978.
See also
picture #9015 for an An-24 that is still in service.
Picture added on 13 September 2009 at 08:56
