- published: 02 Jun 2016
- views: 565
The Antonov An-2 (Russian nickname: кукуру́зник (kukuruznik, "maize farmworker", inherited from the earlier Polikarpov Po-2); also nicknamed "Annushka" or "Annie") is a single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed in the USSR in 1946. (USAF/DoD reporting name Type 22, NATO reporting name Colt.)
The An-2 is used as a light utility transport, parachute drop aircraft, agricultural work and many other tasks suited to this large slow-flying biplane. Its slow flight and good field performance 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 for a time the longest ever, for any aircraft, but it was recently exceeded by the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.
The Antonov An-2 was designed to meet a 1947 Soviet Ministry of Forestry requirement for a replacement for the Polikarpov Po-2, which was used in large numbers in both agricultural and utility roles. Antonov designed a large single bay biplane of all-metal construction, with an enclosed cockpit and a cabin with room for seats accommodating twelve passengers. The first prototype, designated SKh-1, and powered by a Shvetsov ASh-21 radial engine, flew on 31 August 1947. The second prototype was fitted with a more powerful Shvetsov ASh-62 engine, which allowed the aircraft's payload to be significantly increased from 1,300 kg (2,870 lb) to 2,140 kg (4,720 lb), and in this form it was ordered into production.
In the morning I open my eyes
I'm lost in love and I wonder why
Will I ever happen to see you again
Will you ever come back to me in the end.
It's the morning of loneliness
It's the morning of emptiness
But I'm reaching up for the lie of pain
Reaching up, I'm running away!
I am ready to fly
I feel so high
I am ready to go
I lost control
I am ready to fly
I touch the sky
I am ready to fly... (2x)
Everytime when it seems like the end
then I think of you and I'm happy again
Yes, and everywhere I lay in my head
I will dream of you and I'm no longer sad.
It's the morning of loneliness
It's the morning of emptiness
But I'm reaching up for the lie of pain
Reaching up, I'm running away!
I am ready to fly
I feel so high
I am ready to go
I lost control
I am ready to fly
I touch the sky
I am ready to fly... (2x)
In the morning I open my eyes
I'm lost in love and I wonder why
Will I ever happen to see you again