Kiev Engineering Plant after O.K. Antonov
Kiev Engineering Plant after Antonov was originated as Design Bureau (DB)-153, which was earlier found in 1946 on the bases of Novosibirsk Yakovlev Aviation plant branch. The DB was headed by O.K.Antonov. In 1952 it was transferred into Kiev and in 1966 was renamed as Kiev Engineering Plant. In 1991 Antonov Aviation Science and Engineering Complex was founded on the bases of the Kiev Engineering Plant. The complex is oriented for four main branches: creation of transport (cargo), multipurpose and passenger airplanes as well as gliders and hangliders.
The DB development began on 1940 with the first development of the multipurpose An-2. by Antonov. However it was the next airplane the An-8 that predetermined the main orientation of the DB: development of the specialized transport airplanes for transportation and dropping of the bulk cargoes and technique as well as dropping of the paratroops. Soon after creation of the An-8, the works on the transport An-10 and its combat-transport modification of the An-12 with four turboprop engines began. The task of creation of four-engine airplanes of different purposes on the one and the same basis, differing only in the rear part of the fuselage and equipment was being solved. The diameter that was accepted was of 4.1m that was rather large. It provided comfortable accommodation of 100 passengers and cargo compartment contained military and engineering technique.
- The An-12 became the main airplane of the USSR military-transport aviation.
- The An-22 -'Antei" is a four turboprop engine airplane, destined for carrying of the large scale technique for a long distance.
- The An-26 is a transport version of the passenger An-24, destined to carry cargoes for short- and medium range distance.
- The An-32 is an airplane with two turboprop engines was developed on the bases of the An-26 for operation under hot climate conditions and on the high-mounted airfields.
- The An-72 with two turbojet engines is the USSR first airplane with shorten take-off and landing distance length.
- The An-124-"Ruslan" with four turbojet engines is a heavy wide-body transport airplane, destined for large-scale cargo transportation on long distances.
- The An-225-"Mriya" - super-heavy transport airplane.
The second branch of the DB activity deals with creation of multipurpose airplanes, which can be easily reequipped into different variants like passenger, cargo, landing, ambulance etc. For example the An-2 was a base for numerous modifications, one of which ( the An-3) has its own purpose. The An-14 with two piston engines gave rise for creation of airplanes with shorten take-off and landing distance. It was a base for creation of the An-28 with medium consumption turboprop engine.
The third branch of the DB activity is design of the An-10 passenger airplane with four turboprop engines-a medium-range airplane with capacity of 100 passengers.
The An-24 with two turboprop engines is a first in the USSR airplane with gas-turbine engines for local airlines. It was a prototype for creation of a number of modifications of their own purposes: the An-26,the An-30 ,and the An-32.
Simultaneously with airplanes development the DB was building gliders without engines like A-9, A-10, A-11, A-13, A-15 and hangliders like" Slavutich".
Sources and Methods
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/industry/antonov.htm
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