Antonov An-3

Antonov An-3
An-3T of the MTschS
Type:	Multipurpose aircraft
Design country:	Soviet Union
Manufacturer:	Antonov
First flight:	May 13, 1980
Commissioning:	1998
Production time:	1997 – today

The Antonov An-3 is a multipurpose biplane aircraft of Soviet origin and is based on the Antonov An-2 . In contrast to this, it is equipped with a 705 kW (960 PS) turboprop engine of the Gluschenko TWD-10 B type. Later machines were equipped with the TWD-20 and called An-3T (transport variant for up to twelve people or 1800 kg freight) or An-3SCh ("Selsko-Chosjaistwenni" = agricultural).

development

Considerations to modernize the An-2 with a turbo-propulsion existed since the end of the 1950s. The planning for a new standard agricultural aircraft began as early as 1972. They were made by OKB Antonow without an official commission as an alternative to the Polish agricultural aircraft M-15 "Belphegor" which was in the development phase at that time , the actually intended successor to the An-2, carried out. Chief designer Oleg Antonov considered its unconventional design as a jet-powered biplane for an aircraft of this category to be wrong. However, the An-3 project only became concrete with a decision by the Ministry of Aviation Industry in December 1977 to build the aircraft the following year, because it gradually became clear that the M-15 would in fact not be suitable for its intended task. An An-2 with the work number 1G163-21 and the (Cyrillic) license plate СССР-26700 served as the starting point , which was converted accordingly in the Gostomel plant and provided with a TWD-20 engine. Other changes included the installation of an additional door between frames 5 and 6 on the left-hand side as direct access to the cockpit and the installation of a 1500-liter spray container in the cargo hold, including the distribution system. In February 1980 the work was completed and the prototype , now with the serial number 379-01 and the registration number СССР-37901 , carried out the first flight on May 13 with the pilot S. A. Gorbik and the chief engineer P. D. Ignatenko. During testing, problems arose with the compressed air-operated spray system, which caused a massive drop in engine performance when it was put into operation. After an almost crash during a demonstration, the tried and tested An-2 system was used, which got its power from a small propeller driven by the airflow. The further tests continued in December 1981 in the Crimea and were successfully completed. A low directional stability and unstable steering at speeds of 130 to 150 km / h that were still inherited from the An-2 should be eliminated by a modified rudder . Since the Comecon was still sticking to the M-15 as the standard agricultural aircraft for its member countries and the engine had reached the operating limit, the program was put on hold for the time being.

The prototype at the MAKS in August 1997

In order to revive interest in the An-3, three world records in the class C-1e were flown by test pilot S. A. Gorbik on December 13, 1985 at the instigation of P. W. Balalujew, who was appointed chief designer after Oleg Antonov's death. He carried 1000 kg or 2000 kg payload at 6200 m and 2375 kg at 2000 m altitude. But again there was no reaction on the part of the Soviet leadership. State testing only began a year later in April. The 95 test flights carried out up to August 1986 with a total flight time of 63:30 h showed that the directional stability still left a lot to be desired, the control pressures during landing were also very high and the effectiveness of the rudder when taking off with crosswinds was too low. With an enlargement of the tail surfaces and the rudder as well as the installation of a trim mechanism , the deficiencies could be eliminated. The further acceptance was carried out satisfactorily and showed the complete suitability of the An-3 for agricultural aircraft.

In 1988 it was decided to replace the TWD-20, which no longer met the requirements, with a TWD-1500, but its development was discontinued due to the collapse of the Eastern Bloc , which meant another end of the program. The last flights took place in 1989, there was no series production. It was not decided to resume until 1997 after a market analysis had shown a need of around 1200 An-2 modernized to the An-3 level. The prototype, which had been parked outdoors since 1989, was reactivated and exhibited at the MAKS that same year . In the autumn of that year, the factory of the “Poljot” production association in Omsk began retrofitting the first aircraft, which was approved as the An-3T at the beginning of the next year and flew for the first time on February 17, 1998. On August 31, 2000 the certification tests were completed and the MAK certificate No. St 191-An-3T was issued for the sample. The following month it was presented at a trade fair in Kiev . A demonstration also took place in China in mid-November 2000. Since then, the An-3T has been in production in manageable numbers. By July 1, 2004, “Poljot” had retrofitted 17 aircraft. Use with a ski chassis is also possible.

Technical specifications

Parameter	Data
crew	2-3
Passengers	12
length	13.68 m
span	above 18.17 m below 14.24 m
height	4.89 m
Cabin dimensions (length × width × height)	4.21 m × 1.65 m × 1.85 m
Wing area	71.60 m²
Empty mass	3200 kg
payload	approx. 2200 kg
Takeoff mass	Max. 5800 kg
Engine	a turboprop Gluschenko TWD-20M
power	1066 kW (1450 hp)
Cruising speed	250 km / h
Working speed	180 km / h
Top speed	260 km / h
Wing loading	81 kg / m²
Power to weight ratio	0.18 kW / kg / 0.25 PS / kg
Takeoff route	140 m
Landing route	100 m
Rate of climb	4 m / s
Service ceiling	5000 m
Range	min. 300 km max. 1025 km

literature

• Dieter Stammer: Antonow An-3. Difficult succession for the An-2 "Anuschka". In: Fliegerrevue X No. 79, PPV Medien, Bergkirchen 2019, ISSN 2195-1233, pp. 98-109.

Web links

Commons : Antonov An-3  - Collection of Images

• Description of the Antonov An-3
• Manufacturer website with information on AN-3 (English)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Antonov / Antonov An-3. Flugzeuginfo.net, September 23, 2012, accessed November 24, 2012 . 
2. ↑ An-2: Versions, variants, sub-types ( Memento of May 3, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
3. ^ Antonov An-3 (Ukraine), Aircraft - Fixed-wing - Civil. articles.janes.com, November 2, 2011, accessed November 24, 2012 . 
4. ↑ 1000 aircraft. Naumann & Göbel Verlagsgesellschaft, p. 32.
5. ↑ Fliegerrevue No. 1/1987, p. 31
6. ^ Antonov An-2 / An-3. airlines-inform.com, accessed November 24, 2012 .