Antonov An-72

Antonov An-72
Antonov An-72
Type:	STOL - transport aircraft
Design country:	Soviet Union
Manufacturer:	Antonov
First flight:	August 31, 1977
Production time:	1982-1993
Number of pieces:	121

The Antonov An-72 ( NATO reporting name : Coaler ) is a Soviet - STOL -Transportflugzeug for short and medium distances. It has been specially designed for use in arctic regions. For this purpose, their two turbofan engines are arranged in front of and above the wings and guide the air flow over the wings in order to increase lift ( Coandă effect ). In addition, less snow is sucked in.

development and construction

The machine is designed as a shoulder wing. It has a retractable nose wheel landing gear . The main landing gear is located in bulges on the fuselage and is therefore short and robust. It can also be used from unpaved slopes and ice surfaces.

The machine has a raised T- tail so that a loading ramp could be installed in the rear fuselage area. The raised engines help to shorten the take-off and landing distances to less than 500 m ( STOL : Short Take Off and Landing). This arrangement was also used in the Antonov An-32 , which, however, has raised turboprop engines. The first flight took place on August 31, 1977. The first use of a total of eight pre-series models (including two Antonov An-74s) did not begin until December 1985. The Soviet Air Force took over the first aircraft in 1987. Since the start of production, 102 units have been manufactured, which are in worldwide use.

Versions

Various variants of the An-72 have been tested, but only a few have been built. The An-72R was also considered a test vehicle for the Antonov An-88 program, which was also not carried out . The Antonow An-74 and Antonow An-71 are further variants of the An-72.

An-72 "Coaler-A"

Ten airworthy machines and a fuselage for static tests were built for test purposes. Two of these were prototypes and six pre-series machines of the An-72 and two of the An-74 version.

An-72A "Coaler-C"

This first series variant of the STOL transporter had a slightly elongated fuselage and widened wings compared to the pre-series machines.

An-72AT "Coaler-C '"

This variant, specially tailored to freight transport, is designed so that it can transport standard freight containers .

An-72S "Coaler-C"

This salon variant, hence the "S", is the VIP variant of the An-72. A galley and a relaxation room for the crew are set up directly behind the cockpit. In the separated main cabin, 24 passengers can be seated in luxurious armchairs. If necessary, the fuselage can be converted to transport 38 passengers with economy class seating, roller floor for cargo or with eight stretchers as an ambulance aircraft.

An-72P "Coaler"

With this variant, the combat zone transporter can be converted into an auxiliary bomber or an armed maritime surveillance aircraft in a short time. In addition to the suspension stations and the bomb crane, sensors and cameras are also built in to find a target. The use of laser-guided Griffin bombs, torpedoes and depth bombs against submarines is possible. For this purpose, Antonow, together with IAI , equipped the variant with the necessary electronics. If necessary, this variant can also be converted into a combat zone transporter for 22 paratroopers. So far only a prototype is available.

An-72R "Coaler"

This reconnaissance variant, which was never mass-produced, was also equipped with a side-view radar .

Military users

 Angola ( Angolan Air Force )

an unknown number An-72

 Egypt ( Egyptian Air Force )

9 × An-74T-200A and four more ordered

 Georgia ( Georgian Air Force )

an unknown number An-72

 Iran ( Iranian Air Force )

4 × An-74TK-200

7 × An-74T-200

 Libya ( Libyan Air Force )

an unknown number An-74

 Moldova ( Moldovan Air Force )

2 × An-72

 Peru ( Peruvian Air Force )

2 × An-72

 Russia ( Russian Air Force )

40 × An-72 in 2017

 Ukraine ( Ukrainian Air Force )

26 × An-72/74

Incidents

• On April 21, 2002, an An-72 of the Estonian airline Enimex ( aircraft registration ES-NOP ) was damaged in a very hard landing at Wamena Airport in the Indonesian province of Papua , whereupon a small fire broke out due to hydraulic leaks. The only vehicle of the airport fire brigade could not be started because the battery was empty. Then some firefighters ran to the plane with hand fire extinguishers. After 20 minutes the battery of the fire engine was charged enough to start the engine and drive to the burning aircraft. The machine - on the way on behalf of Trigana Air Service - was irreparably damaged. The only occupants, four crew members, were uninjured.

• On December 25, 2012, an An-72 of the Kazakh Air Force crashed not far from Shymkent , Kazakhstan . 27 people died, including the commander in chief of the Kazakh border troops, Colonel Turganbek Stambekov.

• An An-72 operated by the Congolese Air Force was missing on October 10, 2019. There were 8 people on board, including three crew members from Russia.

Technical specifications

Antonov An-72 of Aeroflot

Three-sided view of the An-72

Parameter	Data
crew	3-5
Passengers	Max. 68
length	28.07 m
span	31.89 m
height	9.20 m
payload	7500 kg
Cruising speed	550-600 km / h
Top speed	705 km / h
Service ceiling	11,800 m
Range	1000-3200 km
Engines	2 × ZMKB Progress D36 , each 63.7 kN

Armament

If necessary, a bomb lift and three suspension stations can be attached under the wings and on the fuselage in the rear loading ramp.

Armament up to 2,500 kg at three suspension stations and a bomb lift

Unguided air-to-surface missiles

• 2 × UB-32A-57 missile tube launch container for 32 unguided air-to-surface missiles S-5 in caliber 57 mm

Unguided free-fall bombs

• 4 × FAB-100 (100 kg free fall bomb )

External container

• 2 × machine cannon container UPK-23-250, each with a double-barreled 23 mm machine cannon Gsch-23 and 250 rounds of ammunition (fragmentation explosive and tank incendiary projectiles)

See also

• Boeing YC-14

Web links

Commons : Antonov An-72  - Collection of Images

• Detailed photo gallery on EnglishRussia.com

Individual evidence

1. ↑ [1]
2. ↑ IL-276 - (man) waiting in the army , Izvestia , October 20, 2017
3. ^ Accident report AN-72 ES-NOP , Aviation Safety Network (English), accessed on December 20, 2016.
4. ↑ Kazakhstan military plane crash 'kills 27' near Shymkent. Article on BBC News of December 25, 2012. Retrieved December 25, 2012 at 9:24 pm.
5. ↑ Manifestation au siège de l'UDPS à Kinshasa sur fond de rumeurs sur la sécurité du président Félix Tshisekedi
6. ↑ The embassy reported on the Russian crash aboard the An-72 in Africa , Vedomosti, October 11, 2019