Eastern Express 14480 Heavy Transport aircraft An-22 late version

The Antonov An-22 (NATO designation: Cock) is a still used Soviet high-wing transport aircraft from the post-war period. The drive was provided by four turboprop engines Kuznetsov NK-12MA with 15,000 hp each. The prototype flight took place in 1965. Serial production was carried out in the years 1965-1975, and about 70 aircraft of this type were created during it.

The An-22 aircraft was designed at the Antonov Design Bureau as a new long-range transport aircraft for the Soviet armed forces. To shorten the research and development work, many components and elements from the An-12 aircraft were used. Finally, at the time of the An-22 flight, it was the largest aircraft of this class in the world powered by turboprop engines! The plane was constructed in such a way that, despite its considerable weight and size, it could operate from airports with short runways, and even from unpaved runways. Thanks to its powerful engines, the An-22 is able to carry up to 80 tons of cargo, and in a single experimental flight it rose into the air carrying 100 tons of cargo. Aircraft of this type have been or are still operated by Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and the USSR.