“Kukuruznik” is a legend of Soviet aviation. "Kukuruznik" - a legend of Soviet aviation Military Kukuruznik an 2

Instructions

“Corn maker” is a hereditary nickname. The An-2 aircraft is the most famous, but not the first and not the last in this glorious family. The history of corn planes began with the USSR and continues to this day.

Background of the cornmen

The 5 most important tasks of the first five-year plan included the development of livestock farming. Scientists sounded the alarm: per capita meat consumption fell to catastrophic levels. If the consumption of animal protein is not brought to normal levels, the degeneration of the people is inevitable.

The half-mad, cruel despot Stalin and his minions could not be denied strategic abilities, and the warnings of doctors were taken with all seriousness. The only way out of the situation seemed to be a transition to keeping livestock in stalls, which was practiced sporadically in Tsarist Russia.

For stall housing, you need cheap, complete feed for ruminant animals - silage. Its most abundant source is corn. In addition, it produces highly valuable grains and medicines. Therefore, back in the mid-20s of the last century, corn began to be introduced into cultivation in the USSR.

But the overseas newcomer primarily appealed to domestic crop pests: the experimental crops were eaten clean. It was necessary to develop and apply plant protection products.

Experiments in the fields of the All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Protection (VNIIZR), which was created at the same time and still operates today, showed the high cost and low efficiency of manual or mechanized spraying of crops with biocides from the ground. Then someone from Stalin’s entourage (according to unverified information, Sergo Ordzhonikidze) suggested using aviation. The decision for that time was far from trivial: agricultural aviation throughout the world was just in its infancy.

History of the name

For the first experiments, Yakovlev's sports cars AIR-1 and AIR-2 were adapted for spraying. At first, the agricultural pilots were nicknamed “corn farmers” by their brave colleagues, but soon the ironic nickname acquired an honorable meaning: work in agricultural aviation required extreme effort, attention and the highest flying skill.

Specific machines were also required for agricultural aviation: cheap and easy to manufacture, economical (a lot of fuel was spent on frequent takeoffs and landings), reliable, not requiring an equipped ground base, durable, capable of long low-level flights under the control of an average-skilled pilot, as they say now. – in terrain following mode without continuous manual trajectory correction.

AIRs satisfied most of these requirements. They became the first “maize” aircraft. But according to one of the conditions, the machines, originally intended for flying clubs, did not pass in any way: their flight life was short, and during agricultural work they became unusable literally within a season. An aircraft of a special design was required.

The first real corn grower

It must be said that the leaders of the USSR and designers did not have to rack their brains over the concept and creation of a new machine: on January 7, 1927, it made its first flight, and in 1929 the legendary light multi-purpose biplane U-2 (Po-2) designed by N.N. went into production. Polikarpova. Initially, the qualities inherent in it more than satisfied all possible and impossible operating conditions. Including in agricultural aviation, there was also an agricultural modification of the U-2СХ in production, see Fig.

Po-2 became a “corn grower” automatically, by inheritance. But already in the pre-war years he became more famous as a “wolfhound”, “forester” and “orderly”.

After the Civil War, wolves multiplied incredibly; their packs of thousands in the winter devoured all living things, including people; The mass extermination of predators from the air made it possible to bring the wolf population under control. Air patrols of forests and fighting forest fires have also proven to be very effective.

But the main merit of Po-2 before the war was that with its help it was possible to defeat malaria, which was decimating people in Transcaucasia and Central Asia. In order to save moisture, storage reservoirs (istyls, houses) there were densely planted with vegetation, became nurseries for the transmitter of malarial plasmodium - the Anopheles mosquito - and were accessible for sanitary treatment only from the air.

For the pilots, it was hellish work associated with mortal risk: a whole day, with short breaks for food and refueling, dive after dive into the green well. The slightest wrong movement of the handle or pedals – and that’s the end, there is no headroom. True, the exceptional flight qualities of the Po-2 helped out.

As for corn, by the mid-30s experiments with it were postponed. Agronomists could not understand the reasons for her whims, but for commercial animals they managed to get by with clover, lupine and alfalfa.

Cornhusker goes to war

The civilian nicknames of Po-2 were fairly forgotten because of the war, but not because the corn farmer himself remained behind the lines. On the contrary, they were completely eclipsed by its military glory: a low-speed plywood biplane with only 100 hp. Unambiguously recognized as the most successful aircraft of World War II.

The Po-2 light night bombers initially caused laughter in the Wehrmacht. They were called “Russian plywood”, “coffee grinders”, “sewing machines”. But soon the laughter gave way to uterine horror: all night long Po-2 quietly, at low level with muffled sounds, treated the enemy with small bombs as steadily and methodically as weevil-infested fields with pesticides.

I had to baptize the maize plant into the “black death”, like another legendary aircraft, the Il-2 attack aircraft, the “night devil” and the “vampire”. The “Russian Plywood” did not cause much direct damage to the enemy; the weak engine did not allow it to take on a large combat load. But harassing raids were extremely effective indirectly. According to Field Marshal von Bock, the loss of combat effectiveness of soldiers simply because they could not get enough sleep was no less than from direct daytime strikes by the Il-2. Which were by no means weak.

The “Heavenly Slug” did not experience large overloads in flight, so many Po-2 regiments were staffed with female crews. The Nazis nicknamed them “night witches,” and they themselves did not perceive this name as a metaphor. The secret recommendation of the Ahnenerbe (fascist mystical-esoteric service) is known: under no circumstances should captured “night witches” be taken prisoner. Otherwise, they say, the Aryan spirit will disappear, and the “Übermensch” will turn into a subhuman.

Revival in a new quality

The war ended with the triumph of the Soviet Union, and the task arose no longer to survive somehow, but to develop comprehensively. In connection with this, livestock farming and silage have again acquired particular importance.

Meanwhile, the secret behind the vagaries of corn was revealed: it is one of the plants with the so-called kranz syndrome. They need a lot of heat and light, but you shouldn’t pamper them with oily soil and sufficient moisture - the plant will switch its metabolism, the yield will fall, and far from its homeland in higher latitudes it will also begin to get sick. It is this circumstance that explains the final rooting of corn in our country in the 50s, and the speeches of the “bald clown” Nikita Khrushchev are just the tip of the iceberg.

The switch to corn silage made it possible to free up a lot of fertile land for food crops, but the pests did not lose their taste for corn. Again a corn plane was needed, but not a Po-2. The celestial slugs were still in production, but they clearly could not cope with the upcoming volumes of work.

And again there was no need to look for the car: in 1947, the Antonov An-2 flew. Its concept is the same as that of the Po-2: a multi-purpose, cheap, economical and eternal biplane. But the economical engine of A.D. Shvetsov ASh-62IR with 1000 hp. completely transformed the car: the new maize truck no longer lifted 300 kg of payload with effort, but one and a half tons freely, and a fuel supply of 1240 liters allowed it to be in the air for more than 6 hours without landing at a cruising speed for agricultural work of 135-150 km/h.

That is, the new corn worker could work a full shift without diving every now and then to the airfield. As a result, the cost of processing fields decreased by 2-4 times and its use became economically justified. That's why the An-2 became a corn farmer forever.

The story continues

By the early 80s, there was a need to replace the corn grower's heart. The ASh-62IR, developed before the war, no longer met the requirements of the time: after the oil crisis of the 70s, the price of a barrel of oil jumped fivefold, and the expensive B-70 aviation gasoline no longer fit into the economic indicators.

The corn farmer's glider seemed (and turned out to be) eternal, so it was decided to simply change the engine to a turboprop engine (TVD) running on cheap kerosene. This is how a new corn farmer was born - the An-3, originally planned as an agricultural modification of the An-3SKh, see fig. The An-3 made its first flight in 1980.

Selecting or making a turbine engine for the celestial low-speed vehicle turned out to be a difficult task, and when the TVD-20, developed specifically for the An-2 in Omsk, was completed, the USSR had already collapsed. Therefore, the new corn plant went into production only in 2000. Engine power 1350 hp. made it possible to increase the commercial load to 1800 kg, and filling with chemicals for agricultural work to 2200 liters. The An-3 also received new instruments and radio navigation equipment.

The story continues

Operating experience has shown that converting the maize plant to a turbine turned out to be a mistake. The turboprop engine is economical on airliners, where it operates in optimal mode almost the entire flight time, but on a “do-all-trades” aircraft it consumes too much kerosene for current prices for petroleum products. Therefore, the An-3 took root well only in the Ministry of Emergency Situations, where its incredible endurance and “penetrating ability” were just right. In 2009, production of the new generation corn mill was discontinued.

Meanwhile, engine scientists, using computer modeling and modern materials, have made a quiet but profound revolution in the development of piston engines. And the need for corn machines has not decreased at all.

The old An-2s were not scrapped; they are laid up. According to the condition of the airframe, they can still fly and fly, only the motors are worn out. Therefore, in the same 2009, a government decree was adopted in the Russian Federation on the revival of the An-2 fleet on the basis of remotorization. And then it turned out that it was very difficult to find a ready-made engine worthy of the outstanding qualities of a corn grower; those abroad had forgotten how to make such durable and hardy engines.

Nevertheless, work is underway to create a new “heart” of the An-2 and we, presumably, will soon be able to see the cornflower in the sky again. The glorious tribe of corn farmers will not die out or degenerate: we all really need them.

Curious facts

The first real corn farmer, Po-2, during the war, presented our people with another pleasant surprise and an unpleasant surprise for our enemies. Little is known to the general public that radars were already used quite widely during the war. The air defense of Moscow and Leningrad was provided by the Redut radar, and the Pe-3 night fighters with the onboard radar made a significant contribution to the destruction of the “air bridge” that the Germans tried to build to Paulus’ army encircled in Stalingrad.

The Germans also had radars, and they were quite good. But they turned out to be powerless against the Po-2: the plywood and canvas for the radar beam are transparent. So the celestial slug also turned out to be a stealth vehicle of that time.

The An-2 is listed in the Guinness Book three times: as the largest single-engine biplane in the world (before the appearance of the An-3), as the longest-lived aircraft (in production for more than 65 years; still produced in China under the name Fong Shu-2) and as the most popular light multi-purpose aircraft (more than 18,000 copies were produced, of which approximately 11,500 were produced in Poland).

Based on the An-2, the An-2E ekranoplane was created, see Fig. Ekranoplans fly using the effect of a dynamic air cushion under the wing of a special configuration. In terms of fuel consumption per ton-kilometer of cargo, they are comparable to semi-trucks, but fly 5-10 times faster. The Russian Federation is the only country in the world that can cost ekranoplanes. Already in the USSR, combat and military transport models were in service, but until the end of the last century they were considered secret. Currently, the Russian Navy has the Orlyonok amphibious ekranoplanes and the Lun attack aircraft. The creation of Soviet/Russian ekranoplanes was started by the author of the hydrofoil ships “Raketa”, “Meteor”, “Kometa” and others, Rostislav Alekseev.

The An-2, like its younger brother, did not avoid participation in hostilities. He did not deserve the same great fame, but in several local conflicts he showed himself to be a good light attack aircraft. Armament - 2 machine guns, 16 NURS and 250 kg of bombs.

A 5-year-old Chinese boy, He Yide (Dodo), after a month of training, made an independent flight lasting 35 minutes on the An-2. Thus, Dodo entered the Guinness Book as the youngest pilot in the world and showed adult pilots: “Just don’t disturb the corn man, he will fly on his own. And in order not to crash, you don’t need to drink before takeoff or yawn around.”

Good day! The other day I assembled a model of the legendary Po-2 aircraft, or as people say, “Cornmaker” (for variety). This is what happened.

I think we shouldn’t forget “Corn Man”.

Now a little about Po-2:

U-2 or Po-2 (according to NATO codification: Mule - “Mule”) is a multi-purpose biplane created under the leadership of N. N. Polikarpov in 1928. One of the most popular aircraft in the world.

Story:

In 1926, the Air Force Administration set a task for aviation designers - to create for flight schools an easy-to-produce and maintain, reliable initial training aircraft powered by the serial domestic M-11 engine of 100 hp. With. designs by A. D. Shvetsov and N. M. Okromeshko. The team, headed by N. N. Polikarpov, produced a prototype of the aircraft in 1927. Tests have shown that, according to its data, the machine does not meet the requirements. The designers have prepared another version of the machine. In January 1928, a new prototype U-2 (training-second) aircraft was handed over for testing. It was tested in the air by M. M. Gromov, then several more test pilots checked it

Description:

According to the design, the U-2 aircraft is a typical biplane with an M-11 air-cooled engine with a power of 100 hp. With. This aircraft had a wide range of applications in agriculture, communications and other areas. There were headquarters and sanitary, intended for aerial photography, passenger, float and many other modifications. In 1932, a combat training version of the U-2 (U-2ВС) was developed, which could carry six 8-kilogram bombs on holders, and in the rear cabin of the vehicle there was a shooting point with a PV-1 machine gun.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, production of the U-2 was organized at aircraft plant No. 387. The existing standard versions of the U-2 began to be converted into light night bombers. Refinement was carried out both in the Polikarpov Design Bureau, and at serial factories and in the active army by the engineering and technical staff of combat units and aircraft repair shops. As a result, the design of the combat U-2 had a large number of different options. The bomb load varied from 100 kg to 350 kg.

The flight qualities of the U-2 fluctuated depending on the purposes for which the aircraft was used and what changes were made to its equipment. But in all cases, the aircraft remained reliable, easy and obedient to fly. The U-2 could take off and land at the smallest airfields and even at unprepared sites. The empty weight of the aircraft in the training version is 635-656 kg, in others - up to 750 kg; take-off - from 890 to 1100 kg, with bombs - up to 1400 kg. Maximum speed - from 130 to 150 km/h, cruising - 100-120 km/h, landing - 60-70 km/h, ceiling - 3800 m, take-off and run - 100-150 m.

After the death of N.N. Polikarpov in 1944, the plane was renamed Po-2 in honor of its creator. The U-2 was built serially until 1953, 33,000 vehicles were built.

Production

By the end of 1928, tests of the pilot series were completed, after which preparations for mass production began at Leningrad plant No. 23. The first two U-2s were produced by the plant in May 1929. From May to September 1929, 19 U-2s were built.

In the 30s, the U-2 was produced and repaired by Leningrad plants No. 23 and No. 47. In connection with the development of new types of aircraft by plant No. 23, the production of the U-2 was transferred to the new Leningrad aircraft plant No. 387, which from April 1941 became release U-2.

During the Second World War, the U-2 and its modifications were produced at plant No. 387, evacuated to Kazan, as well as at factories: No. 464 (Dolgoprudny), No. 471 (Shumerlya), No. 494 (Kozlovka). In Moscow, at aircraft factory No. 51, modified U-2 aircraft were built: on floats, and also special ones for conducting radio broadcasts from the air.

Combat use:

The U-2 had a number of advantages:

Firstly, it was extremely simple and cheap to produce and operate, and was easy to repair, which made its production extremely profitable for the USSR, in which the low cost and simplicity of technology were of particular importance.

Secondly, the plane was very easy to fly and even an inexperienced pilot could fly it freely. The U-2 “forgave” the pilot many mistakes that on another plane would inevitably lead to an accident. for this reason, the U-2 was the main training aircraft of the Soviet Air Force. For example, it was almost impossible to put the car into a spin; if the pilot released the control surfaces, the plane began to glide at a rate of descent of 1 meter per second and, if there was a flat surface below, could land on it independently. Finally, the U-2 could land and take off literally from a dirt “patch” - an extremely small place for a take-off run, which made it indispensable for communicating with partisans.

Thirdly, the U-2 had a low speed and therefore could not fly at low altitudes, while faster aircraft risked crashing into hills, trees, and terrain folds. This made it possible to use the aircraft for attacking and bombing enemy positions, although combat sorties were carried out, as a rule, at night, since during the day the aircraft became easy prey for enemy fighters and could be shot down by ground fire even from small arms. All these advantages of the U-2 led to the fact that it was widely used in the USSR Air Force in the following qualities:

Night bomber

U-2s were widely used for so-called “harassment raids” at night on front-line enemy troops.

One of the tactics was that light bombers approached the target with engines set to low throttle or at an ultra-low altitude and, thanks to this, remained invisible to enemy air defense systems until the very last moment.

Despite the small bomb load, such bombings had a certain effect. From low altitude, bombing was carried out with very high accuracy, despite even the dark time of day and primitive aiming means. After dropping the bombs, the bomber tried to quickly leave, picking up maximum speed.
According to the recollections of Soviet pilots who flew the U-2, after the aircraft was factory modified in 1942, the bomb load was significantly increased - up to 250 kg (in some cases - up to 500 kg), sorties were sometimes carried out up to fourteen times a night. “Kaffeemühle” (coffee grinder), “Haltsnähmaschine” (sewing machine) - this is what Wehrmacht soldiers called the U-2, which caused a lot of trouble for the enemy in the front line.

But the main uses, of course, were the functions of a reconnaissance aircraft and a communications aircraft. There was also a sanitary option. Due to its ability to take off from any site, it was widely used when working with partisans. In addition, U-2 aircraft were also used to parachute small sabotage and reconnaissance groups and individuals.

Women pilots

In the fall of 1941, the USSR Air Force began the formation of aviation units staffed by women. One of the women's air regiments was armed with U-2 aircraft

Now about the Po-2 model from the ceiling:

The An-2 aircraft was produced in the USSR and was used for several purposes at once: agricultural, air transport, sports. Over the entire period, about 18 thousand An-2 aircraft were manufactured, and it was the only airplane that was even included in the Guinness Book of Records as having been in operation for over 60 years. It was manufactured not only in the USSR, but also in Poland, and is also now produced in the DPRK.

The machine was once manufactured for export to 26 countries on the planet, and some of its copies have been in operation for over 40 years and have 20,000 flight hours.

Photos of the An-2 can be seen below. Surely it will interest fans of aircraft construction.

The An-2 aircraft was the first developed by OKB-153 in 1946. It was an aircraft for agricultural use called SHA-1, and later it was renamed An-2.

The development was directly supervised by the Chief Designer of OKB-153 O.K. Antonov. The company was given a goal: to develop a simple and reliable aircraft that would not require a special aircraft.

The first test of the aircraft was carried out by pilot Volodin in August 1947, the machine made 2 circles at an altitude of 1.2 km, and landed after a half-hour flight. State tests were carried out in December of the same year and ended in March 1948, after which the aircraft was transferred to the Air Force. The airplane was put into production in Kyiv, at plant number 473. In 1949, in September, test pilot Lysenko tested the first large-scale An-2 aircraft.

Airplane cockpit

The airplane turned out to be so successful that it is still in operation today; it is still produced in China. Its advantages for agricultural machinery were already appreciated by Nikita Khrushchev; during his reign, the aircraft was especially actively used. It is impossible to overestimate the role of the An-2 aircraft, which it played for the development of the Far North, Siberia, and Central Asia, since it can take off from any site; its characteristics allowed gliding with the engine turned off.

More than 20 variations of the An-2 were created.

In the 50s, the aircraft's drawings were transferred to Poland, and it was manufactured there until 2002. In mid-2017, many small aviation tasks are still carried out by the An-2.

Speaking about the plane, some call it the An-2 maize plane, but they confuse it with the Po-2 air machine, which has such a colloquial name. They say that the first field that was treated with insecticides from this machine was corn.

AN-2 modifications

Aircraft modernization

In 2011, Russia decided to carry out an operation to re-engine the An-2 aircraft, but there was no production of aircraft engines in the country, so they decided to turn to Honeywell from America and ordered it to produce 40 engines. 25 cars were converted, but engine production did not go into series production because there was no demand.

Next year, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation announced its readiness to modernize up to 800 An-2 aircraft. The re-equipment was supposed to cover the replacement of engines and navigation equipment; the transformation of one such airliner would cost 850 thousand dollars.

In the summer of 2013, the Kiev enterprise Antonov announced tests of the An-2-100 aircraft with a turboprop engine. The car was fueled with kerosene, not gasoline, and it had an MS-14 engine manufactured by the Zaporozhye company Motor Sich. It was immediately planned to re-equip some AN-2 models into An-2-100 in the CIS countries where these aircraft are on the balance sheet.

In 2017, based on the AN-2, the Baikal model was developed - a lightweight all-composite aircraft. Its first tests have already been carried out and serial production is scheduled for 2021 in Ulan-Ude. The Yakut airline will be the first to operate it.

Description of the aircraft diagram

The An-2 engine is piston, air-cooled, with a power of 1000 hp. Schematically, the aircraft is made in the form of a braced biplane, the fuselage and wings are made of aluminum. On the upper wings are located:

• slats;
• slotted flaps;
• ailerons.

The lower ones have only slotted flaps. The fuel tanks are located in the upper wing of the aircraft. The wheels can be replaced with skis if necessary, and the chassis does not fold. The vehicle's crew consists of only two members; the An-2's cabin is made convex, which improves visibility. The machine has features that are used to adapt to takeoffs from unpaved sites and operation on short runways.

Designed to be similar to those used in heavy vehicle applications, air brakes are pressure controlled by an on-board compressor. There is no need to use ground devices. To start the motor there are batteries on board and you do not need a launcher.

There is a transfer pump on board, with which you can pump fuel from any containers into the fuel tanks during refueling. Other aircraft require a special tanker.

The aircraft has a simple design and is quite easy to fly, the maximum speed of the An-2 is 300 km/h, the load capacity is 1500 kg.

For other technical characteristics of the An-2, see the table in the figure.

Airplane control

Pilots who have flown the plane say that it flies well at low speeds, up to about 50 km/h. When the speed decreases automatically, the slat extends and the car flies further. The aircraft can glide at a speed of 40 km/h and with the engine turned off, which allows it to be used at night and in case of engine failure. This is the largest single-engine biplane aircraft known in the world.

In some cases, the An-2 landed not along, but across the runway at modern airfields where the runway was covered with concrete. There were such cases when, with a powerful crosswind, it was impossible to land the car along the runway, but its width was quite enough for this and for further control.

In contact with

In January 1928, the U-2 aircraft, a multi-purpose biplane created under the leadership of Nikolai Polikarpov, made its first flight. This aircraft, which became one of the most popular aircraft in the world, like the later model of the Soviet AN-2 biplane, was popularly nicknamed the “corner”.
Polikarpov's legendary plane
The plane from which the road to heaven began

Pilot training at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War
The U-2 aircraft in the USSR was used for initial pilot training. He opened the way to the sky for thousands of Soviet pilots. The corn plant received its popular name already in the 1950s, when its main use was reduced to use in aerochemical agricultural work in the corn expanses of the USSR.
Kukuruznik - the most democratic airplane

Corn grower at agricultural work.
In the Soviet Union, “corn trucks” were widely used for transporting passengers and cargo on local airlines. Quite often the plane was used on flights that connected regional centers with district centers or with villages. Among the main advantages of the aircraft are ease of operation, the ability to take off and land on unprepared ground areas, short mileage and take-off run, which made the maize truck indispensable for working in the underdeveloped territories of Siberia, the Far North, and Central Asia.
Soviet biplanes carried 6 bombs

U-2LNB with a silencer and bombs (two high-explosive and two illuminating) under the wing
The U-2 aircraft (since 1944, after the death of its creator N.N. Polikarpov, - PO-2) is a typical biplane with an air-cooled engine with a capacity of 100 horsepower. It was widely used in various spheres of the national economy. There were staff planes, ambulance planes, passenger planes designed for aerial photography, float planes and many other modifications. In 1932, the U-2BC model appeared, which could carry 6 bombs weighing 8 kg on holders, and in the rear cockpit of such an aircraft there was a shooting point with a PV-1 machine gun.


In the cab of a corn farmer
The empty weight of the training aircraft is 656 kg, the take-off aircraft is 1100 kg. Maximum speed – 130 – 150 km/h, ceiling – 3800 m, for run and take-off no more than 15 meters are required.
Night bomber

Training U-2 - Soviet biplane trainer
During the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet U-2s became a real headache for the Germans, who called these Soviet aircraft “coffee grinder” and “sewing machine.” Biplanes were widely used for night “harassment raids” on the front-line locations of fascist troops. U-2s were used as bombers and served as communications and reconnaissance aircraft. There was also a sanitary version of the aircraft. Due to the fact that the plane could take off from almost any site, it was widely used to work with partisans. The U-2 was also used to drop reconnaissance and sabotage groups, as well as single scouts.
In the fall of 1941, the USSR Air Force began forming aviation units to which women were drafted. 23 female pilots who fought on the U-2 aircraft were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
Soviet biplanes were invisible to enemy radars

U-2 - The most successful aircraft of the Great Patriotic War
One of the tactics for using the U-2 was that light bombers approached the target at an ultra-low altitude or at low speed, which made them invisible to air defense systems until the last moment. In addition, bombing from low altitude was carried out with high accuracy, despite primitive aiming tools and the dark time of day. Anti-aircraft gunners, who fired with anticipation, usually missed due to the low speed of the aircraft, and the high maneuverability of the biplane did not allow German fighters to get behind it. It is unlikely that the space-scale aircraft that the Americans are working on today will be able to boast the same maneuverability.
The corn plant was included in the Guinness Book of Records
The legendary corn grower.
The Soviet "maize" An-2 was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest operating aircraft in the world. It has been produced for over 65 years. In addition, the An-2 received the title of the largest single-engine biplane in the world and the most popular multi-purpose aircraft. It is currently produced in China as the Fong Shu-2 model.
The corn grower visited the South Pole
Ukrainian test pilots of the Antonov ASTC made a very unusual and extreme flight on a single-engine An-3T biplane - they conquered the South Pole. The pilots were flying at the maximum altitude for the aircraft - 4 thousand meters. The crew commander, Sergei Tarasyuk, later admitted that it was very cold.
Chinese child sets a record on the cornfield

Record holder He Yide
5-year-old Chinese He Yide, whom his parents call Dodo, took off on his own in a small “corn truck” and circled over a wildlife park in Beijing for 35 minutes. He was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest pilot. Before the flight, he trained for only a month. There was an instructor in the cockpit next to the baby, but, according to him, he practically did not help the young pilot.
In 2009, the production of maize crops in Russia ceased

Kukuruznik - a legend of domestic aviation
In May 2009, the General Director of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center Vladimir Nesterov signed an order to stop production of the AN-3 aircraft, a modernized version of the legendary AN-2, at Polet (Omsk). The reason is the lack of a sales market. According to statistics, over the last 3 years, due to the high cost ($1.5-1.9 million), only three AN-3 aircraft were sold. Experts say that American aircraft of a similar class, the Cessna Grand Caravan, are cheaper, and their quality is incomparably higher. It is possible that out-of-service models will allow someone to bring to life the top 10 original ideas for converting aircraft.
Russian authorities intend to return corn crops

An-2 - the world's largest single-engine biplane
Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that an order for 260 An-2 aircraft had been placed, and customers were ready to pick up the aircraft “even tomorrow.” The aircraft will be produced within the framework of the aviation industry development program until 2025, which was adopted by the Russian government. It is known that during the reconstruction process, An-2 aircraft will receive a new engine, new skin, and a guaranteed 10-year service life - and all this at a very reasonable cost for the operator. This once again proved that corn farmers are relevant, despite such innovative projects as, for example, an electric plane powered by solar energy.

As aviation developed, aircraft designers were given a variety of goals - from creating military bombers and fighters to large passenger airliners. All this was implemented as the main directions of aviation.

However, there are a number of problems that cannot be solved by large aircraft. Takeoff and landing on unprepared runways, transportation of small cargo to undeveloped regions of the country, work in agriculture - such tasks require our own aviation.

The An-2 filled this niche, becoming a universal light aircraft. Development of the Far North, delivery of goods and passengers to the territories of Siberia, the Far East, Central Asia, military transportation - all this became possible thanks to this biplane.

The history of the An-2 light transport aircraft

Development of a light multi-role aircraft began in 1940. O.K. Antonov was tasked with replacing the outdated Po-2, using the German Fieseler Fi 156 Storch as a model. Due to the outbreak of war, work was suspended and resumed only in 1946.

The design of the new aircraft was initially based on the task of landing on any site. For this purpose, a biplane design was proposed, although many engineers were skeptical about it, considering it outdated for the mid-20th century.

The design and assembly of the An 2 took place in Novosibirsk, and in 1947 the first prototype took off. Having made a flight of 3 thousand km, he landed in the Moscow region, where during the tests he was introduced to N. Khrushchev, then still the head of the Ukrainian SSR. It was he who appreciated the potential of the new aircraft in agriculture and local air transportation.

After this, Antonov moved to Kyiv, where he began serial development. The first such aircraft took off in 1949. Its small size, low fuel consumption and versatility proved to be so popular that the An-2 is still in use today. For this, he was included in the Book of Records as the first aircraft to be mass-produced for more than 70 years.

Serial production of the An-2 was established not only in the USSR, but also abroad. In 1959, the drawings of the corn-planting aircraft were transferred to Poland, where the assembly of such aircraft continued until 2002. In total, almost 12 thousand units were produced.

In 1956-68, the An 2 corn mill was assembled in Nanchang, China under the name Fong Shu-2. From 1970 to the present, Chinese assembly has been carried out in Shijiazhuang. The production rate is 10-20 units per year, the new name is Yunshuzhi-5 (Y5).

In 2011, the issue of modernizing the An-2 was raised. Due to the lack of Russian manufacturers of engines for small aircraft, it was decided to purchase power plants from the American company Honeywell. However, even taking into account the localization of engines, such aircraft have not received widespread demand.

In 2013, Ukrainian engineers proposed a modification of the An-2-100. The key feature is the MS-14 turboprop engine, which runs on kerosene rather than gasoline. Such a modification increases the return on investment. According to this scheme, a number of An-2s are expected to be modernized in several countries of the post-Soviet space.

In 2017, based on the An-2, SibNIA designed an all-composite light aircraft TVS-2DTS “Baikal”. Tests were completed in the same year, and serial production is expected to begin in 2021 at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant. The first operator will be the Yakut company Polar Airlines.

Description of the aircraft design

The An-2 design includes the following elements:

• the basic design is a braced biplane with a four-bladed metal propeller;
• piston engine, air-cooled, power 1000 hp. With.;
• the landing gear is static, if necessary, can be replaced with skis, there is a tail wheel;
• fuel tanks are located in the upper wings;
• The cockpit has side bulges for better visibility.

The body and frame of the wings are made of aluminum, the wing covering is made of polyester fabric. Particular attention was paid to the design of the braking system, which allows landing on short landing strips. No special equipment is required for refueling; fuel can be filled from any container.

An 2 received its popular name “Corn Maker” by inheritance from Po-2 (U-2). The use of the new biplane in agriculture made it similar to its predecessor. However, such a name is not entirely correct due to the difference in models, although the common name “maize” is used in relation to all similar aircraft.

Specifications

In accordance with the flight manual dated 1984, the An 2 aircraft has the following technical characteristics:

• crew - 2 people;
• passenger capacity - 12 people;
• load capacity - 1500 kg;
• length - 12.4 m;
• wingspan - 8.425 and 5.795 m upper and lower, respectively;
• wing area - 71.52 sq. m;
• height - 5.35 m;
• cargo compartment, length-height-width - 4.1x1.8x1.6 m;
• empty weight of the aircraft - 3.4-3.69 tons;
• permissible take-off weight - 5.25-5.5 tons;
• fuel volume - 1240 l.

The power plant of the An-2 is represented by one star-shaped piston engine ASh-62IR. The propeller is AB-2, diameter 3.6 m.

Flight characteristics

The flight characteristics of the An-2 have the following indicators:

• permissible speed - up to 300 km/h;
• permissible speed when fully loaded - 236 km/h;
• cruising speed of An 2 when fully loaded is 180 km/h;
• flight range - 990 km;
• permissible height limit at full load - 4.2 km;
• take-off length - 225 m, when fully loaded - 235 m.

It is the short takeoff and landing distance, even at maximum load, that makes the An-2 universal for use in unprepared areas. It does not require specially equipped strips, just a small flat area.

Aircraft armament

The An-2 is not intended for active combat operations. However, due to its versatility, the aircraft saw service in most post-war conflicts around the world. From the Korean War of 1950-53 to the campaigns in Libya and Syria, the flight performance characteristics of the An 2 are in demand everywhere.

The aircraft's standard armament consists of 2 blocks of S-5M or S-5K unguided missiles, a total of 16 projectiles. The An-2 is also equipped with a BDZ-57Ku or BDZ-57KR beam holder, capable of carrying a bomb weighing up to 250 kg.

The An-2's active participation occurred during the Cold War. The aircraft was supplied to the allies of the USSR, which predetermined its participation in local conflicts. The advantage of such supplies is that they have no military implications. The aircraft could be supplied as civil aviation or for sanitary purposes. The armament was installed on it already on site.

The participation of the An-2 in armed conflicts is also explained by the proliferation of the aircraft after the collapse of the USSR. Until now, it is in service with most countries of the post-Soviet space, as well as countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia. Transport and landing modifications are also used.

At the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries, the An 2 was also used in civil and local conflicts in Central Asia and South-Eastern Europe. There is information about the use of aircraft in combat operations in Africa, including the civil war in Libya.

Advantages and disadvantages of An-2

The main advantage of the An-2 is its flight performance and operational characteristics. The aircraft is unpretentious, versatile, simple and convenient for solving any problems.

These include:

• transportation of passengers and cargo on local airlines;
• agricultural work, for example chemical spraying;
• landing of amateur paratroopers;
• development of uninhabited territories, including the Far North.

Main list of benefits:

• good flight performance;
• short run during takeoff and landing;
• low requirement for special equipment for refueling.

Planning in case of fuel shortage is also an important aspect. The plane does not immediately go into a tailspin, but goes into parachute mode, which allows it to land without damage even in the absence of fuel. They also pay attention to the possibility of flight at low speeds - up to 40 km/h.

Identifying the shortcomings of this aircraft is a controversial issue. The use of a 70-year-old biplane design in modern conditions already indicates the absence of serious shortcomings. The main disadvantages are associated with capacity limitations and flight range. However, given the purpose of these aircraft, they are not considered critical.

Accidents with the An-2 are also highlighted separately. Over the years of operation, 622 cases have been recorded. At the end of 2017, a total of 781 people had died in these incidents. There is no pattern in the incidents: accidents happen for a variety of reasons - from equipment failure to pilot errors.

Modifications based on the An-2 aircraft

Over the long period of operation, the An-2 acquired numerous modifications. Each of them is designed to solve individual problems, bringing the aircraft’s performance characteristics to the appropriate indicators.

Modifications of the An-2 were developed not only in the USSR, but also in Poland and China. Foreign analogues to a certain extent repeat Soviet developments, so they are rarely considered separately.

AN-2V (AN-4)

An-2V is a device designed for landing on water surfaces, with the possibility of subsequent take-off. A distinctive feature is the float chassis.

AN-2T

The An-2T is a simple transport aircraft with a payload capacity of 1.5 tons. Taking into account the flight performance characteristics of the base model, this is not even a modification, but rather an adaptation of the aircraft for cargo transportation. There is no trim in the interior, and there are no folding passenger seats.

AN-2TP

An-2TP is a transport-passenger modification designed to carry 12 people. In Leipzig, the model was supplemented with distinctive features - the windows were made square, the interior was refinished, and the seats were replaced with softer and more comfortable ones.

AN-2TD

An-TD is a transport and landing aircraft. There is room for 12 parachutists and their cargo. There are devices for landing and dumping. It is used both in military operations and for amateur parachute jumps.

AN-2SH

An-2SKh is used in agriculture. It has devices for bulk and liquid chemicals, as well as equipment for spraying them over crops. If necessary, it can also be used to extinguish fires. It has analogues in Poland and China - An02R and Y5B, respectively.

AN-2M

An-2M is a single-seat aircraft designed for agricultural work. Distinctive features are the absence of a co-pilot, an enlarged vertical tail and an elongated fuselage. It was produced until 1971, and operated until 1987.

AN-2P

An-2P is a fire-fighting modification developed on the basis of the An-2B. The aircraft is capable of lifting up to 1240 liters of water into the air. It has a float landing gear that allows it to land on bodies of water.

AN-2LP

An-2LP is a firefighting aircraft designed to extinguish forest areas. Developed on the basis of the An-2V, it can land on bodies of water, which speeds up the collection of water.

AN-2L

An-2L is a forest fire modification designed for the dispersion of chemicals. The cargo is transported in glass containers under the wings and fuselage.

AN-2ZA

An-23A is an atmospheric sounding aircraft. It has a turbocharger, as well as a forward cabin in front of the keel for observation.

An-2V

An-2V is an aircraft with a float landing gear. Became the basis for several fire protection modifications. Used in civil aviation for cargo delivery.

AN-2NAK

An-2NAK is a non-serial twin-fin aircraft designed for photographic reconnaissance. The tail part is glazed. He was armed with a UBT machine gun or an NS-23 automatic cannon.

AN-2S

An-2S is an ambulance aircraft designed to transport the wounded or sick. Designed for six beds and two accompanying medical workers.

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