Antonov An-26

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The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name: "Curl") is a twin-engined light turboprop transport aircraft and is a development of the Antonov An-24, with particular attention made to the potential military use. First seen in 1969, it has a modified rear fuselage with a large cargo ramp. The An-26 is also manufactured without a licence in China by Xian Aircraft Factory as the Y-14, though the designation later changed back to the Y-7 series.

Design and development

An-26 "Curl-A" : Twin-engined tactical transport aircraft.
In 1981, An-26B was introduced. The main character of it is that it is equipped with roller gangs which can be swung up against the cabin walls when not in use. It was also equipped with two ZMDB Progress(Ivchyenko)Al-24VT turboprop engines for more power.
An-26BRL : Ice research aircraft.
An-26L : Airfield calibration version.
An-26M : Air ambulance version.
An-26P : Fire fighting version.
An-26RTR "Curl-B" : Elint, sigint, electronic warfare aircraft.
An-26ST : Special duties aircraft for the East German Air Force.
Y-7H : Military transport version. Chinese production version.
Y-7-500 : Civilian cargo version. Chinese production version.

Operators

Military

Source: Aerospace Source Book 2007

Afghan Air Force - (1975 to present) currently 2; 20+ historically
Angolan Air Force - 12
Bangladesh Air Force - currently none; retired
Belarusian Air Force - currently 6
Benin Air Force - currently None
Bulgarian Air Force - currently 3
Chad Air Force - currently 1
currently 23 Xian Y-7; 4 Xian Y-7-100; Includes all types of Y-7 aircraft

Congo Air Force - currently 1
Cuban Air Force - currently 17
Czech Air Force - currently 4
Democratic Republic of the Congo Air Force - currently 1
East German Air Force - currently none; Retired
Ethiopian Air Force - currently 1
Luftwaffe - currently none; Retired
Guinea-Bissau Air Force - currently None; Retired
Hungarian Air Force - currently 4
Iraqi Air Force - currently None; Retired
Kazakh Air Force - currently 1
North Korean Air Force - currently None
Laotian Air Force - currently 3
Libyan Air Force - currently 10
Lithuanian Air Force - currently 3; 2 to remain in service until 2009.
Malagasy Air Force - currently 4
Mali Air Force - currently 1
Mongolian Air Defense Forces Command - currently 1
Mozambique Air Force - currently 5
Nicaraguan Air Force - currently 2
Niger Air Force - currently 1
Pakistani Air Force - currently None; Retired
Polish Air Force - currently 5; historically 12
Romanian Air Force - currently 4;
Russian Air Force - currently 9 An-26; 21 An-26B
Serbian Air Force - currently 6
Slovakian Air Force - currently 1
Soviet Air Force - Passed on to successor states in 1991
Syrian Air Force - currently 5
Tanzanian Air Force - currently None
United States Air Force - Used by the 6th Special Operations Squadron
Ukrainian Naval Aviation - currently 1
Uzbek Air Force - currently 13
Vietnamese Air Force - currently 12
Yemen Air Force - currently 26
Zambian Air Force and Air Defence Command - currently 4

Civil

In August 2006 a total of 267 Antonov An-26 aircraft remain in airline service. Major operators include: Lao Airlines (6), Syrian Arab Airlines (6), Aerocom (5), ARP 410 Airlines (5), Air Urga (10), Exin (9), RAF-Avia (5), Turkmenistan Airlines (5), Iraero (7), Scorpion Air (6), Yakutia Airlines (5) and Aerogaviota (18). Some 106 other airlines also operate smaller numbers of the type.

Notable accidents

2007 Balad aircraft crash
2007 Kinshasa, DRC crash. On October 4, 2007 an Africa One operated An-26 crashes into the Kinshasa neighbourhood of Kimbaseke just after takeoff. Twenty-five out 27 people on board died, and number of dead is expected to increase as it crashed on a shantytown market. Initial reports indicate a lost propeller.

Specifications (An-26)

References

COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT and AIRLINE MARKINGS by Christopher Chant

External links

Pictures of An 26

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=Antonov%20An-26&distinct_entry=true
http://www.antonov.com/about/an-26.xml
http://www.aeronautics.ru/an26a.jpg
http://rus.air.ru/airplanes/images/An-26pict.htm

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Last updated on Wednesday March 12, 2008 at 13:35:07 PDT (GMT -0700)
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