| Tango01 | 05 Aug 2015 2:43 p.m. PST |
"The An-2 can hover and fly backwards Details are still emerging about a July 15 plane crash thought to be that of a North Korean military aircraft, as reported by UPI's Elizabeth Shim. But there's another mystery afoot — the plane itself, which is rumored to be an Antonov An-2. Why is North Korea still flying a Soviet aircraft that dates from the 1940s, anyway? In fact, the An-2 has been part of North Korea's arsenal for a while — it's been linked to other fatal accidents from mounting air-to-surface weapons on the planes. Designed by Oleg Antonov for the Soviets' Ministry of Forestry, the An-2 first took to the skies in 1947, writes Stephen Dowling for BBC Future. It was supposed to be used for crop dusting and transport. The biplane design includes room for a ton of cargo in the form of soldiers, cows or crops…"
Full article here
link
It can fly backwards ?!?!?!? (smile) Amicalement
Armand |
| Jamesonsafari | 05 Aug 2015 3:30 p.m. PST |
Nothing wrong with low tech. I think my own country needs them to support operations in the far north. |
| cwlinsj | 05 Aug 2015 3:50 p.m. PST |
The Norks use them to fly under radar and drop specops forces in the south. Cheap to fly and gets the job done, why not? |
| skippy0001 | 05 Aug 2015 5:59 p.m. PST |
Something else for drones to obliterate. |
| David Manley | 06 Aug 2015 5:09 a.m. PST |
The An-2 has to be one of the most awesomely wonderful planes ever built. I've seen a number flying in displays in the UK and elsewhere and it is quite remarkable. A true classic. |
| John the OFM | 06 Aug 2015 8:59 a.m. PST |
Dear Leader not only designed it, but was its primary test pilot.
On his first flight he shot down three F35s. |
| zoneofcontrol | 06 Aug 2015 9:56 a.m. PST |
"On his first flight he shot down three F35s." With only one bullet! |
| Tango01 | 06 Aug 2015 11:11 a.m. PST |
(big smile) Amicalement
Armand |
Patrick Sexton  | 06 Aug 2015 1:04 p.m. PST |
I am with David on this. The An-2 is a brilliant piece of work and I am also happy to see that there is still an active aircraft that I used to see all the time in my William Green aircraft books back in the '60s. |
| Lion in the Stars | 06 Aug 2015 8:45 p.m. PST |
I'm surprised we don't see more AN2 cropdusters here in the US, to tell you the truth! |
| Ghecko | 09 Aug 2015 6:33 p.m. PST |
I saw some photos the other day taken from the ISS at night. China – lit up like a Christmas tree; South Korea – ditto; in between was North Korea; just black except for one dot of light – the capital. Quite sobering really to think of the life those poor people have in North Korea. |
| Lion in the Stars | 09 Aug 2015 8:02 p.m. PST |
@TJRAYMOND: that must be a newer picture than the one I saw in my International Economics class. There wasn't even a bright spot at the capital on the pic I was shown! |
| tuscaloosa | 14 Aug 2015 6:05 p.m. PST |
Wood frame and canvas; very low radar profile. An example of "less is more". |
