An-26 is one of the best military transport aircraft of the Antonov Design Bureau. Despite the fact that its mass production began a long time ago, it is still actively used in many countries. It is indispensable not only in military transport, but also in civil aviation. There are many modifications of the An-26. The plane was nicknamed "The Ugly Duckling".
Creation
After the end of the Second World War, the USSR was in dire need of an aircraft capable of fully satisfying the needs of not only the Ministry of Defense, but also civil aviation. In the middle of the 20th century, the country's leadership decided to start its creation.
This work was entrusted to the Antonov Design Bureau, which had rich experience in designing transport aircraft. The corresponding decree was signed in 1957, after which the creation of the An-26 began. The plane made its first flight in 1969, and already in 1973, itwas put into operation in the USSR.
Features
Thanks to the numerous unique design solutions applied to its creation, its performance, at the time of commissioning, was first-class. The An-26 aircraft, the technical description of which is detailed, was significantly superior to similar aircraft.
An-26 aircraft, specifications:
- Crew: 5 people.
- Capacity: 5.6 tons.
- Normal takeoff weight: 23 tons.
- Maximum takeoff weight: 24 tons.
- Amount of fuel in internal tanks: 7.0 tons.
Passengers: 38 military personnel, or 30 paratroopers, or, in the ambulance version, 24 wounded on stretchers.
Performance:
- Cruising speed: 435 km/h
- Maximum speed: 540 km/h
- Practical ceiling: 7300 m.
- Rate of climb: 9.2 m/s.
- Practical range: 1100 km.
- Fuel range: 2660 km.
Due to the presence of four beam holders on it, it is capable of carrying bombs weighing up to 500 kg and has limited use as a bomber. The An-26 aircraft, whose technical characteristics were at the highest level for its time, can be used to solve a variety of tasks.
Fuselage
The fuselage of this aircraft has four compartments:
- nasal;
- medium;
- hatch;
- tail.
Themdocking is carried out on the skin. Most of it is made of aluminum alloys and duralumin. The fuselage houses the cockpit as well as the cargo compartment. The latter has a built-in conveyor, and in the upper part there is a monorail with a talfer. They are necessary for carrying out work on loading and unloading the An-26. The aircraft, thanks to their presence, is able to take or unload cargo in the shortest possible time.
It has one entrance and four emergency doors in its fuselage. In addition, there is an operational and cargo hatch. For better sealing of An-26 cabins, doors and hatches, a special sealant and a rubber profile are used.
The skin of the aircraft is made of duralumin sheets, the thickness of which is from 0.8 to 1.8 mm. They are fastened using electric welding, special glue or rivets.
Wing
An-26 has a cantilever, high-lying rectangular wing. It includes a center section, detachable and middle part. Their docking is done using butt elbows, connector profiles and fittings.
According to its design, the An-26 wing (the photo of the aircraft fully confirms this), is of the caisson type and includes stringers, skin and 23 ribs. There is heating on the toes of the wing, which prevents icing. The thickness of the sheathing varies depending on the area. On the tail sections there is aileron and flap control rod.
Stabilizer and Elevator
An-26 stabilizer includes two consoles,each of which has a tail, nose, end fairing, bottom and top panel. The stringers are fastened to the skin using special electric welding, and they are simply glued to the spars and ribs. The stabilizer is connected to the fuselage with fittings and bolts.
Trim tabs are installed on each part of the An-26 elevator, and they are controlled by moving the steering wheel away from you or towards you. Due to the fact that the control is duplicated and can be carried out by both pilots, the reliability of the aircraft is increased. The elevator is also equipped with an autopilot, which allows pilots to rest during the flight. You can control the elevators manually after the autopilot is turned off.
Chassis
The landing gear of the aircraft consists of one front and two main legs. The latter are located in the engine nacelles and after takeoff are removed to special compartments. Each of the main legs has disc brakes and two wheels equipped with inertial sensors.
Retracting and extending the landing gear of the aircraft is carried out thanks to the presence of hydraulic power cylinders. In the event of a malfunction, the release can be done manually, thanks to the headwind and own weight.
Power plant
An-26 is equipped with two turboprop engines, each with a capacity of 2829 horsepower. They are installed in gondolas located on the center section. The engines are attached to the truss with a frame.
Power Plantcontrolled and controlled from the cockpit, with the help of special instruments and equipment. This is possible due to the presence of electrical, mechanical and automatic systems installed on the An-26. The aircraft has an excellent power plant for its time.
In addition to the propeller, the engine is equipped with:
- hood;
- fairing;
- external oil system;
- fire protection system;
- anti-icing system;
- fuel system.
To avoid engine fire, the hot part and exhaust pipe are separated from the wing by special screens and baffles.
There is another engine in the tail section of the aircraft, which is needed to create additional thrust during climb. In addition, it allows you to power the aircraft while stationary or when the generators fail.
It is also indispensable in case of failure of the main engines. Its presence makes it possible to reduce many of the risks that may accompany the An-26 aircraft in flight. The maintenance manual gives comprehensive information about the benefits of the tail engine.
Coloring
All An-26s that were part of the USSR Air Force were painted in gray. Aircraft used in civil aviation were painted in the colors of Aeroflot. In modern Russia, civilian An-26s (you can see a photo of the aircraft in the article) are painted with colors depending on the wishes of the company that owns them. These aircraft, whichoperated abroad, most often have a camouflage color.
Dashboards on the plane are black. The cargo compartment is much better than, for example, on the An-12. The wall painting is green and the walls and ceiling are white.
Result
Thanks to its first-class flight and technical characteristics, reliability and versatility, the An-26 is popular and actively used around the globe. He found it used in the role of military transport and passenger aircraft. But the years take their toll, and if earlier it was considered an excellent aircraft, now it is obsolete. The An-26 is being phased out of service. In its place come more modern aircraft, superior to it in many ways.
