DESCRIPTION

Antonov An-8 1956 Year 

1/72 Scale 

Plastic Model Kit

Amodel 72141-01

Manufacturer: AMODEL

Material: Plastic

Condition: New in original packaging

Historical reference

An-8 (product "P", according to NATO codification: Camp - "Camp") is a Soviet military transport aircraft developed in the mid-1950s at the OKB im. O. K. Antonova. It is intended for the transportation of various cargoes, landing and parachute landing of the Airborne Forces with the equipment and weapons attached to them, as well as for the transportation of the wounded.

The world experience of military operations (the war in Korea of ​​1950-1953) proved the need for a heavy-duty cargo aircraft capable of taking off from unprepared field airfields, covering vast distances, having a fantastic carrying capacity, and, most importantly, to operate and continue the fight even if one engine.

The development of the An-8 twin-engine aircraft began at the ASTC. O. K. Antonov in January 1954 in accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 2922-1251 of December 11, 1953 and the order of the MAP No. 278 of December 23, 1953. A. Ya. Belolipetsky was appointed the lead designer. To work on a project at the ASTC im. O. K. Antonov, a number of specialists from other design bureaus were transferred. In April 1954, a large graduation of students from the Kharkov Aviation Institute was added to them. The aircraft designer R. L. Bartini also provided great assistance (in particular, he designed the floor of the cargo compartment). It was envisaged to develop the machine in two versions - military transport (product "P") and passenger (product "N").

Initially, it was supposed to install TV-2F engines on aircraft, later TV-2T. Work on the military transport aircraft project progressed faster than the passenger one, and soon the development of the latter project was suspended altogether, in favor of the future An-10 (product "U"). The preliminary design of the transport aircraft was ready in July 1954. When working on the project, the designers had to solve a number of complex problems associated with the landing of cargo. On October 25, 1954, the customer's mock-up commission was presented with a mock-up with 2 power plant options: with a TV-2T turboprop engine and an AL-7 turbojet engine.

Then, the production of the first prototype began at the Kiev Aviation Plant, which was completed in December 1955.

The first flight of the An-8 was made on February 11, 1956 under the control of test pilots Ya. I. Vernikov (commander) and V. P. Vasin (co-pilot) from the Svyatoshino airfield. The first public demonstration of the aircraft took place on August 18, 1956, an experienced An-8 took part in an air parade over Tushino together with another novelty of Soviet aircraft Tu-104. From October 2 to November 27, state tests of the aircraft took place. During the tests, insufficient static stability and controllability of the aircraft during landing in a crosswind, spontaneous self-oscillations in straight flight, and poor engine performance at altitudes of more than 6000 m were revealed.

Instead of TV-2T, it was proposed to install AI-20 engines, but their power was clearly not enough. However, A. G. Ivchenko suggested boosting the AI-20, bringing its power to 5180 hp. With. In July-October 1957, work was carried out to install the AI-20D engines on the prototype. Factory tests were completed on 21 November. In parallel, in the ASTC them. O. K. Antonov, the design of the aircraft was finalized: the wingspan was increased by 0.8 m, the keel from the An-10 and anti-spin spoilers were installed, and the fuselage was strengthened.

With love from Ukraine