The firså two aircrafts ÀN-12 were assembled in Irkutsk by a
team consisting of workers of the Irkutsk Plant and of the
O. K. Antonov design bureau.
The manufacturing methods employed by the Plant underwent
cardial changes due to a new character of the design and the
size of the units.
The new aircraft powered by fhe AI-20 turboprop engines,
each 4000 hp, demonstrated high performance characteristics
and rapidly became the basic transport aircraft of the Air
Forces. The most significant feature of the AN-12 aircraft was its
capability of operation from unprepared airfields.
The Irkutsk Plant manufactured 154 aircrafts, type AN-12 in the
period of 1957 to 1962. The modest requirements and self-
sufficiency in operation has made popular this aircraft which is
nowadays engaged in transport operations in many countries all
over the world. Besides fhe Air Forces and civil aviation of our
country, the AN-12 aircraft was purchased by Algeria,
Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Egypt, India, Iraq, Madagascar, Poland,
Sudan, Syria, and Yugoslavia.
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