While it would take a lot of work to turn an An-2 into a an accurate cruise missile, apparently Aerbaijan has used them against Armenia by simply loading them with explosives, and having the pilot set them on a course for something worth attacking, engaging the auto pilot, and bailing out, leaving the famously stable An-2 to fly on its own. The Armenians/Ukrainians then have the choice of either engaging the target, and wasting an S300 missile on a biplane, or not engaging it, and finding out that this time it is in fact an accurate cruise missile, or attack helicopter.
Note: I posted this because I find it interesting. Not because I want to get into a formulaic "This just proves the Russians are so primitive that by next Summer they will be knapping flint to make spears.""This just proves that the Glorious Russian Army will be raping and looting de-Nazifying all the way Polish Border by last week at the latest." arguments.
“Russia apparently still has some 1,500 of them.”
If nations were people, Russia would be that weird neighbor who has a huge yard, but it’s full of junk because he never throws anything out.
Interesting story about Russia apparently converting Antonov An-2 biplane transports into drones. ==
Actually it was Azerbazan who did it first. And they used them in recent war in Karabakh with Armenia.
I doubt Russia will do it now. They has thousands on them used on far north regions. Still used.
To all the newbie’s: Start dates do not win arguments. Logic and facts are preferred.
I made reference to Felton’s video earlier in the thread about our giving Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
Although a biplane, from all accounts the An-2 is a very useful and versatile airplane. But for those who don’t bother to watch the video, here’s what Felton says. First at least a couple of dozen An-2s have shown up recently at a Russian airbase near Ukraine. The Azerbaijanis have loaded up An-2s with explosives, have a pilot get them pointed in the right direction and then bail out. On radar they appear to be an attack helicopter so air defenses shoot them down, thus using very expensive missiles to take down a relatively cheap unmanned-kamikaze. Trouble is you can’t just ignore them, since they will cause lots of damage when they come down.
Apparently the Russians are planning convert the An-2s into drones and attack Ukraine with them. I suppose you can think of them as very slow V-1s. Besides making Ukraine shoot them down, by doing so they reveal where the defenses are located thus open to attack from more sophisticated means.
There used to be a really cool flight simulator called “Falcon 4.0”. Took years to develop and bankrupted several companies. It’s still out there in the public domain with decent mods.
Anyway, it was strange to be flying over Korea at night, engaging formations of tanks and sweeping the skies of MiGs, and then you’d spot this little An-2 biplane chugging along. I’d immediately disengage whatever high performance aircraft was nearby and swoop down on those little suckers.
Japan in WW II found using old cloth covered planes for Kamikazes was useful, because they had a very small radar signature. Radar controlled 5” 38-cal and 3” 50-cal AA was making it difficult to reach ships.
The Russians are only doing what the US Navy did with their “ancient” prop plane in a modern war... the venerable AD-1 Skyraider! It did a fantastic job for the Navy in the Korean War, the Air Force adapting it in Vietnam, where it did anoutstanding job for them.
Cool! Old School!
Maybe we should be talking to Fokker about a suitable ICE pursuit plane? Or maybe we can whistle up the ghost of Willie Messerschmidt and pull a couple of squadrons of ME109’s in full Luftwaffe dressage out of retirement?
Someone should make a movie of this.
Ha, ha! Russia continues to run with and think like the most backwards of Islamic terrorists.
Ukrainian farmers are getting extra AK47 ammo for the big shoot contest put on by the invaders.
“Russia apparently still has some 1,500 of them.”
Incredible, and it doesn’t look like they throw away much in the way of military hardware. Just imagine what was left over from WW2.
By the way, 1500 of these is likely enough to fully depopulate the ammo of Patriots we’re about to give them.
Thanks for posting, interesting aircraft.
I’m not a pilot, but have always wanted to be one. But at 75 (in good health) think I have missed the boat.
A small scale version of this plane would be a hoot to own. And probably very cheap to fly.
Now, todaty we never know what is just ahead of us.
Looking at Russian maintenance, these planes are probably rusted and falling or fallen to pieces