Antonov An-12

The Antonov An-12 is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10 and has many variants. For more than three decades the An-12 was the standard medium-range cargo and paratroop transport aircraft of the Soviet Air Forces. A total of 1,248 were eventually built. Developed from the Antonov An-8, the An-12 was a military version of the An-10 passenger transport. The first prototype An-12 flew in December 1957 and entered Soviet military service in 1959. Initially, the aircraft was produced at the State Aviation Factory in Irkutsk. From 1962, production was transferred to Tashkent, where 830 were built. Later, production moved to Voronezh and Kazan. In military use, the An-12 has capacity for up to 100 fully equipped paratroopers, or 20,000 kilograms of cargo, which is loaded through the rear loading ramp door. In terms of configuration, size, and capability, the aircraft is similar to the United States-built Lockheed C-130 Hercules.