Antonov's Jet Twins: The An-72/-74 Family - Red Star Vol. 21 [Paperback]

Yefim Gordon (Author), Dmitriy Komissarov (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 2005

The need to provide a state-of-the-art jet successor to the ubiquitous An-26 led Antonov to develop a twin-turbo-fan tactical airlifter, the An-72, which made use of the Coanda effect, improving wing lift and field performance dramatically. The prototype flew in 1977, but it was not until the mid 1980s that production began in Khar'kov. The baseline military airlifter soon spawned a wide selection of derivatives. First was the An-74; originally conceived as a specialized version for Arctic and Antarctic support, it entered production as an ordinary civil transport. Concerted efforts by the Antonov OKB to enhance the capabilities of the An-72/An-74 family led to the development of the An-72P armed border patrol version, the convertible cargo/passenger An-747T and An-74TK, the An-74S flying hospital and the radically redesigned An-74TK-300 with engines on underwing pylons - an arrangement which improved the all-important economic efficiency. The most intriguing An-72 derivative was the unorthodox An-71 AEW aircraft; originally meant for shipboard operations, it was prevented from entering production by the political and economic situation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Midland Publishing Ltd. (August 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1857801997
• ISBN-13: 978-1857801996
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,177,268 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly enjoyable!, November 10, 2009

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This review is from: Antonov's Jet Twins: The An-72/-74 Family - Red Star Vol. 21 (Paperback)

This a niche publication that will appeal to those with an interest in Russian/former Soviet aviation or, in the case of the An-72/-74, unique aviation design. As with most of the "Red Star" series, Gordon and Komissarov hit a home run: many unique photos, engaging text, and no shortage of details and specifications from the protoype stage all the way through the development of the An-74. The level of detail will please the aviation enthusiast or the modeler. Having flown on a COALER several times, I can say it is a flat-out neat and under-appreciated aircraft. This book does it justice, however, so if the genre interests you add this one to your collection.