Antonov AN-8 & AN-12

Below are some of the rare Antonov An-8s I shot, as well as some of the rugged workhorse Antonov An-12s.
Photos © Ruud Leeuw

The AN-8 (NATO code-named "Camp") is the twin-engined forerunner of the AN-10 and of the better known AN-12 ("Cub"). It remained elusive to the western world for a long time. It was designed for the armed forces as a rear-loading tactical transport and as an Aeroflot requirement for a 42-48 seat passenger/freighter.. The AN-8 first flew during late 1955 and there were probably some 100-200 examples produced. All the Aeroflot examples were ex military. It was long thought that the AN-8 had retired long ago, but a few crept out of the dark regions of the former Soviet empire. But they are rare and Sharjah is one of the few places you still stand a chance to see one. This 3C-DDA (an exotic registration that belongs to Equatorial Guinea) of Mandala Air Cargo has c/n 0B3430 (though other sources previously quoted 0V3420 and 0V3410). It is obvious in this shot that I sought refuge in the shade of a wing of another Antonov....

AN-8 EL-AKZ (c/n 0D3450) belongs to Santa Cruz Imperial Airlines, which operates out of Sharjah. The EL- registration stems from Liberia. And this one definitely looks like having some good years on its frame remaining.

EL-AKY is another AN-8 from Santa Cruz Imperial Airlines, c/n 0G3410. But this one still needs quite a bit of work. The work can easily be done outside, though I expect a sandstorm at this time, with the engines open, could mean trouble...

There does not seem to be any hurry in getting EL-AKY back operational. No one was around when I shot this photo. Then again, it was a good time to lie down in the shade, so maybe that was what the engineers were doing...

Well, this AN-12BP S9-BAN (c/n 402111) of Natalco Air Lines sure does look fine. Most operators of these workhorses don't take the effort (and expense) to go for a nice colour scheme. Mind, some of these companies seem to vanish overnight and restart just as easily the next day, so why consider a costly paintjob. Hopefully this one stays around a bit longer. The S9- prefix refers to Sao Tomé.

This AN-12B 3C-OOZ (c/n 9346509) still wears the colourful scheme of Ural Airlines, but it seems likely that it is now operated by someone else. I took this photo april 26th, 2000 at Sharjah and as it was still around in 2001, one can assume that Sharjah has become its homebase. They probably have a reason for not advertising the name of the company on the aircraft, pity......

Easy to recognize the desert setting around Sharjah (SHJ) in this shot. AN-12 EL-ALJ (c/n 8346202) of Santa Cruz Imperial Airlines (a company that has been around longer than most) rumbles along the taxiway, in order to take off from runway 30. The AN-12 is a versatile aircraft, often compared to the Western World's C-130 Hercules. It too, is a high-winged, 4-engined, rear-loading freighter. The prototype made its first flight in 1958 and production ran till 1973. Some 800- 900 were built for the military, their total number could reach over 1200 (and more have been produced in China as Shaanxi Y-8).

The maintenance work is easily done out in the open. It seems like one of the four Ivchyenko ("Progress") turboprop engines is getting some attention or maybe the ground engineer is inspecting the flaps. These aircraft go to remote places in Africa and the former Soviet Republics. Obviously, those airfields can be remote and sometimes are limited to a gravel runway. Damage to the engines or the airframe can easily occur.

AN-12BP EL-ALB (c/n 402108) is being canabilized so others might fly freely.... With production stopped many years ago, it is easiest to strip one, to keep others operational. Still, not a nice sight...

RA-98119 (c/n 7344801) is one of many AN-12s (NATO codename "Cub") that sits and wait for some phone to ring, a message with a request to move some cargo from A to B. The glass nose makes it military history easy to recognise. Must be a great ride if you can sit there, while landing at some primitive airfield.

I like the man's humor, Lotus Airways: a lotus in the desert ? This is AN-12V 3C-ZZD (c/n 347307) and they kept it in standard Aeroflot livery, but took the effort to put some titles on it. That is good. The AN-12 can lift a heavier load than the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, some 20.000 kgs compared to 16.190 kgs. Cruise speed is 670 km/h. So it has an excellent performance and I hope to see its smoky trails on the horizon for many more years to come.

This one is interesting: AN-12BP 4L-11241 (c/n 402102) of Lasare Air. This company comes from Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. The company was founded in 1995 the Republic in 1990 !) and it seems they had 3 aircraft in 1999, 2 AN-12s and an Il-76. Some 5 people are in regular employment and the Director is Mr. Dzhoni A. Lasareishvili. Hence the name, Lasare Air. And Sharjah is the crossroads of the world for companies like these. What a wonderful place.

This AN-12 is registered UN-11001 (c/n 5343408) to Daallo Airlines, operating out of a P.O.Box in Dubai. Daallo Airlines was founded in 1991 and this is its single AN-12. They have 4 AN-24s and a Tupolev TU-154. The AN-12 was intended to be replaced during the 1970s by the Ilyushin 76, of which 2 are in the background. But the AN-12 is still around and the Il-76 is getting replaced. Props forever..!

Credit for much of the above information:
Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft, Vol.1. Edited by David Donald and Jon Lake. Published by World Air Power, Aerospace Publishing, 1994)
.....their publications is the best on what you can get if you are interested in military aviation.....
Classic Airliners by Tom Singfield, Midland Publishing, 2000
....an absolute gem on its subject, nothing short of a masterpiece: exact, concise information and excellent photography...
Soviet Transports by Peter Hillman, Stuart Jessup & Guus Ottenhof (TAHS)
....a standard reference work and one cannot but admire their courage to take on this Herculean task...
JP Airline Fleets 2000/1. Published by Bucher & Co.
....The standard reference work for civil aviation spotters, much admired and imitated. Swiss perfection....
And of course, credit goes to the Sharjah Airport Management, that extends the hospitality to have visitors like me wander around quite freely (against a fee and the effort to pass the hurdles of immigrations and visa requirements). It is truly a unique experience

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