Легенда о «Кукурузнике»: Почему мы до сих пор не можем заменить Ан-2?

In 1940, the military looked at Antonov's design and rejected it—it was too slow, too reminiscent of the past. In the era of monoplanes and jet aircraft, a biplane seemed an anachronism even at the design stage. The An-2 landed where no other aircraft of the time could—on meadows, forest clearings, and rain-washed dirt runways. The wheels were from the Ilyushin Il-2, the engine was a production one—nothing new where an off-the-shelf solution could have been used. It simply worked. 18,000 aircraft were built. Production in China continues to this day—over 60 years, a Guinness World Record. There are over 200 An-2s with valid certificates in Russia. A modern replacement costs more than a major overhaul of an old biplane.