Antonov An-2
1947 utility aircraft family
The Antonov An-2 (USAF/DoD reporting name Type 22, NATO reporting name Colt) is a Soviet mass-produced single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed and manufactured by the Antonov Design Bureau beginning in 1947. Its durability, lifting power, and ability to take off and land from poor runways have given it a long service life. The An-2 was produced up to 2001 and remains in service with military and civilian operators around the world.
The An-2 was designed as a utility aircraft for forestry and agriculture, but the basic airframe is adaptable and numerous variants have been developed. These include hopper-equipped crop-dusters, scientific versions for atmospheric sampling, water-bombers for fighting forest fires, air ambulances, seaplanes, and versions for dropping paratroopers.
The most common version is the An-2T 12-seater passenger aircraft. All versions (other than the An-3 and the An-2-100) are powered by a 750 kW (1,010 hp) nine-cylinder Shvetsov ASh-62 radial engine.
Design and development
Origins
The Antonov An-2 was designed to meet a 1940s Soviet Ministry of Forestry requirement to replace the smaller Polikarpov Po-2, which was used in large numbers in both agricultural and utility roles. Antonov designed a large single bay biplane of all-metal construction, with an enclosed cockpit and a cabin with seats for twelve passengers. The first prototype, designated SKh-1, powered by a Shvetsov ASh-21 radial engine, flew on 31 August 1947 from Yeltsovka Airport in Novosibirsk Oblast, Russia.
The public source identifies “Antonov An-2” as 1947 utility aircraft family. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Antonov, An-2 and utility.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Antonov An-2”, the useful work is to connect “1947 utility aircraft family” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 16, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q207700. The Library of Congress control number is sh00000323. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1947 and 2001.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Antonov An-2”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Antonov An-2 primary sources, Antonov An-2 archive and Antonov research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Antonov An-2”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Antonov An-2” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.