Antonov An-22 Antheus
The Antonov An-22 Antheus was, when introduced in the 1960s, the largest aircraft in the world, and remains the largest turboprop-powered aircraft ever built. Its four huge contra-rotating propellers, driven by the same powerful engine family used on the Tu-95 bomber, give it a distinctive deep, thunderous sound heard long before the aircraft comes into view. It was built to airlift the Soviet Union's largest military equipment, including tanks and ballistic missile components, over vast distances. A small number remain in service today, valued for outsized-cargo capability few other aircraft, jet or propeller, can match.
Did you know?
The An-22 remains the largest turboprop aircraft ever built, its contra-rotating propellers producing a deep, thunderous sound heard before it's seen.
Specifications
| Length | 57.9 m (190 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 64.4 m (211 ft) |
| Height | 12.5 m (41 ft) |
| Persons on board | 35 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 250 t |
| Range | 3,100 NM (5,741 km) |
| Maximum speed | 385 kt (713 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 25,000 ft (7,620 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 26,000 ft (7,925 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 1,300 m (4,265 ft) |
| Landing distance | 1,600 m (5,249 ft) |
| Engines | 4x Kuznetsov NK-12MA (turboprop) |
| Units built | 68 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Antonov An-22 Antheus starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Antonov, the An-22 Antheus family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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