Antonov An-26
The Antonov An-26 adapted the An-24 regional airliner into a dedicated military and paramilitary transport, adding a rear loading ramp and a small auxiliary jet engine to boost takeoff performance from short or high-altitude airfields. That auxiliary jet, mounted alongside the two main turboprops, gives it extra thrust exactly when it's needed most, during a heavily loaded takeoff, without adding the weight of larger main engines. It became a standard light tactical transport across dozens of air forces allied with or supplied by the Soviet Union. It remains in active military and paramilitary cargo service across much of the former Eastern Bloc, Africa, and Asia today.
Did you know?
Look for the small turbojet tucked beside the turboprops — it spools up only to boost heavily loaded takeoffs.
Specifications
| Length | 23.8 m (78 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 29.2 m (96 ft) |
| Height | 8.6 m (28 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 40 |
| Persons on board | 50 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 23 t |
| Range | 630 NM (1,167 km) |
| Maximum speed | 270 kt (500 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 25,000 ft (7,620 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 13,000 ft (3,962 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,600 ft/min (8.1 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 640 m (2,100 ft) |
| Landing distance | 1,740 m (5,709 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 6,800 l |
| Engines | 2x Ivchenko AI-24 (turboprop) |
| Units built | 103 |
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-26 starts as a Very rare 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.
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