Antonov An-8
The Antonov An-8 was one of the Soviet Union’s first purpose-built post-war military transports, introduced before the better-known An-12. It used a high wing and rear loading ramp to carry vehicles, parachutists, or cargo into austere airfields. Its twin turboprops made it smaller and less capable than the four-engine An-12, so it had a relatively short service life. Surviving examples are now mostly museum pieces, making the type genuinely historic and rare.

Did you know?
Predating the better-known An-12, the twin-engine An-8 had a short service life and survives today mainly as a museum piece.
Specifications
| Length | 30.7 m (101 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 37 m (121 ft) |
| Height | 10.1 m (33 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 48 |
| Persons on board | 76 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 41 t |
| Range | 900 NM (1,667 km) |
| Maximum speed | 325 kt (602 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 30,000 ft (9,144 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 30,000 ft (9,144 m) |
| Rate of climb | 2,000 ft/min (10.2 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 600 m (1,969 ft) |
| Engines | 2x Ivchenko AI-20D |
| Units built | 151 |
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-8 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-8 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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