Cavok Air's Antonov An-12B turboprop made its final flight
A ‘veteran’ retired on March 28 after 58 years in service. Cavok Air’s Antonov An-12B turboprop, registration UR-CNN, made its final flight on March 28 when it landed at Piestany Airport in Slovakia.
One of six four-engine aircraft operated by the Ukrainian cargo airline, the black and red An-12 was received with a ceremony at the site, as revealed by its manufacturer in a video posted on YouTube.
The aircraft has a long service history, having been manufactured in 1967, during the Cold War, and served with Aeroflot.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the aircraft found a new role with half a dozen cargo airlines until it was transferred to Cavok Air in 2014.
During all this time, the An-12 UR-CNN logged 18,000 flights and 50,000 flight hours, carrying out cargo flights to various locations around the world.
Soviet C-130 Hercules
The An-12 is the equivalent of the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, with four distinctive turboprop engines, a high wing and a rear cargo ramp.
One thing that sets the aircraft apart from its Western rival is the presence of a gun turret in the tail, a common configuration on Soviet aircraft.
It can carry up to 20 tons of cargo and fly nonstop for 3,600 km with a maximum load.
Although it did not have the same success as the Hercules, the An-12 enjoyed enormous acceptance throughout the world, with around 1,250 aircraft produced, a good portion of which are still in active service.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui7G9G7LdIw
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