Eastern Express 14496 Antonov An-8

The Antonov An-8 (NATO designation: Camp) was a Soviet all-metal transport aircraft in a high-wing configuration. The drive was provided by two Ivchenko AI-20 D turboprop engines with a capacity of 5,180 HP each. The prototype flight took place in 1956. Serial production started shortly after, which led to the creation of about 150 examples of this aircraft. The on-board armament consisted of two 23mm NK-23 cannons placed in the tail of the aircraft.

The An-8 was developed as a successor to the Li-2 aircraft (a license copy of the DC-3 aircraft) and the Il-12. Compared to its predecessors, it was actually a completely new design, using much more powerful engines and characterized by significantly better performance and richer on-board avionics. In the course of serial production, only one development version of the An-8 aircraft with the designation An-8T was created, i.e. an aircraft intended for the transport of aviation fuel, but not serving as a flying tanker. It is worth noting that there were ideas to adapt the An-8 to the role of a maritime reconnaissance aircraft (An-8M) or electronic reconnaissance (probably An-8RR), but these versions of the aircraft did not enter mass production