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(Images courtesy of ‘Ivan from Dalavia’, and his friend who’s been to Antarctica)

August 31, 1947, Novosibirsk, the USSR, - time and place of the Antonov-2’s birth. The very first one took off, and marked the beginning of a ‘pedigree line’ that has been responsible for generating of a variety of models, and they say ‘yet it is not over’!

And this gentleman, Mr. Antonov, was behind the plane’s creation.

It is now his name is well known to aviation community all over the world, - not to mention the fact there’s a fleet of planes that bear the name on their tails, - in some sense to remind of the gentleman - once a modest, but talented engineer who started his career in the Mr. Yakovlev’s firm.

Here’s a link to the official Antonov Design Bureau site where you can read some facts of the Mr. Antonov’s bio.

As for Antonov-2, it had proved it’s got almost all the imaginable values and virtues the bush plane suppose to have. Even Canadian aviators, a flock of the most experienced ‘bush fliers’ in the world recognized and appreciated the plane.

Numerous offsprings of the venerable pedigree line have been in all continents, and on both Earth’s poles.

Like this one, during a recent Russian expedition to Antarctica. And I’m going to get some images of ‘Annie’ basking in the sun shining over the North Pole.

Happy Birthday, ‘Annushka’!