FSX-SE An-2 Annushka and Severka - Rhymed for me today...

[P_7878 6,600]

The An-2 (Annushka) does not ever completely leave my mind, it's always in the back of my sub-conscious "SIM" memory...(similar to a Cub or a DC3)...I've known this plane since the FS9 days, thanks to the many freeware models available in the SIM. Years ago, I used to own (and often fly) the fantastic SibWings An-2, but, during my hiatus from SIM and transition to FSX/SE, I somehow lost it on the wayside. However, I was glad to eventually pick up the Aerosoft version of it, which is the version I'm flying, here. It's a development independent of the Sibwings An-2, but, an equally excellent simulation...!

Like the Legendary (original) Piper J-3 Cub (and the DHC-3 Otter), the An-2 holds an unforgettable place in (aviation) history. With over 18,000+ units built, it is one of those rare aircraft, that has been continuously produced (1947-2001) without any design modification, for well over 50 years, into the 21st century (matched in production run only by one other (much larger) legend, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules). Excluding the (highly curious but unworkable) Antonov A-40 (Gliding) Military Tank (viewing of its images, suggested), the An-2 was the very first plane created by (ingenious) Soviet aircraft designer, Oleg Antonov, in the illustrious Antonov series, culminating in the (world's largest aircraft) An-225 Mriya. The An-2 is powered by a (single) Shvetsov ASh-62 radial (see close-up shot), which was an improved derivative of the reliable Wright R-1820 Cyclone engine (of Douglas DC-3 etc. fame).

Now, a bit about the scenery locale of this post: Severka is a small and little-known (Russian) airport (UUML), located a short 30 miles away from Moscow Domodedovo International Airport. For today, I thought that pairing the classic An-2 with this quaint (and well-detailed) airport, will be fun, and indeed it was...! [Side Note: Curiously, I noticed today, that the makers, RDS, have already created a version of this airport for MSFS (see SIM Market), and there are even two 5-Star reviews of it. So, if you are into off-the-track rural but authentic-looking airports (I am...!), and wish to pay a visit there, in your Carbon Cub, this provincial airport in Russia, might be worth checking into...]

And, finally, below, is a bit of an excerpt from the Aerosoft/Octopus Quick User Guide:

FORBIDDEN FLIGHTS:

• Aerobatics flights
• Entering icing hazard zones
• Night flights without parachutes
• IFR flights with C.G. beyond 30% MAC
• Night flights with minors

Among the usual items, above, I noticed the two Night Flight criteria for the An-2, and as you can see, below, my return circuit back to the airport (to the parking spot), is just before nightfall, so, I believe, I've not violated any operating rules, for this aircraft, since I neither had a parachute, on board, nor I had any minor as passenger, of course, all these, only in my imaginary flight, here, today,...🙂...oh well...no harm dreaming a bit, in our SIMs...!!

Hope you enjoy this account and the images, below...!

[AS(An-2)/RDS(UUML/Severka)/REX]

[bernd1151 5,855]

Great pics, P_7878. I hope they'll bring it out soon for MSFS too. Would be an instant buy for me.

[edetroit 933]

Lovely set P_7878! I do love anything from the Antonov stable....but this one is toooooo slow for me.😄

[P_7878 6,600]

8 hours ago, bernd1151 said:

Great pics, P_7878. I hope they'll bring it out soon for MSFS too. Would be an instant buy for me.

Bernd: Thank you very much...!

Please check Sim Market, as I've cited above...🙂....actually, they have already...! Their MSFS version sells at 50 cents less than the one for FSX/P3D. There is one FSX/P3D review and two MSFS (verified user) reviews, I find, there. And, as one of the reviewers, there, has correctly said the scenery scope is somewhat limited to the airfield and its close vicinity/town, but, the airport itself does feel genuine and delectable...btw, these folks, at RDS, seem to have got the right idea about giving small and unknown rural Russian airports, in the SIM world, to those of us interested (I'm one)...(Severka Wiki, e.g, has just one line of description text...hardly known in the (western) SIM world or otherwise...!)...

For me, in FSX, Russia is just a (featureless) vast patch of "green" and "brown"...🙂...with the exclusion of a few (Russian) airport sceneries I've acquired/purchased (I call them "oases" in my scenery)...but, in MSFS, although, I don't recall seeing Russia scenery pictures, here, these kind of small (rustic) airports can add a great deal to (MSFS) VFR enjoyment...

 

6 hours ago, edetroit said:

Lovely set P_7878! I do love anything from the Antonov stable....but this one is toooooo slow for me.😄

Ed: Appreciated the comments...coming from the consummate "Antonov" aficionado...🙂...! Anyway, I agree, someone, who likes to jet-set in a six-engine An-225 Mriya, this An-2 is slower than slow...! BTW, you might know that this plane, with no real stall-speed, can (literally) fly backward...🙂...see below, that's a new definition of "slow"....

"...a remarkable machine. If your idea of heaven is being able to fly backward in a 30-knot headwind while carrying an entire baseball team plus the manager for the price of a mid-range BMW, have we got an airplane for you...."

And, I also wish to state, from a (fresh) perusal of the (excellent) supplied documentation, that this SIM is a work of passion by the program lead (and the creator of its flight-dynamics) - Alexander Metzger. That adds to the unique user "feel" of the plane (especially for a non-pilot, like me). Two quotes from him, below.

1. "I had the pleasure to get a lot of information from Eric Sumerer's An-2, from Switzerland, which allowed me to develop the detailed flight dynamics and give information to the OctopusG team on details of operation. Expect it to fly very much like “his” An-2 SP-ASR “Antonov Swiss Romande”.
2. Let me add a basic piece of advice: “Treat and fly her gently – don’t rush her and the An-2 will be rock solid in any condition of flight.” [I hope I was gentle enough here...🙂...!]