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Designed originally for agricultural duties under the designation SKh-1, the An-2 utility transport
flew for the first time on 31 August 1947. Of robust construction and suitable for operations from
short, semi-prepared strips, the Antonov An-2 has been manufactured for both military and civil roles.
The An-2 remained in production until 1991. Over 18.000 of the different types were built in the
Ukraine (5000), Poland (12000) and China (1000). |
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Antonov An-2T s/n 173(473)08 / 1G172-05 was delivered as '451' to the NVA (East German Air Force) and entered service on 28 January
1957. On 13 June 1961, the '451' was dam aged on the ground when it was hit by An-2 '450' at Garz. After German reunification in 1990,
the Luftwaffe assumed control over the NVA equipment and many of the GDR's military aircraft were declared obsolete or incompatible
with NATO technical standards, and were withdrawn from use or sold. However, code '54+03' was alloted to Antonov AN-2S '451', it never
entered service with the German Air Force and was sold. The first civil owner of the Antonov AN-2T was the SLS - Sächsische Luftfahrt
Service GmbH & Co, Kamenz. This company was founded in 1991 by Claus Ripl, the former commander of TAS-45 Kamenz. On 2 December 1992,
the aircraft was registered D-FKMB with SFS Siebertz Flight Service Hunxe. In April 1993, the aircraft was registered D-FKMB with P. Siebertz.
In 1996, Peter Siebertz took over LHL - Luftfahrerschule Hans Langenbach at Kamenz and both his AN-2s D-FKMB and D-FKMD were added to the fleet
of the aviation school. Around 2005, Antonov An-2T D-FKMB was added to the fleet of Hot Air Balloon & Air Albatros, Mülheim/Ruhr. AN-2T D-FKMB
'Red Eagle' became in service with Air Albatros the sistership of AN-2T D-FONE 'Red Baron', the former D-FKMD. Today, the D-FKMB 'Red Eagle'is the
only AN-2T in service with Air Albatros. The sightseeing flights are now operated under the name Morlock Aviation Rundflüge.
On 29
September 2023, Antonov An-2T D-FKMB 'Red Eagle' was seen parked at Flugplatz Marl-Loemühle (EDLM) in Germany. |
