Oleg Konstantinovich Antonov (russian: Оле́г Константи́нович Анто́нов; 7 February 1906 – 4 April 1984) was a
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
aeroplane
An airplane or aeroplane (informally plane) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad spec ...
designer, and the founder of the
Antonov Design Bureau
Antonov State Enterprise ( uk, Державне підприємство «Антонов»), formerly the Aeronautical Scientific-Technical Complex named after Antonov (Antonov ASTC) ( uk, Авіаційний науково-технічни� ...
(located in
Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe.
Ky ...
,
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...
), named in his honour. Antonov designed a number of Soviet
aeroplane
An airplane or aeroplane (informally plane) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad spec ...
s (such as the
Antonov An-2,
Antonov An-12) and numerous
gliders for both civilian and military use.
Early life
Antonov was born on 7 February 1906 in Troitsy,
Moscow Governorate,
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War ...
(now
Podolsky District of the
Moscow Oblast
Moscow Oblast ( rus, Моско́вская о́бласть, r=Moskovskaya oblast', p=mɐˈskofskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ), or Podmoskovye ( rus, Подмоско́вье, p=pədmɐˈskovʲjə, literally " under Moscow"), is a federal subject of R ...
),
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War ...
to a family of Russian ethnicity. In 1912, the Antonovs moved to
Saratov, where he attended the non-classical secondary school (now gymnasium №1) and secondary school (now school №23). From an early age, Antonov was fascinated with aviation and spent much of his spare time at the local airfield.
Early engineering career
At the age of 17, Antonov founded the "Amateur Aviation Club" and later joined the
"Organization of Friends of the Air Force". Later he designed the OKA-1 "Pigeon", a
glider
Glider may refer to:
Aircraft and transport Aircraft
* Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight
** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of gliding
...
that was entered in a competition in Moscow where he won the first prize, a flight on a
Junkers 12 aircraft.
In 1930, Antonov graduated from the
Kalinin Polytechnical Institute in
Leningrad
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
. He continued to design gliders and in 1931 Antonov became the chief designer at the Moscow Glider Factory. During the next eight years, he designed 30 different gliders including the Standard-1, Standard-2, OKA-6 and the large "City of Lenin" glider. Due to a requirement that all pilots in the Soviet Union had to begin their flight training in gliders, Antonov was able to produce up to 8,000 gliders per year.
In 1938, after an incident when an instructor defected to the
West using a glider, the Soviet government reversed its decision regarding glider training, banned the sport of gliding and shut down the Moscow Glider Factory.
Professional designer career and World War II
Following the closure of the glider factory, Antonov was appointed chief designer for the
Yakovlev Design Bureau. In 1940 a new aircraft design bureau under his own management was established in Leningrad.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, Antonov designed the
A-7 military glider used for
airbridge supply of the
Soviet partisans behind the
front line
A front line (alternatively front-line or frontline) in military terminology is the position(s) closest to the area of conflict of an armed force's personnel and equipment, usually referring to land forces. When a front (an intentional or unin ...
s, and the
KT "Kryl'ja Tanka" ("Tank Wings") biplane glider that was designed to airlift
tank
A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful ...
s. In 1943, Antonov returned to Yakovlev’s design bureau to fill a vacancy as Yakovlev’s deputy. Much of his time and energy was devoted to the improvement of the Yak series, one of the most mass-produced
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...
types of World War II.
["Biography of Oleg K. Antonov."](_blank)
''People’s Museum Press Service of Antonov ASTC'', Council of Antonov ASTC, © 2005. Retrieved: 25 May 2009.
Postwar career and establishment of the Antonov company
After the war, Antonov requested that Yakovlev let him work independently, heading Yakovlev’s subsidiary design office at the aircraft manufacturing factory at Novosibirsk. On 31 May 1946, Antonov was appointed head of the newly redesignated facility (subsequently known as the
Antonov Research and Design Bureau), which was later moved to
Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe.
Ky ...
,
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...
. In September 1946, Antonov, in addition to his management of the design bureau, became the director of the Siberian R&D Institute for Aeronautics.
The first of the Antonov Bureau's designs was the SKh-1 (Se'lsko Khozyaystvennyi- pervoy - agricultural-first one) agricultural aircraft, later redesignated
An-2, designed to meet a 1947 Soviet requirement for a replacement for the
Polikarpov Po-2 which was used in large numbers as both an agricultural aircraft and a utility aircraft. Antonov designed a large single-bay
biplane of all-metal construction, with an enclosed
cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft or spacecraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft.
The cockpit of an aircraft contains flight instruments on an instrument panel, and the controls that e ...
and a
cabin
Cabin may refer to:
Buildings
* Beach cabin, a small wooden hut on a beach
* Log cabin, a house built from logs
* Cottage, a small house
* Chalet, a wooden mountain house with a sloping roof
* Cabin, small free-standing structures that serve as i ...
accommodating 12 passengers.
A series of significant transports followed under Oleg Antonov's direction. Antonov aircraft (design office prefix An-) range from a rugged An-2 (which itself is comparatively large for a biplane) through the
An-28 reconnaissance aircraft
A reconnaissance aircraft (colloquially, a spy plane) is a military aircraft designed or adapted to perform aerial reconnaissance with roles including collection of imagery intelligence (including using photography), signals intelligence, as ...
to the massive
An-124 Ruslan strategic airlifter. The quad-turboprop
An-12 and its derivatives became the primary Soviet
military transport from 1959 onward. While less well known, the
An-24,
An-26,
An-30 and
An-32
The Antonov An-32 ( NATO reporting name: Cline) is a turboprop twin-engined military transport aircraft.
Design and development
The An-32 is essentially a re-engined An-26. It is designed to withstand adverse weather conditions better than the ...
family of twin-
turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. ...
, high winged, passenger/cargo/troops aircraft predominate in domestic/short-haul air services in the
former Soviet Union and parts of the world formerly under Soviet influence. Antonov also oversaw development of the mid-range
An-72/An-74 jet airplanes family. The world's largest production aircraft, the
An-124 Ruslan, flew for the first time in 1982, and its specialised shuttle-carrying/extra-heavy cargo derivative, the
An-225 Mriya entered development, still under Antonov's guidance, but did not make its maiden flight until 1989 after his death. In November 2004, FAI placed the An-225 in the Guinness Book of Records for its 240 records. Some of Antonov's designs are also built abroad, such as the
Shaanxi Y-8.
In 1965 Antonov signed a petition in defense of
Soviet dissident Ivan Dziuba.
Family
Antonov was married three times (to Elena Kochetkova,
Yelyzaveta Shahatuni and Elvira Antonova) and was father of four children (Rolan, Anna, Elena and Andrei).
Death
Oleg Antonov died 4 April 1984 in
Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe.
Ky ...
,
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...
and was buried in the
Baikove Cemetery.
Honorary titles, awards and legacy
During his lifetime, Antonov was recognized as a
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science ( la, links=no, Scientiae Doctor), usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D., or D.S., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, "Doctor of Science" is the degree used f ...
,
Academician of the
Academy of Science of the Ukrainian SSR (1968),
Hero of Socialist Labor (1966), and elected member of the
Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 5th, 6th and 7th
convocations.
Among numerous awards, Antonov received the
State Award of the USSR in 1952 and
Lenin Award in 1962.
Antonov was decorated with three
Orders of Lenin, the
Order of the October Revolution
The Order of the October Revolution (russian: Орден Октябрьской Революции, ''Orden Oktyabr'skoy Revolyutsii'') was instituted on October 31, 1967, in time for the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. It was conferr ...
, the
Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, the
Order of the Red Banner of Labour
The Order of the Red Banner of Labour (russian: Орден Трудового Красного Знамени, translit=Orden Trudovogo Krasnogo Znameni) was an order of the Soviet Union established to honour great deeds and services to th ...
and the
Medal "Partisan of the Patriotic War" 1st class.
A street in
Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe.
Ky ...
's
Solomyanka neighborhood is named after Oleg Antonov.
In 1999, Antonov was inducted into the
International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the
San Diego Air & Space Museum.
[Sprekelmeyer, Linda, editor. ''These We Honor: The International Aerospace Hall of Fame''. Donning Co. Publishers, 2006. .]
A coin was minted of copper nickel alloy in 2006 by the
National Bank of Ukraine honoring Antonov. In addition, a silver proof coin was issued by the
Bank of Russia
The Central Bank of the Russian Federation (CBR; ), doing business as the Bank of Russia (russian: Банк России}), is the central bank of the Russian Federation. The bank was established on July 13, 1990. The predecessor of the bank can ...
to commemorate 100 years since Antonov's birth.
Gallery
Polet Antonov An-2TP Dvurekov-1.jpg, Antonov An-2
Antonov An124-100.jpg, Antonov An-124
Антонов Ан-72-74 36547095905, Киев - Жуляны RP100062.jpg, Antonov An-74
Antonov An-225 Beltyukov-1.jpg, Antonov An-225
Antonov An-70 Ramenskoye Airport 2013 (528-05).jpg, Antonov An-70
Antonov An-72P, Russia - Air Force AN2331433.jpg, Antonov An-72 с
Aeromost Kharkiv Antonov An-140 Idaszak.jpg, Antonov An-140
Ukraine International Airlines Antonov An-148-100B Belyakov.jpg, Antonov An-148
The Antonov An-148 ( ua, Антонов Ан-148) is a regional jet designed and built by Antonov of Ukraine. Development of the aircraft was started in the 1990s, and its maiden flight took place on 17 December 2004. The aircraft completed i ...
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Anisenko, Viktor G. ''O.K. Antonov: Versatility of Talent''. Aero Hobby PC.
* Gordon, Yefim. ''Antonov An-2: Annushka, Maid of All Work-Red Star Volume 15''. Hersham, Surrey, UK: Midland, 2004. .
{{DEFAULTSORT:Antonov, Oleg Konstantinovich
1906 births
1984 deaths
People from Saratov
People from Podolsky Uyezd
Russian nobility
Communist Party of the Soviet Union members
Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine (Soviet Union) members
Fifth convocation members of the Soviet of the Union
Sixth convocation members of the Soviet of the Union
Seventh convocation members of the Soviet of the Union
Eighth convocation members of the Soviet of the Union
Ninth convocation members of the Soviet of the Union
Tenth convocation members of the Soviet of the Union
Eleventh convocation members of the Soviet of the Union
Russian aerospace engineers
Soviet aerospace engineers
Soviet inventors
Aircraft designers
20th-century Russian engineers
Antonov
Yakovlev
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University alumni
Full Members of the USSR Academy of Sciences
Heroes of Socialist Labour
Stalin Prize winners
Lenin Prize winners
Recipients of the Order of Lenin
Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour