An-22 versions, both built and unbuilt.

[Weaver]

Just read an interesting article on the Antonov An-22 (Antheus) which mentions some unbuilt variants, and since there are various kits available in various scales it seems to have whiff potential. No pictures unfortunately.

1. Amphibious transport. Flying boat type hull with either sponsons or underwing floats.

2. Airliner. Stretched, double-deck fuselage for 724 passengers.

3. Nuclear-powered high-endurance ASW aircraft. Never built, but two regular An-22 flew with operating nuclear plants to test shielding as late as 1972.

4. Search and rescue system. Aircraft would paradrop two lifeboats with crewmen.

5. ICBM carrier. Three vertical missile tubes in fuselage. 

6. Oversize cargo carrier. Bulged fuselage behind wing.

7. Two special cargo An-22PZ aircraft wewre actually built. These could carry wing sections for other large Antonovs abouve the fuselage. One had an extra central (An-26) tail for greater stability.

[The Rat]

1. Amphibious transport. Flying boat type hull with either sponsons or underwing floats.

You're taunting me, aren't you?! 

[MAD]

What about a 'What If' long-endurance airborne gunship/command post for use during the Soviet's invasion of Afghanistan.
Taking and utilizing the many lessons that had been learnt from the Americans during their equally long and drawn out war in Vietnam, the Soviets decide to emulate the airborne gunship principle.
But saying this, the Soviets decided to do it bigger, heavier than the American AC-130 Specter, and elect to by-pass their own equivalent An-12 'Cub' series of transport aircraft and go for a radical modification of their giant and versatile An-22 transport.

So let's say having it armed with –
Two specially modified single barrel 122 mm 2A18 (D-30) howitzer, with a special recoil cradles.
Two single barrel 57mm S-68 cannons (as used by the ZSU-57-2 SPAAG system)
Two twin-barrel 2A14 cannons (as used on the towed ZSU-23-2 AAA).

Able to stay on station for hours on end, coupled with its on board C3 crew and sensors (giving it the ability to direct other assets (artillery, ground attack aircraft and helicopters onto targets by day and night), and massive firepower, the AAn-22 'Spectorski', would have been able to give massive amounts of fire support to Soviet troops and road convoys.

M.A.D

[GTX]

1. Amphibious transport. Flying boat type hull with either sponsons or underwing floats.

Oohh yes!!!! 

Regards,

Regards,

Greg

[Archibald]

The soviet created a big "buzz" at Le Bourget airshow 1965 talking about this one

Airliner. Stretched, double-deck fuselage for 724 passengers.

By the way, the missile carrier variant could be used to launch satellites, too...

[Sauragnmon]

Hmmmm... Nuclear powered aircraft, combined with a Gunship... limited in its time on station only by the ammount of ammunition it carries, or the presence of the enemy resistance.

Granted, I always thought the best form of reactor for a plane would be a LMFR, especially a Lead-cooled one, because that way it incorporates the shielding in the reactor, requiring less maintenance.  From there we use either a steam generator to create propulsion, or massive electric drive motors to operate the propellors.

Nuclear Steampunk Gunship anybody?

Sincerely,
The Mad Scientist

[Mossie]

An-22Sh, looks like it has a prolapse!  Guppy version of the An-22.

[Archibald]

Here's what happens when you give 724 passengers a bean-based airline meal...

[Hobbes]

the AAn-22 'Spectorski',

For some reason, the name SMERSH comes to mind....

[kitnut617]

An-22Sh, looks like it has a prolapse!  Guppy version of the An-22.

Another reasonably nice looking airplane that's got smacked with the 'ugly-stick'.   But considering I have a 1/72 kit of this and know just how big it is compared to some of my others, that would make quite a topic at any model show.

[Mossie]

Wow, huge model!

For those who want something a little more handlble, Anigrand have just released a 1/144 An-22.  It'll still be a bit larger than that Shack you've got there Robert!
http://www.anigrand.com/AA4022_An-22.htm

Oh & if anyone gets one & is willing to swap that mini-BICh-26 for the MiG-37 from my T-4MS kit, let me know!

[The Rat]

...mini-BICh...

Leave my ex-wife out of this.