The arrival in Lima, recently, of two Soviet Air Force transport aircraft, gave the world its first look at the global airlife capability of the Soviet Union.
The arrival in Lima, recently, of two Soviet Air Force transport aircraft, gave the world its first look at the global airlife capability of the Soviet Union. The aircraft are two types of military aircraft converted for transport use: the two-engined AN-12B "CUB" and the larger four-engined An-22 "COCK".
The aircraft are in Peru as part of the promised massive Soviet airlift of supplies to the earthquake disaster areas in the north of the country. At least 50,000 people died and another, 800,000 were made homeless by the earthquake on May 31.
The Soviet airlift fleet is made up of 61 AN-12 transports, each capable of carrying 30 tons ( approx. 30,000 kilograms) of supplies, and four of the giant AN-22 aircraft which have a maximum payload of 80 tons ( approx. 80,000 kilograms) each. Prior to the development of the U.S. Air force's C-5 Galaxy the four-engined AN-22 was the world's largest aircraft.
All the Soviet aircraft making the global flight, stopped at Iceland, Nova Scotia aircraft making the global flight, stopped at Iceland, Nova Scotia or Newfoundland, Cuba and Columbia on their way to Lima. The range of the AN-22 varies between three and six thousand miles (4,800-to-9,600 kilometres) according to its payload. It has been in service since 1967 as both a cargo and a troop carrier.
The supplies being taken into Peru by the Soviet airlift are food, blankets, medicine and bulldozers. Two hundred beds are also being brought in, together with materials and equipment to build 100 houses. Seventy-five Russian doctors and 25 geological engineers are to help in evacuation and construction work.