* Following the introduction of reliable and effective turboprop engines in the 1950s, the Soviet Union decided to develop a twin-turboprop short-haul airliner, which emerged as the Antonov "An-24". The An-24 proved very successful, leading to several derivatives, including the "An-26" cargolifter; the specialized "An-30" survey platform; and the near-unique "An-32", a cargolifter designed specifically for "hot & high" operations. This document gives a history and description of the An-24 family -- as well as the next-generation "An-140" twin-turboprop transport, the An-24's successor.
