The Oleg Antonov State Aviation Museum has expanded its collection with the An-2P aircraft, which was intended to be a tourist attraction in the USA but remained in Ukraine.
This is reported by Kyiv24
History of the An-2P Aircraft: From a Polish Factory to Ukraine
In 1970, the An-2P aircraft was built at the “Mielec” factory in Poland, later joining the Ukrainian division of “Aeroflot.” After that, until 1998, it was owned by the airline “Aviainvest Ukraine.”
In 2010, this aircraft was purchased by a British investor with plans to transport it to the USA. There, the An-2P was supposed to conduct sightseeing flights over the Grand Canyon, but the plan fell through due to unforeseen circumstances.
Why the Aircraft Remained in Ukraine
The early 2010s proved decisive for the fate of this aircraft. During its ferry flight to the USA in 2013–2014, the An-2P made an intermediate landing at the airfield in Borodyanka. Due to the events of that time, the aircraft remained there for eleven years, never reaching the American continent.
“The ‘biography’ of this aircraft is quite interesting. During the Soviet period, it operated within the Ukrainian division of ‘Aeroflot,’ and later — until 1998 — it belonged to the airline ‘Aviainvest Ukraine.’ In 2010, it was purchased by a British investor with the ambitious goal of ferrying it to the USA and organizing sightseeing flights over the Grand Canyon.
In 2025, with the support of the Public Organization “Association for the Development of Aviation in Ukraine,” the An-2P was officially transferred to the museum’s collection. After preparatory work, the aircraft was transported to the State Aviation Museum, where it took its place among other aircraft of the “An” series.
Now the An-2P has become part of the museum’s permanent exhibition, symbolizing the complex journey of Ukrainian aviation and the historical changes that have occurred over the past decades.