Antonov An-12 (UR-CBG)

It is interesting that the front of this aircraft looks a lot like a B-29.

AS AN EX AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, I LOVE THE AIR TRAFFIC INDUSTRY. I WAS PARTICULARLY AWED BY THE RUSSIAN AN-124 AND 125 WHICH FLEW INTO BIGGS ARMY AIRFIELD AT FT. BLISS, TEXAS. THEY WERE HUGE AND CAUSED US TO MAJORLY ALTER OUR TRAFFIC PATTERNS AS THEY REQUIRED 4 (FOUR) MINUTES ON THE RUNWAY FOR THEIR PRE-FLIGHT PROCEDURES. BASICALLY, EVERYTHING STOPPED UNTIL THEY ROLLED! BY THE WAY, THEY WERE CARGO AIRCRAFT HIRED BY OUR GOVERNMENT. BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THEY TOOK A LOT OF PICTURES WHILE IN OUR AIRSPACE! YA THINK?

When I was visiting the USSR in 1977, a diplomat assured me that all Soviet aircraft were built to be converted to military at a moments notice, hence the bomber window. I saw it in other commercial planes too. We were in the Cold War and that sounded logical.

Not only were Soviet aircraft easily converted military platforms, but when flying "civilian" routes their aircrews were training in TARGET FAMILIARIZATION. ALL aircrews were military "reservists" during the Cold War. What better way to train for a bomb run than to actually fly the mission covertly?!?!?