Hi all
As an engineer that spent four years working on them, i have to say that they were a right pain to work on, but then considering they were designed by the generation who brought you the bombers of WWII, that wasn't surprising. They were designed in 1961 and entered service 20 or so years later, hardly the best way to gain a hold on the market. They were ahead of their time, but those bloody engines and the awful electrics just stalled the 146 from the start. As for a twin-engined model, we received a BAe promo pack, once, that featured an artist's impression of a -200 powered by two JT-8s, which looked just like the Japanese Air Force's C-1 freighter. Maybe Antonov have been sold old BAe drawings and a joblot of old -8s!!!
regards
TDD