This An-12BK is from the 134th Transport Regiment, one of the units of the Transport Aviation branch of the Soviet Air Force, which made regular flights to Afghanistan in support of the 40th Army. Like almost all An-12s in military service in the 1980s, it was painted in grey overall, with spinners and the leading edge of engine nacelles left in bare metal. The long add-on pod installed on the lower forward fuselage contained a chaff and flare dispenser. The unusually large number was applied on the rear fuselage in red and outlined in white: An-12s from the 50th Mixed Aviation Regiment of the 40th Army, and the 194th Transport Regiment are known to have worn them applied in almost exactly the same fashion – often making unit identification hard. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)