An-45 Mila Review

"She won't make the climb, Mila," the base commander shouted over the wind.

The was never meant to be a hero. A twin-engine cargo workhorse with a fuselage that groaned like an old man’s knees, it had spent twenty years hauling mail and grain across the Siberian tundra. Most pilots called it "The Iron Mule." To Mila, it was simply "Old 45." an-45 Mila

The storm that hit in late November was a "white-out" that grounded every modern jet in the fleet. But a village three hundred miles north was out of medicine, and the mountain pass was too narrow for anything but a prop plane with a short takeoff and a soul. "She won't make the climb, Mila," the base

"She'll make it because I’m the one asking," Mila replied, pulling her goggles down. Most pilots called it "The Iron Mule