Giant Russian visits Sisters

One of the largest biplanes in the world, an Anotov AN-2, lumbered into Sisters Eagle Air on Thursday, September 16.

The plane, owned by the Lundgren family of Camp Sherman, was just stopping over on its way to final display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.

The plane was piloted by Shane Lundgren, who flew the craft from Maine to Sisters. Shane is a pilot with Air Berlin, an airline the family owns in Europe.

Shane flew the Anotov from Alaska to Norway across the North Pole last year, a journey documented by National Geographic.

The Anotov is powered by a nine-cylinder radial engine, derived from the Wright 1820 Cyclone radials that powered DC-3s.

Putting out over 1,000 horsepower, the giant but surprisingly smooth and quiet engine consumes 40 gallons of gas and two to four gallons of oil per hour.

The plane flies at 110 miles per hour, and has a stall speed of 35 mph.

Taking off from Sisters on Friday morning on its journey to Seattle, the huge plane quickly lifted its tail and lifted off effortlessly, easily clearing McKinney Butte at the east end of the runway.

The Lundgren family has been part of the history of Sisters and the State of Oregon for many decades. The Lundgren Mill occupied the parcel of land now owned by the Sisters School District in the Sisters Industrial Park.

The family has owned property around the House of the Metolius since the early 1900s.