Antonov An-2MS nine-engine biplane - video and photo

[schuylergrace]

Any idea what powered the small props? It looks like it could be electric motors, but this plane was from the mid-60s. Being a Soviet creation, it may well have had a shaft running off the turboprop engine going to a sprocket(s) and chain(s) setup to drive the smaller propellers. Maybe, a generator running off the turbine or an APU?

[clavius]

Looks like it was some sort of demonstrator or test bed, this says that the small props are driven by electric motors:

https://sustainableskies.org/nine-en...s-dep-antonov/