Slow,

The AN-2 was cool. In fact there were many planes built by russia/ comecon that were cool. In the mid 90's, for example AN-2s could be purchased on the open market (depending on configuration - spray plane, pax plane, or jump plane) for 14-20K with zero time everything, fresh skin, and a fresh 1000hp radial engine.

The problem is that the FAA restricted many of the coolest purpose built russian planes as experimental (but further restricted them beyond that using a severity level system). Bottom line, they could only be taken off and landed at the same field - you couldnt go anywhere without a special permission letter.

If the AN2 had not been restricted, the cessna caravan would have died a quick death.

Speaking of Russian airplanes I should have bought/prices in the mid 90s:

Yak 3 - 20K in Romania
Mig 15 2 seater 35K in flying service in Albania
Yak 52 18K in Hungary fresh out of refit in Ukraine

Ferd's stock faux pas is minor in comparison - especially the yak 3