The largest transport helicopter in the world. The largest helicopters

Welcome aboard the largest production helicopter in the world.
You will be surprised, but if you put it next to a Boeing 737 airliner, it will be longer! And the propeller diameter is as much as 4 meters larger than the wingspan of the classic Boeing 737 series.
This flying monster can be compared to an ant. Because this is one of the few aircraft capable of lifting and carrying a load that is almost equal in weight to itself. And not only lift, but also transport these 20 tons of cargo to hell in the middle of nowhere - up to 800 kilometers from the base.
Developed back in the mid-70s, this hard worker Goliath is still produced in various modifications - as a military transport, passenger, civil transport, flying crane, medical, etc.

310 units of MI-26 issued for these long years, are operated in military and civil service in the most different countries- Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Venezuela, India, China and even Laos and Peru.

The history of the creation of MI-26

The MI-26 heavy helicopter began to be developed in the early 70s as a replacement for the then-famous MI-6 record holder. The need to develop a new model was determined by the growing needs of both the Armed Forces of the USSR and the Soviet national economy. According to the requirements, the new helicopter was supposed to carry cargo weighing up to 20 tons over a distance of more than 500 km, and also to perform military and civilian tasks without problems at altitudes of more than 1000 meters above sea level.
A new generation heavy helicopter received the designation Mi-26 (or "product 90") and its preliminary design was approved scientific and technical council MAP USSR in December 1971. O.V. was appointed Lead Designer. Bach.
The construction of the Mi-26 model began in 1972, and three years later it was accepted by the State Commission. By that time, most of the design work on the machine had also been completed. In the same 1975, V.V. Shutov became the new lead designer for the Mi-26.
December 14, 1977 MI-26 took to the air for the first time, spending about 3 minutes in the sky. The machine was driven by a crew led by the leading test pilot of the company G. R. Karapetyan.
The first MI-26s were sent straight to the Armed Forces of the USSR, and only a few more years later civilian modifications of this heavyweight began to appear.

MI-26T with tail number RA-06031, on the example of which today's story is prepared, was released on August 1, 1990. At first, Aeroflot of the USSR acted as the operating company, as part of which it was operated for three years in Tyumen and Nizhnevartovsk. Then, since 1993, for a long 17 years, the helicopter was mothballed in Krasnoyarsk, until in 2010 it was purchased by UTair, which currently operates in the Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous region Russia. The place of permanent base is the airport of Surgut.

Civilian version of the MI-26

The civilian version of the helicopter, designated Mi-26T, was put into mass production on January 12, 1985. The demilitarized version differed from its military counterpart primarily in navigation equipment - it did not install LTC ejection devices and pivot installations for small arms. The composition of equipment was significantly expanded, designed to increase the capabilities of the machine when working with loads on an external sling.
The helicopter was equipped with an external suspension system, which was able to transport standard sea ​​containers without the participation of riggers. The universal stabilizing platform made it possible to increase the speed of transporting bulky and long loads (such as houses, containers, pipes) on an external sling up to 200 km/h and reduce fuel consumption by 30%. In addition, the Mi-26T arsenal includes an automatic pipe gripper for working with large diameter pipes and a load gripper for transporting wood in mountainous areas.

It is interesting that even before the massive arrival of the Mi-26 in the Armed Forces and Aeroflot, a number of world records were set on it. For example, on February 4, 1982, the crew of test pilot G.V. Alferov performed a flight in which they managed to lift 25 tons of cargo to a height of 4060 m, while the helicopter climbed to 2000 m with a flight weight of 56,768.8 kg, which was also highest world achievement. In the same year, the Mi-26 crew led by Irina Kopets set 9 women's world records. When the machine was already in full operation in combat units, military testers broke another record set on the Mi-8 back in 1967. On August 7, 1988, the crew of test pilots 1st class A. test navigator L. Danilov and flight engineer A. Burlakov passed along a closed route Moscow-Voronezh-Kuibyshev-Moscow with a length of 2000 km from average speed 279 km/h Moreover, at the final stage, the helicopter pilots had to overcome the weather front with heavy turbulence and heavy rain.

Aeroflot Mi-26T began to arrive in 1986. The first copy arrived at the Tyumen Aviation Enterprise after testing at the State Research Institute civil aviation. Initially, civilian pilots were retrained at the Rostov plant, and since 1987 - at the Kremenchug Civil Aviation School. it educational institution received two Mi-26s, on which hundreds of commanders, co-pilots, navigators, flight engineers and flight operators were trained by the end of 1989. After the helicopters flew out between overhauls, they were sent to the Konotop repair plant, where they are to this day.

People's worker and champion

The central part of the fuselage of the MI-26 is occupied by a roomy cargo compartment with a rear compartment that passes into the tail boom. The length of the cabin is 12.1 m (with a ladder - 15 m), the width is 3.2 m, and the height varies from 2.95 to 3.17 m. military equipment weighing up to 20 tons, designed to equip a motorized rifle division, such as fighting machine infantry, self-propelled howitzer, armored reconnaissance vehicle, etc. The loading of equipment was carried out under its own power through the cargo hatch in the rear fuselage, equipped with two drop-down side flaps and a descending ladder with drapes. Management of a ladder and shutters - hydraulic.

In the landing version, the Mi-26 carried 82 soldiers or 68 paratroopers. Special equipment made it possible to turn the helicopter into an ambulance for transporting 60 wounded on stretchers and three accompanying medical workers within a few hours. In the civilian version, the rear compartment allows you to transport equipment or any cargo. In addition, bulky goods weighing up to 20 tons can be transported on an external sling. Its units were located in the power floor structure, so that the system does not need to be dismantled when transporting goods inside the fuselage.
The cargo compartment of the helicopter, in addition to cargo, also allows the placement of additional fuel tanks (pictured), which increases the possible range of the MI-26.

The inside of the cargo compartment is equipped with a set of equipment necessary for placing and fixing cargo - crane beams, hydraulics, etc.

When used for civilian purposes, the Mi-26's ability to deliver bulky cargo on an external sling came in handy. Many operations have become unique, have received the widest fame in the world and the most favorable impact on the reputation of the helicopter. One of the first was the transportation in the winter of 1986 of a Tu-124Sh glider weighing about 18 tons from the Chkalovsky airfield to the territory of the town of Schelkovo-2, carried out by the crew led by S. Sugushkin. In 1988, in the Caucasus, the Mi-26T helicopter of the Kremenchug School, piloted by commander O.V. Marikov, lifted the Mi-8, which had made an emergency landing in the mountains at an altitude of 3100 m, and delivered it to Tbilisi. Also known is the operation to evacuate the Be-12 aircraft from the emergency landing site in the north Rostov region in Taganrog.
Similar operations were carried out abroad. So, interesting work performed in October 1994 by the Mi-26T crew of the Ukhta civil aviation detachment headed by A. Fateev during an expedition to papua new guinea. The aviators were given the task of pulling the American "Boston" out of the swamp and transporting it to the port of Manang. During the Second World War, the aircraft was part of the 13th US bomber squadron, was shot down by the Japanese in 1945 and made an emergency landing on the "belly" and was now destined for the Australian Air Force Museum.

In the cockpit of the MI-26

In the forward part of the Mi-26 fuselage there is a cockpit with seats for the commander (left pilot), right pilot, navigator and flight engineer, as well as a cabin for four people accompanying the cargo, and a fifth crew member - a flight engineer. On the sides of the cabin there are blister hatches for emergency escape of the helicopter, as well as armor plates in the military version of the vehicle.

The electronic and navigation equipment of the helicopter allows you to perform combat missions in difficult weather conditions and at any time of the day. The navigation complex included in its composition includes the Comb-2 combined heading system, the PKP-77M flight command device, the Veer-M short-range navigation electronic system, a radio altimeter, automatic radio compasses and a Doppler speed and drift angle meter.
The flight complex of the PKV-26-1 helicopter consists of a four-channel autopilot VUAP-1, a trajectory control system, director control and load vibration damping on an external sling. The helicopter is equipped with a meteorological radar, communications equipment, as well as television equipment for visual monitoring of the state of the cargo.

22 thousand horses and 120 meters of blades

The MI-26 power plant consists of two D-136 turboshaft engines manufactured by the Zaporozhye Motor Sich plant with a total capacity of 22,000 horsepower.
These engines make it possible to lift a 28-ton machine with 12 tons of fuel and 20 tons of cargo to a height of up to 6.5 thousand meters and move it over a distance of 800 km (fully loaded) to 2350 km (when driving).
The engine consumes up to 3100 kilograms of fuel per hour, and the cost of a flight hour is about 600 thousand rubles.

Compared to the main propeller, the helmsman seems quite small.
However, its diameter is more than 7.5 meters. Those. almost like three floors of a residential building ..

Finally, a few funny angles from the MI-26.
Heavyweight smile from the front..

And behind. Mi-26 real two-faced Janus)

As I said at the very beginning, more than 310 Mi-26 helicopters of various modifications were produced in total. Due to the unique carrying capacity, these heavy trucks are in great demand both in Russia and abroad to this day. The largest civilian operator of the MI-26 is Russian company UTair, which includes 25 helicopters of this brand.

I want to express my deep gratitude to UTair for the opportunity to prepare a detailed report on one of their helicopters, as well as personally to the company's press secretary, Elena Galanova.

A rotary-wing aircraft that uses propellers to provide lift and thrust is called a helicopter. Among the main advantages of helicopters, it is worth noting their ability to take off and land vertically, hover in the air and move in any direction.

The division of helicopters occurs mostly by weight, not by dimensions. In the former USSR, the largest rotorcraft were designed and produced, they were used to ensure the delivery of goods to hard-to-reach regions of the country. Here you will find information about the largest, in our time, helicopters, and some models were produced in single copies.

No. 1. Mil B-12(MI-12) is the largest helicopter in the world. It was developed Soviet designers in the 60s. He first took to the air in 1968, and a year later the MI-12 set a world record (which is still held) in terms of carrying capacity: he lifted 44.205 tons to a height of 2.255 km. The design of the MI-12 consists of two rotors, which are located at the ends of a huge wing, the diameter of the rotors is 35 m each (the distance between the extreme points of the blades is 67 m, which is more than the wingspan of the Boeing-747 aircraft). The device is lifted into the air by 4 engines with a capacity of 6500l / s, a two-tier cabin is designed for 6 people, the cargo compartment has dimensions of 28.15m * 4.4m * 4.4m.

No. 2. MI-26- he replaced the giant MI-12 and first took to the skies in 1977. The MI-26 turned out to be much more modest than its predecessor, with a maximum takeoff weight of 56 tons (for the MI-12 it was 105 tons) and a maximum speed of 295 km / h. Until now, there is no larger serial transport helicopter than this one (which, by the way, is popularly called the “flying cow”). It has one propeller with a diameter of 32m and two engines. There is a transport-landing version of the MI-26, which can accommodate a hundred people on board, or an ambulance version that can accommodate up to 50 wounded. In addition, the rotorcraft can be used as an air tanker, firefighter, and submarine destroyer.

Number 3. MI6 gas turbine predecessor of MI-12 and MI-26. It was designed to carry missile systems"Luna", which entered service with the USSR army in the 50s. The device is capable of lifting 44 tons of cargo and five crew members into the air, using two 5500 "horse" engines. The diameter of a single propeller was 35 m, but this did not prevent the MI-6 from becoming a speed record holder - 304 km / h. The model turned out to be very successful, so 860 MI-6s were produced in 20 years.

No. 4. MI-10- the closest brother of the helicopters mentioned above. It is a highly specialized MI-6 designed to carry ballistic missiles. He could also take on board up to 28 passengers, with a total mass of 38t. Max speed aircraft only 190 km/h.

No. 5. Sikorsky CH-53E- in an honorable fifth place. This helicopter was built by American craftsmen - it is the largest among its compatriots. The takeoff weight of such a rotorcraft is 33.340t. The main screw has a diameter of about 24m, power is provided by engines of 4380l / s, of which the device has only three. The helicopter is designed for 55 passengers and 5 crew members, its maximum speed is 315 km / h, among the equipment it is worth noting a night vision system, an infrared vision system, and machine guns.

No. 6. Boeing MH-47E- A variation of the American apparatus CH-47 Chinook. Structurally, the helicopter consists of a long fuselage, two engines with a capacity of 5000l / s, two propellers with a diameter of 18m. Boeing MH-47E has a takeoff capacity of 24.495t, can take on board 3 crew members and 44 soldiers or 24 wounded. Speed ​​​​maximum 295 km / h.

No. 7. Hughes XH-17- on appearance this american helicopter similar to the Soviet MI-10. It has the same four long landing gear legs, which makes it possible to carry oversized cargo under the fuselage. The propeller with a record diameter of 40.8m has two blades. The maximum flight weight of the unit is 22.68t. After the first flight in 1952, it turned out that the helicopter was too bulky, so it could not be widely used, in addition, the movement of the Hughes XH-17 is limited to 64 kilometers, with top speed 145km/h

No. 8. Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe- mainly designed for transporting goods under the hull. The Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe first flew in 1962. The main rotor of the helicopter has a diameter of 22m, the cabin is equipped with rear-view windows, the maximum take-off weight of 21.32t is provided by a pair of engines of 4800l / s, while setting a speed of up to 240 km / h. The helicopter was widely used in Vietnam as a transporter of fallen aircraft.

For what just do not use helicopters, from travel and weddings and ending with the transportation of oversized cargo. And how much weight can the largest helicopter lift?

Large models of helicopters

Mi-10 and Mi-6 were originally designed to transport missile systems. The Mi-6 is capable of lifting up to 12 tons of cargo into the air to a height of 2.5 thousand meters. Also, this helicopter is one of the most maneuverable and high-speed. The absolute speed record for the Mi-6, set in 1961, was 320 km/h.

The Mi-10 was developed for the needs of the national economy on the basis of the Mi-6. It lifts loads up to 15 tons. One of these helicopters was modified specifically to set the record for lifting cargo. This machine lifted 25 tons into the air. And in 1964 it was built new model, Mi-10K, which allowed the pilot to observe the cargo without looking up from control.

The US also has a helicopter with an impressive payload capacity in its arsenal. This is the Sikorsky CH-53E, lifting a load of up to 16 tons on an external sling. This helicopter is equipped with machine guns, infrared and night vision systems and can carry up to 55 passengers, not counting the five crew members.

The largest unmanned helicopter

This model can stay in the air longer than all its predecessors. Also, its advantage is that in unfavorable weather conditions it provides greater flight stability. At a speed of 200 km / h, the MQ-8C can stay in the air for up to 24 hours.

The only drawback of unmanned helicopters is that in an unfavorable situation, it can pass into the hands of the enemy. Therefore, the creators of the MQ-8C are seriously working on this problem. After improvements and necessary modifications, mass deliveries of the helicopter are planned for 2016.

The largest helicopter in Russia

In 1967, the first flight of the Mi-12 helicopter, also known under the code B-12, took place. After two years of testing, the Mi-12 set a world record for lifting a load weighing 31, and then 40 tons to a height of 2250 meters. This figure has not yet been surpassed by any helicopter in the world.

The Mi-12 successfully participated in international exhibitions, where it invariably became a real star. Still, because its dimensions are simply incredible - the diameter of its propellers is larger in size than the wingspan of a Boeing 747! This helicopter has a double-deck cabin that can accommodate six people, and huge size cargo compartment. It could also carry up to 50 passengers.

But only two of these helicopters were built. The first prototype crashed during landing due to a hard landing. Flights of the second sample ceased in 1974. It turned out that the production of this helicopter would be too expensive, in addition, large landing sites would need to be equipped for it. Both helicopters can now be seen in aviation museums.

The largest helicopter in the world

Mi-26 has a very large size and can accommodate up to 100 soldiers or 50 wounded. The speed of this car is also rather big, it can accelerate to 295 km / h. The helicopter crew consists of five people. Special equipment makes it possible to turn the landing Mi-26 into an ambulance.

Deliveries of this helicopter to the troops began in 1983. After some improvements, he became truly indispensable in army aviation. He took part in many wars, including during the Chechen conflicts, during the battles in Dagestan and Afghanistan. The Mi-26 proved to be a reliable machine everywhere, which did not have a single combat loss.

In 1986, Aeroflot began to receive Mi-26s. They were very useful in the development of oil fields in Western Siberia. Also, helicopters of this model participated in UN peacekeeping missions. The Mi-26 is also in great demand abroad, where it is used by both domestic and foreign companies.

Our country can be proud of its achievements in aircraft construction: the MiG-31 is one of the fastest supersonic aircraft. But there are planes even faster. Our website has a detailed article about the fastest aircraft in the world.
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January 18th, 2017

I ran through the history of my blog and found ... or rather, did not find that we were discussing the largest helicopter in the world. But this is an interesting and still very relevant car, and even more so there is a section on the blog. We had a story of such a huge helicopter - it was very small and even But the largest helicopter was not visible. Let's fix this situation.

This story of the creation of the most lifting helicopter, its modifications, experience of use and possibilities for further development...

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Forming the appearance of a new heavy helicopter for transport needs, the Mil design bureau tried to take into account all the data received from the design of previous models. In particular, the Mi-6 helicopter, which has already earned a reputation as a reliable hard worker, inherited the general concept. However, with the Mi-6 there was an impressive heap of problems, which, when designing the Mi-26, it was decided to leave behind. This concerned, first of all, the main problem of the Mi-6: high degree engine clogging.

The ingress of large soil particles, or simply foreign objects, a large amount of dust into the engine adversely affected both the engine life and the reliability of the entire helicopter as a whole. The Mi-26 was deprived of these shortcomings almost immediately - so-called PZUs were installed in front of the massive air intakes of the engines - dust-proof devices, with the help of which the air flow entering the engines was deprived of approximately 75% of all foreign substances and practically pure natural air entered the combustion chamber of the engine.

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However, the designers of the Mil Design Bureau did not dare to take the Mi-6 platform entirely as a basis: the analysis showed that the characteristics laid down in the Mi-6 would not be enough for the new helicopter. The original name of the project from the "modernization" Mi-6M was changed to: "Project-90". Work boiled over.

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With an eye on the Americans?

Despite the commitment of KB Mil to the so-called "classical" scheme, along with the decision to start work on the "Project-90", another very unusual and even controversial decision. In those years, Soviet intelligence had data that a helicopter with a carrying capacity of up to 20 tons was being developed in the United States. A characteristic difference American machine from the classical scheme for the design and construction of rotorcraft was the presence of two main rotors at once, spaced on opposite sides of the machine - the first was located above the cockpit, the second - almost at the very edge of the stern. According to such an unusual scheme, the Americans subsequently built the famous American Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter, which our aviation specialists received the insulting nickname "Hunchback".

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Not wanting to be left behind in development, and at the same time to test the viability of this scheme in the realities of Soviet design bureaus, a separate group of engineers was instructed to develop a machine similar to the design of the Americans. It should also be noted that all work on the "Project-90" was carried out in parallel, and none of the schemes was worked out to the detriment of others.

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Uniqueness as a concept

Specialists of the Moscow Helicopter Plant for a long time argued about the layout new car- make it similar to the American one, or use the classic one. Tests, studies, studies - one after another, everything superfluous was swept aside, which would complicate the design and make it less reliable. However, among the routine work there has always been a place for a fundamentally new, more effective solutions. In the Mi-26, the word "unique" can be found almost everywhere: engines, chassis, cargo compartment ... and enough other, smaller parts that, like large units, can be called the best in terms of reliability and efficiency.

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Expert in the field of avionics, deputy chief designer for aviation equipment of OAO NPO OKB im. M.P.Simonov "Ilya Matveev in an interview with Zvezda spoke about one of the main design features Mi-26 helicopter: “Along with monstrous power engines, the Mi-26 has design elements that are no less interesting. The helicopter blades, which create a colossal lifting force, are made using metal-plastic - a heavy-duty and reliable material that allows, with less weight, to significantly increase the efficiency of the main rotor.

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If compared with the design of the main rotor of the Mi-6, because it is with it that the “twenty-sixth” is often compared, then the screw turned out to be 40% lighter in weight and smaller in size - 28 meters for the Mi-26 against the 35-meter mastodon Mi-6 . In terms of traction characteristics, the situation is the same - the developers were able to make a virtually unprecedented leap forward - the Mi-26 propeller provided 30% more thrust than the propeller installed on the Mi-6.

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Regarding the design of the Mi-26 helicopter, serious disputes and work are still going on among Western helicopter manufacturers.

“Attempts to copy, as I know, have been and have been repeatedly. First, the Americans managed to build the CH-53 Sea Stallion, a heavy transport helicopter according to their classification. But when it became clear what characteristics the Mi-26, which came out a few years later, had, the Americans immediately began to experiment. Either with engines, then with the design and materials of the blades, then with avionics, then with something else.

As a result, they did not reach the set targets and only partially improved the car. Then came the turn of the Chinook - the famous "humped" helicopter, which, according to the Americans themselves, "was the best that could be created." However, if we compare it as a military transport helicopter with the Mi-26, then it is inferior in all respects: the Mi-26 with a maximum take-off weight of 56 tons is generally out of competition, because the Chinook has a maximum speed half as much - 25 tons " , - Viktor Sverdlov, a specialist in control and communication systems, an employee of the Kazan Helicopter Plant, said in an interview with the Zvezda TV channel.

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Mi-26 is a truly unique machine. However, the military transport mission of the Soviet giant turned out to be especially necessary when it was not expected at all. accident on Chernobyl nuclear power plant"threw" for the Mi-26 the real male work. Gas turbine engines-giants D-136 have been raised more than one hundred times special reagent, which reduces the share of radiation from the explosion site at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. It was during the Chernobyl "campaign" that all the positive qualities of the Soviet air tractor came to light: carrying capacity and capacity. Having honorably completed the assigned tasks, the Mi-26 at the same time showed that it was possible to use a unique machine not only for the elimination of accidents.

In Chernobyl, with the help of the Mi-26, several complex operations. Since combat helicopter pilots did not yet have the necessary experience, such tasks were entrusted to crews led by test pilots G.R. Karapetyan and A.D. Grishchenko, who had the skills to transport goods on an unusually long external sling.

Photo 11.

The Mi-26 power plant consists of D-136 gas turbine two-stage three-shaft engines with a power of 11,400 hp each. The engine has a modular design, five of its ten modules are interchangeable with similar modules turbojet engine D-36 mounted on the Yak-42. For maintenance of the power plant and transmission on the engine fairings there are large folding panels used as work platforms, and in the tail boom there is a passage for servicing the tail rotor transmission without special ground equipment.

The transmission consists of a main gearbox, two freewheels, tail rotor drive shafts, an intermediate gearbox and a tail rotor gearbox. The main gearbox VR-26 of a modular design, three-stage, has drives for the cooling fan of the gearbox and oil systems, installed above the air intakes of the engines, tail rotor transmission and helicopter units. The gearbox has a length of 2.5 m, a width of 1.95 m and a height of 3.02 m, dry weight 3640 kg. In the amphibious version, the helicopter is capable of carrying 82 fully equipped paratroopers over distances of up to 800 km.

Photo 12.

The eight-bladed main rotor with articulated blades and hydraulic dampers has a diameter of 32 meters and covers an area of ​​804.2477 sq.m. Rectangular propeller blades have improved airfoils with a relative thickness of 12% at the root and 9% at the end of the blade and moderate aerodynamic twist. Mixed design blades with a tubular steel spar to which are attached 26 sections with ribs, fiberglass skin and honeycomb core. The tip of the blade is protected by a titanium alloy anti-corrosion lining. The blade chord is 835 mm. The peripheral speed of the ends of the blades reaches 220 m/s.
The rectangular blades of the 7.67-meter five-bladed tail rotor are made of fiberglass from the plan view.

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The first flight of the Mi-26 took place on December 14, 1977, and on October 4, 1980, at 21:10, the first serial Mi-26 was rolled out of the assembly shop of the Rostov plant.

Even before the massive arrival of the Mi-26 in the Air Force and Aeroflot, a number of world records were set on it. So, on February 4, 1982, the crew of test pilot G.V. Alferov performed a flight in which they managed to lift 25 tons of cargo to a height of 4060 m, while the helicopter climbed to 2000 m with a flight weight of 56,768.8 kg, which was also the highest world achievement. In the same year, the Mi-26 crew led by Irina Kopets set 9 women's world records.

The first demonstration of the helicopter to the general public took place in June 1981 at the aerospace show in Le Bourget, where the Mi-26 became the star of the exhibition.

Photo 14.

Army in the transport bay

Among the many modifications that prove another quality of the Soviet helicopter - versatility, there were also very special versions. Ruslan Galiullin, a military historian and aviation expert, a former employee of the Kazan Helicopter Plant, spoke about one of the most unusual modifications of the Mi-26 in an interview with the Zvezda TV channel:

“First - Mi-26 NEF-M - an option for combating enemy submarines. Complex computing equipment was installed in it, and a special submarine detector was attached to the external suspension. The prospect of such a helicopter was simply crazy, because the size and capacity of the Mi-26 made it possible to install very powerful equipment there. And the area over which the "NEF" could work increased several times, compared with the range of conventional "submarine hunters". The second option - Mi-27 - is generally from the realm of fantasy.

AT war time The Mi-27 could compete in terms of functionality with the president's aircraft number one, because it was equipped with equipment to control the battle of an entire army. Structurally, it looked simple: the cargo compartment of the helicopter was divided into work areas, control areas, and even a briefing room. Everything was mounted there in such a way that it even had its own water filtration and purification system and air conditioning. All this was subordinated to only one goal - the operational and precise control of a single army.

Photo 15.

The Mi-26 could become the basis for a new heavy helicopter that Russia and China have recently announced their intention to create. The joint project involves the creation of a new, even more capacious, load-lifting machine, which, in the short term, has no analogues in any other foreign country not expected.

Photo 16.

Be sure to ask in the comments about the engine of the Ukrainian Motor Sich. What news is there about this:

Back in the summer of 2016, the Russian Helicopters holding clarified the characteristics of the promising PD-12V turboshaft engine for the Mi-26T heavy helicopter. In particular, it is expected that the engine power will be 11.5 thousand liters. With. It will be ensured when the aircraft is operated at an altitude of up to 2000 m and at a temperature of +40°C. About this with reference to the Deputy CEO"Helicopters of Russia" on production and innovation of Andrey Shibitov, according to Aviation International News.

The maximum engine power will be 14.5 thousand liters. s., however, it will be adapted to the existing gearbox, the Russian holding specified. The new engine will be 100 kg heavier than the Ukrainian D-136 power plants that the Mi-26 is equipped with today (the power of each engine is 10,000 hp). Despite the greater weight, the PD-12V will be 18% more economical, according to Russian Helicopters.

Preliminary studies conducted by the United Engine Corporation (UEC) have shown that the remotorization of the Mi-26 helicopter will increase the flight range with a payload, as well as reduce operating costs. This is planned to be achieved through improved performance and reduced maintenance costs.

It is expected that the prototype of the remotorized Mi-26 will fly in 2017, the mass production of the machine will begin in 2018-2019.

The PD-12V engine is being developed on the basis of the gas generator of the PD-14 turbofan engine for the MS-21, which is currently being tested at the Il-76LL flying laboratory. In the future, based on the PD-12V, it is planned to develop a separate family power plants, said Shibitov.

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Right here interesting photos blogger

Man's eternal desire for superiority has left its mark on the history of helicopters. Today we will talk about the largest rotorcraft.

AT 12

The apparatus is controlled by six crew members from a two-story cabin. The V-12 is distinguished by reverse narrowing wings with lateral propellers with a diameter of 35 meters each. And its huge cargo hold can accommodate almost 200 people. Helicopter dimensions: height - 12.5 m, length - 37 m.

B-12 compared to a conventional helicopter

For the first time, the B-12 took to the air on July 10, 1968 under the control of test pilot V.P. Koloshenko. The second copy took off in May 1973 under the leadership of test pilot G. V. Alferov. Both copies went to the Aviation Museum in 1974, where they are to this day. The production of such a large apparatus had to be closed due to the too high cost and lack of suitable landing sites.

The main rotor of the machine consists of eight blades with a diameter of 32 meters, the tail rotor - of five blades with a diameter of about 7.5 meters. Two engines with a total capacity of 22.8 thousand hp. lift a car weighing 28.2 tons and an additional load of up to 20 tons. Piloted by a crew of 2 to 6 people (depending on the model). Dimensions: height - 8 m, length - 40 m.

To date, the Mi-26 has up to 15 modifications that perform various functions and have provided the device with wide popularity. It is used in the transportation of goods, as well as:

• for medical purposes for the transport of the wounded: it can accommodate up to 60 beds and medical staff;
• for military purposes: holds up to 85 soldiers;
• in rescue operations forest fires or natural disasters.

For the first time, the Soviet Mi-26 was tested on December 14, 1977 by test pilot G. R. Karapetyan. Mass produced since 1984 and during this time managed to "light up" in numerous military conflicts, rescue operations, peacekeeping missions, in the field of passenger and cargo transportation. The helicopter is in service and operated for civilian purposes in more than 15 countries around the world.

The largest military helicopters

The first CH-53 prototype took off on October 14, 1964 and has been modified many times since then. As a result, the first tests of the CH-53E took place in December 1980, and the next year it was already adopted by the US Navy. The equipment includes three machine guns, and night and infrared vision systems help to navigate well even in bad weather and combat conditions.

It was first tested on September 15, 1969 by test pilot G. V. Alferov, and after some modifications in 1971 it went into mass production. In various modifications, the Mi-24 is in service in more than 40 countries around the world.

The Mi-24 is equipped with built-in cannon and small arms and, depending on the model, grenade launchers, guided and unguided rocket systems, bombs and cassettes.