Mil Mi-12
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| Mi-12 (V-12) | |
|---|---|
 Mil Mi-12 |
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| Type | Heavy lift helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Mil Design Bureau |
| Maiden flight | 10 July 1968 |
| Status | Prototype only |
| Primary user | Soviet Union |
| Number built | 2 |
| Developed from | Mil Mi-6 |
The Soviet made Mil Mi-12 (Also known as the V-12, NATO reporting name "Homer") is the largest helicopter ever built.
The Mi-12 features the only two-rotor transverse scheme ever built by Mil eliminating the need for a tail rotor. The twin engines were taken together with the rotors from the Mil Mi-6 and duplicated on the Mi-12.
Development came about as a need for a heavy lift helicopter capable of carrying major missile components.[1] Production began on the Mi-12 prototype in 1965 with the goal of lifting no less than 30,000 kg, and it flew first on July 10, 1968. In February 1969, the prototype lifted a 31,030 kg payload to 2,951m (9,682 feet). On August 6, 1969, the Mi-12 lifted 44,205 kg (88,636 lb) to a height of 2,255m (7,398 feet), a world record.
Another Mi-12 with the registration number CCCP-21142 / H-833 was built and shown around Europe including at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget in 1971. Despite this, the helicopter did not meet its design specifications and the program was canceled with only two aircraft built.
Some sources mention a third MI-12 prototype, which crashed during testing, but this has never been confirmed by official sources. One confirmed accident is a hard landing during first flight, which bent the front wheel; the aircraft was repaired and continued to fly afterwards.
One of the remaining Mi-12 is on display at the Monino Air Force Museum in Russia (50 km east of Moscow). The other is reportedly at the Michail Leontjewitsch Mil helicopter plant in Lyubertsy-Panki near Moscow. (as of Aug. 2006) This has been confirmed by image updates in Google earth that clearly show the unique airframe of a Mi-12 at the helicopter plant in Lyubertsy-Panki
Contents |
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (Mi-12)
General characteristics
- Crew: Six
- Capacity: Up to 40,000 kg (88,000 lb) of cargo
- Length: 37.00 m (121 ft 4 in)
- Rotor diameter: 2x 35.00 m (114 ft 10 in)
- Height: 12.50 m (41 ft 0 in)
- Disc area: 1,924 m² (20,700 ft²)
- Empty weight: 69,100 kg (152,000 lb)
- Loaded weight: 97,000 kg (213,400 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 105,000 kg (231,000 lb)
- Powerplant: 4× Soloviev D-25VF turboshafts, 4,048 kW (6,497 shp) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 260 km/h (163 mph)
- Range: 1,000 km (625 miles)
- Service ceiling 3,500 m (11,480 ft)
- Disc loading: 50 kg/m² (10 lb/ft²)
- Power/mass: 0.20 kW/kg (0.12 hp/lb)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Mil Mi-12 data and photos at aviation.ru
- Mil Mi-12 Homer video on youtube
- Mil Mi-12 'Homer' on Airliners.net
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