Mil Mi-2
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| Mi-2 | |
|---|---|
 Polish Air Force Mi-2 at Krzesiny AFB |
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| Type | Helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Mil WSK "PZL-Świdnik" |
| Maiden flight | September 1961 |
| Introduction | 1965 |
| Primary users | Soviet Air Force Aeroflot |
| Produced | 1965-1985 |
| Number built | About 7,200 |
| Variants | PZL Kania |
The Mil Mi-2 (NATO reporting name is "Hoplite") is a small, lightly armored transport helicopter that could also provide close air support when armed with 57 mm rockets and a 23 mm cannon.
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[edit] Design and development
The Mi-2 was produced exclusively in Poland, in the WSK "PZL-Świdnik" factory in Świdnik. Production ended in 1985 after about 7,200 were made.
The first production helicopter in the Soviet Union was the Mil Mi-1, modelled along the lines of the S-71 and Sycamore and flown by Mikhail Mil's bureau in September 1948. During the 1950s it became evident, and confirmed by American and French development, that helicopters could be greatly improved with turbine engines. S. P. Isotov developed the GTD-350 engine and Mil used two of these in the far superior Mi-2. After initial development at the Mil bureau (Soviet designation V-2) this was transferred to Poland in 1964, after the first Swidnik-built example had flown. WSK-Swidnik has since delivered many hundreds, possibly one-third of them to military customers, and developed plastic rotor blades and the wide-body Mi-2M seating 10 passengers instead of eight. Most typical role kits include four stretchers, as air ambulance, or aerospraying or cropdusting device.
In Poland, there were also developed several specialized military variants, first of all support or reconnaissance ones, with 23 mm autocannon, machine guns and/or two 57 mm rocket pods, four AT-3B Sagger (9M14M Malutka) anti-tank missiles or Strela-2 AA missiles.
[edit] Operational history
It was first introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1965. The Mi-2 is used by mainly former Soviet and Eastern Bloc countries, although it is used by Germany, Mexico and Myanmar as well.
Most of armed Mi-2 variants were used by Poland. Some were also used by the East Germany (with machine gun and unguided rocket armament only).
[edit] Variants
- V-2
- Prototype.
- Mi-2 Platan
- Aerial minelayer version.
- Mi-2A
- Mi-2B
- Upgraded export version for the Middle East, fitted with improved systems and navigational aids.
- Mi-2Ch Chekla
- Chemical reconnaissance / smokescreen layer version.
- Mi-2D Przetacznik
- Aerial command post equipped with R-111 radio.
- Mi-2FM
- Survey version.
- Mi-2P
- Passenger / cargo version, with accommodation for 6 passengers.
- Mi-2R
- Agricultural version.
- Mi-2RL
- Land rescue/ambulance version.
- Mi-2RM
- Sea rescue version equipped with electric winch for two people and dropped rafts.
- Mi-2Ro
- Reconnaissance version equipped with cameras.
- Mi-2RS Padalec
- Chemical and biohazard reconnaissance version.
- Mi-2S
- Air ambulance version, equipped to carry four litters, plus an attendant.
- Mi-2Sz
- Dual-control training version.
- Mi-2T
- Cargo/utility version.
- Mi-2U
- Dual-control training version.
- Mi-2US
- Armed version fitted with a fixed 23mm NS-23 cannon, 4 x 7,62mm PKT machine gun pods and optional cabin PK machine gun.
- Mi-2URN Żmija ('Viper')
- Armed reconnaissance variant armed with a fixed 23mm NS-23 gun and two 16x57mm S-5 unguided rocket pods Mars-2. Optional 7,62mm PK machine gun window-mounted.
- Mi-2URP Salamandra ('Salamander')
- Gunship and anti-tank variant, armed with 23mm NS-23 gun, optional window-mounted 7,62mm PK machine gun, and 4x AT-3 Sagger (9M14M Malutka) wire-guided missiles on external weapons racks and 4x additional missiles in the cargo compartment.
- Mi-2URP-G Gniewosz
- Mi-2URP with additional 4x AA missiles Strzała-2 (Strela 2) in two Gad rocket launchers.
- Mi-2 Plus
- Upgraded Mi-2 with uprated GTD-350W2 engines, all-composite rotor blades, new avionics and some other modifications.
[edit] Operators
Afghanistan- Unconfirmed reports of six in service around 1982 and 1983.[1]
Albania- 2 operated from 1981 through 1986.[1]
Algeria
Armenia- 9 in service of Armenian Air Force.[2]
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Bulgaria
Cuba
Czech Republic
Czechoslovakia- Passed on to successor states.
Djibouti
Estonia
Ethiopia
Cambodia
Georgia
East Germany- 48 in German People's Army and Border Guard, in 1972-1990, also in armed variant[3])
Germany- Former East German.
Ghana
Hungary
Indonesia- Acquired their Mi-2 in 1961 and used during the preparation of Operation TRIKORA in 1962 in Western New Guinea (now Papua and Papua Barat). This helicopter were largely grounded in 1969 and removed from service in 1970 (one of this helicopter saved in Museum Satria Mandala, Jakarta). In 2003, Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) bought again 16 Mi-2 (old variant of Mi-2). But, there are only 3 helicopters remain operational (but all of them can't fly) and 13 others haven't arrived due to problems with Indonesian Navy's agencies [4]. Mi-2 are also in service with Indonesian Police (Polisi Lintas Udara). All of the helicopters are old variants of Mi-2 [5].
Iraq
Latvia
Lesotho
Libya
Lithuania
Mexico
Myanmar- 20 armed Mi-2 helicopters.
Nicaragua
North Korea
Poland
Peru- Six in service with the Peruvian Army.
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Soviet Union- Passed on to successor states.
- Cold War Air Museum (CWAM) operates 4 Mi-2s from its Museum at Lancaster Airport (Texas) just south of Dallas, Texas. [6]
- U.S. Army is said to have a few Mi2 Hoplites for training purposes located at Fort Bliss, Texas. The Hoplite is used to train pilots in Soviet aircraft before moving to larger Soviet helicopters such as the Mi24.
- U.S. FAA registry lists 13 privately owned Mi-2s operated by civilians. Only 3 of the 13 have Airworthiness Certificates. [7]
[edit] Specifications (Mi-2T)
General characteristics
- Crew: One
- Capacity: 8 passengers or 700 kg (1,540 lb) internal, 800 kg (1,760 lb) external cargo
- Length: 11.9 m (39 ft 4 in)
- Rotor diameter: 14.6 m (47 ft 11 in)
- Height: 3.7 m (12 ft 2 in)
- Disc area: 167 m² (1,797 ft²)
- Empty weight: 2,372 kg (5,218 lb)
- Loaded weight: 3,550 kg (7,810 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 3,700 kg (8,140 lb)
- Powerplant: 2× PZL GTD-350 turboshafts, 298 kW (400 shp) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 220 km/h (138 mph)
- Range: 340 km (212 mi)
- Service ceiling 4,000 m (13,120 ft)
- Rate of climb: 4.5 m/s (886 ft/min)
- Disc loading: 21 kg/m² (4.3 lb/ft²)
- Power/mass: 170 W/kg (0.10 hp/lb)
[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Historical Listings", World Air Forces
- ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.
- ^ Thomas Girke, Georg Bader, NRD-owskie Mi-2 in: Lotnictwo Wojskowe 2/1999, page 46-48 (in Polish)
- ^ TEMPO Edisi 19-25 Maret 2007 (page 36-37)
- ^ ANGKASA No.07 Edisi April 2007 (page 16)
- ^ U.S. FAA - Registry of Aircraft - Mi2 - Texas
- ^ U.S. FAA - Registry of Aircraft - Mi2
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