Mil Mi-6
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mi-6 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Type | Helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant |
| Maiden flight | September 1957[1] |
| Introduction | 1962 |
| Retired | 2002 (Russia) |
| Status | In service with foreign users |
| Primary users | Soviet Air Force Aeroflot |
| Produced | 1960 to 1981[2] |
| Number built | 925 |
| Variants | Mil Mi-10 Mil Mi-26 |
The Mil Mi-6 (NATO reporting name "Hook") was a Soviet/Russian heavy transport helicopter designed by the Mil design bureau and built in large numbers for both military and civil roles.
Contents |
[edit] Design and development
The Mi-6 was first flown in September 1957. Getting this large vehicle in the air is no easy task; the Mi-6 has an enormous gearbox, heavier than its engines, and often uses short wings to relieve the load on the rotor in cruise. Not only was it for a long time the largest helicopter in the world, it was also the fastest with a speed of 300 km/h. Its maximum load capacity is 12,000 kg.
When this monster helicopter was designed in 1954-56 it was by far the largest in the world, and even today its dynamic components of engines, gearbox, rotors and drive shafts are considered state-of-the-art. In its early days this helicopter set many world records, including one for sheer circuit speed at over 211mph (340km/h). In 1959-72 a total production of at least 500 was built for various general transport, utility, firefighting and flying-crane duties, the last two sub-types not being fitted with the large fixed wings which in other versions bear part of the lift in cruising flight and thus enable higher speeds to be attained. Surprisingly, the twin nosewheels and large low-pressure main wheels do not retract. Normally flown by a crew of no fewer than five, the Mi-6 seats 65 armed troops and can alternatively carry 41 stretcher (litter) patients and two attendants, or a wide range of bulky loads, including vehicles, loaded through rear clamshell doors. In exercises fleets of these impressive aircraft have airlifted many kinds of weapons, including Frog rockets on their PT-76 tracked chassis, as well as large radars and heavy artillery. All soviet APCs (Armoured personnel carriers), armoured cars and light MICVs (mechanised infantry combat vehicles) can be carried.
[edit] Operational history
Test pilot N.B. Leshin has set the world record of speed. This event was awarded by the American Helicopter Society.
Small numbers are still in service, most in Siberia plus a small number with the People's Republic of China. The Russian Air Force currently operates 5 Mi-6s.
[edit] Variants
- V-6 : (Zavod No.329 Moscow) First prototype series.
- Mi-6 (NATO - Hook-A) : Heavy-lift transport helicopter.
- Mi-6A : Civil transport helicopter, with accommodation for between 65 and 90 passengers.
- Mi-6T (NATO - Hook-A) : Militay transport helicopter, which can seat up to 70 people on tip-up seats along the cabin sides, with additional seat along the center-line.
- Mi-6VKP (NATO - Hook-B) : Command post, electronic warfare helicopter.
- Mi-6BUS (NATO - Hook-C) : (Also Mi-6AYa and Mi-22) airborne command post helicopter of 1975.
- Mi-6AYaSh (NATO - Hook-D) : (Also Mi-6VUS and Mi-6VzPU) airborne command post with SLAR.
- Mi-6L : (Also Mi-6LL: Letayushchaya laboratoriya) Flying laboratory variant with D-25VF engines used for flight improvements of the Mi-6 and testbed for the powerplant of the Mi-12.
- Mi-6M : Anti-submarine variant armed with four torpedoes and ASW rockets, and equipped with various experimental ASW systems. First built in 1963 and modified in 1965 for the "Barge Hauler" program.
- Mi-6P : Passenger transport helicopter, with accommodation for between 80 passengers.
- Mi-6PP : Electronic reconnaissance and AWAC detection jammer developed in the 1980's.
- Mi-6PR : (Protivodeystviya Radiotazvedke) Development in 1962 for jammer/electronic warfare variant.
- Mi-6PRTBV : A few modified as mobile rocket/technical bases and rocket fuel transports.
- Mi-6PS : Search and rescue helicopter developed in 1966 for pick-up of the landed "Vostok" and "Soyuz" space modules.
- Mi-6PSA : Little-known modification similar to Mi-6PS.
- Mi-6PZh and Mi-6PZh2 : Fire fighting variants with wings removed.
- Mi-6R : (Retranslyator) specialised radio communications variant developed in 1974.
- Mi-6RVK : Tested in 1965 armed with mobile missile launchers.
- Mi-6S : Medical evacuation helicopter, which can carry up to 41 litters.
- Mi-6TP : Convertible freight/passenger helicopter.
- Mi-6TZ : (Also Mi-6ATZ) fuel transport helicopter.
- Mi-6VR "Vodoley" : Experamental Mi-6 developed in 1976 for testing helicopter de-icing systems and for testing the rotor system of the Mi-26.
- Mi-6? : Developed in 1962 with collapsable BU-75BRM drilling rig for oil exploration in Siberia. Exact designation unknown.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Military Operators
- Soviet Air Force, Soviet Army Avaition and Soviet Naval Aviation. Passed on to successor states.
[edit] Civil Operators
- Instal operated three Mi-6A.
[edit] Specifications (Mi-6)
General characteristics
- Crew: Five
- Capacity: 61 troops or up to 12,000 kg (26,400 lb) of cargo
- Length: 33.18 m (108 ft 10 in)
- Rotor diameter: 35.00 m (114 ft 10 in)
- Height: 9.86 m (32 ft 4 in)
- Disc area: 962 m² (10,350 ft²)
- Empty weight: 26,500 kg (58,400 lb)
- Loaded weight: 39,700 kg (87,500 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 41,700 kg (91,900 lb)
- Powerplant: 2× Soloviev D-25V turboshafts, 4,100 kW (5,500 shp each) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 300 km/h (188 mph)
- Range: 500 km (310 miles)
- Service ceiling 4,500 m (14,800 ft)
- Disc loading: 41 kg/m² (8 lb/ft²)
- Power/mass: 0.21 kW/kg (0.13 hp/lb)
[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
[edit] References
[edit] External links
|
|||||
|
||||||||||||||
The initial version of this article was based on material from aviation.ru. It has been released under the GFDL by the copyright holder.
