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Mil Mi-8 (Hip)

History of Mil Mi-8 (hip)

The Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting designation "Hip") has more than 12,000 production prototypes and can be considered one of the most successful helicopter designs of all time. It has been used as a personnel carrier, troop carrier, VIP transport, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, assault, artillery reconnaissance, and air command post during its tenure with the various countries that purchased the aircraft. Even today, the Mi-8 is used as an operational-grade tool by many Air Force and Army groups and sees value in this type.

At the time of writing, production is continuing, even though it has been some 42 years since the first Mi-8 rolled off the assembly line at the Mir Helicopter Factory in Moscow still flying the Soviet flag.

The Mi-8 was developed as a replacement for the Mi-4 "Hound", a piston-powered transport helicopter launched in 1953 that could accommodate up to 14 people. Using some of the Mi-4's successful inner workings, the new Mil design includes a 2,700-shp Soloviev turboshaft engine mated to an all-new enlarged airframe. The prototype was named Mi-8 ("Hip-A") and flew for the first time on July 9, 1961.

Subsequent development tests soon found that the design lacked performance, and the idea of ??using one engine was abandoned in favor of a twin-engine design with two Isotov TV2 turboshafts. This revision, which also used a five-blade main rotor, produced a second prototype, which flew for the first time on September 17, 1962. Minor modifications followed, and the Mi-8 entered full service with the Soviet Air Force sometime in 1967. The first production versions all belonged to the NATO designation "Hip-C" and consisted of a basic military model and a civilian model (known for its square rather than round windows).

Since then, the Hip series has expanded with various improvements and specially developed versions.

Externally, the Mi-8 maintains an extremely functional appearance. She features a low forward crew area and large expanses of glazing for excellent views from the cockpit. Immediately behind the cockpit is a spacious crew compartment with side sliding doors. In most versions, the tricycle landing gear is static (such a hip provides a retractable landing gear), which contributes to the unique look of the genre. Two engines mounted above and aft of the crew cabin area drive a large five-blade main rotor system.

The empennage is also a distinguishing feature of this rotorcraft, due to its high design, with a vertical fin, horizontal plane and a three-blade tail rotor mounted on the starboard side (similar to the Mi-17 on the rotor port side). The improved hip system features a rear loading ramp.

The crew consisted of a pilot, a co-pilot and a loading supervisor.

Performance specifications for the popular Mil Mi-8T "Hip-C" model are provided by twin Klimov-branded TV3-117Mt turboshaft engines, each producing up to 1,950 shaft horsepower. It has a top speed of 260 kilometers per hour and a maximum range of 280 miles.

The ferry has a range of 596 miles and service is capped at 14,765 feet.

When armed, the Hip can carry a variety of mission-specific ammo. This includes using mounted anti-tank missiles, rocket pods and even dropping bombs. Self-defense can be carried out with a side-mounted PK machine gun or equivalent.

A specific Hip model has a nose-mounted 12.7mm machine gun for added lethality. Since the Hip is a multi-role helicopter system with weapons weighing up to 3,300 pounds, it can fit almost any approved ordnance package an operator needs to perform a specific mission.

Mi-8 operators cover the entire world and appear in militarized and civilian guise. Notable military operators include Russia, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Georgia, Hungary, India, Iran and Serbia.

Notable operators also include the United States, who use this type with their 6th Special Operations Squadron for training purposes. This type is also used by the American construction company Blackwater USA.

However, the long range of this system gave the machine an excellent legacy. Despite newer and more technologically advanced systems since the introduction of the Mi-8, the Hip continues to serve many frontline units around the world.

Helicopters are expected to continue to do so for many years to come.

Specification

Basic

Year:

1967

Status:

active, on duty

Staff:

Production

[12,500 units]:

Mir Moscow Helicopter Plant - USSR / Russian Helicopters - Russia

Roles

- Ground Attack

- Close Air Support (CAS)

- Electronic Warfare (EW)

- Traffic

- Commercial Market

- VIP traffic

- Search and Rescue (SAR)

- Reconnaissance (RECCE)

- Special Forces

Dimensions

Length:

59.61 ft (18.17 m)

Width:

21.29m

Height:

5.56m

Weight

Curb Weight:

7,260 kg

MTOW:

12,000 kg

(difference: +10,450 pt)

Performance

2 x Klimov TV3-117Mt turboshaft engines, each producing 1,950 SHP, driving a five-blade main rotor and a three-blade tail rotor.

Performance

Maximum Speed:

162 mph (260 km/h; 140 knots)

Service Limit:

14,764 ft (4,500 m; 2.8 mi)

Maximum range:

280 miles (450 km; 243 nmi)

Armor

Up to 6 hardpoints for rocket pods, anti-tank rockets and bombs. Ordnance may include the following combinations:

UV-16-57 Rocket Pod (S-5 Rocket)

UV-32-57 Rocket Pod

AT-2 "Swatter" anti-tank missile

AT-3 "Sag" anti-tank missile

9M17 Phalanga anti-tank missile

Nose KV-4 12.7mm machine gun

lead dispenser

551lb bomb

Side-mounted PK machine gun

shells

Changes

V-8 ("Hip-A") - single-engine prototype

V-8A - Twin-engine prototype; equipped with TV2-117 series turboshaft engines.

V-8AT - Mi-8T practical prototype

Mi-8 ("Hip-B") - twin-engine prototype

Mi-8TG - Mi-8 convertible to LPG

Mi-18 - Mi-8 based prototype; lengthened fuselage; additional sliding doors to starboard; retractable landing gear.

Mi-8T ("Hip-C") - first mass production model; supplied with 4 UV-16-57 rocket pods; side-firing PK machine gun.

Mi-8TV - Armed version based on the Mi-8T model.

Mi-8TVK / Mi-8TB ("Hip-E") - Gunship variant; provides 6 UV-32-57 rocket pods, 4 AT-2 "Swatter" anti-tank missiles and 2 551 Pounds drop bombs; KV-4 machine guns are attached to the nose.

Mi-8TBK ("Hip-F") - Combat helicopter export model; provides 6 x Malutka anti-tank missiles.

Mi-8IV ("Hip-G") - supply transport; provides 4 UV-16-57 rocket pods; side-firing PK machine guns.

Mi-9 - Export version of Mi-8IV model.

Mi-8PPA ("Hip-K") - Export Electronic Warfare/Airborne Command Post; equipped with 6 antenna structures.

Mi-8PD - Polish Airborne Command Post

Mi-8PS/Mi-8TPS ("Hip-D") - Command post/communication platform.

Mi-8SMV ("Hip-J") - Airborne Jamming Platform

Mi-8VPK / Mi-8VZPU ("Hip-D") - Airborne communication platform.

Mi-8AMT - Unarmed Transport

Mi-8AMT(Sh) - Based on Mi-8MTV; equipped with electro-optical sight and radar system; armed or unarmed version.

Mi-8AMT(Sh)-VA - Variant for arctic environments; debuted at MAKS 2017.

Mi-8AV - Miner

Mi-8VT - Minesweeper

Mi-8MB - MedEvac version

Mi-8MTO - Night Attack Model

Mi-8R - reconnaissance platform

Mi-8K - reconnaissance/artillery observation platform.

Mi-8PT - Personnel Transport; Improved Communications Kit.

Mi-8SKA - Photo Reconnaissance Platform

Mi-8T(K) - Photo Reconnaissance Platform

Mi-8TZ - Fuel Transport

Mi-8T ("Hip-C") - utility transport; 24 seats; equipped with 2 Klimov TV2-117A turboshaft engines, each 1,677 shp.

Mi-8P - civilian transport; seats up to 32; kitchen and toilet facilities.

Mi-8S "Salon" - civilian VIP transport; seating up to 11; galley and toilet during flight.

Mi-8M - Russian service designation similar to Mi-17 "Hip".

Mi-8MPS - Search and Rescue (SAR) variant

Mi-8MA - cold weather reconnaissance variant

Mi-8MT - air crane variant

Mi-8MTV - Improved "Hot and High" model; equipped with TV3-117VM turboshaft engine.

Mi-8AT - civilian transport; equipped with improved TV2-117AG series turboshaft engines.

Mi-8ATS - Agricultural Sprayer

Mi-8TL - Accident Investigation Model

Mi-8TM - Transport model; equipped with weather radar.

Mi-8TS - hot weather variant

Mi-8VIP - Luxury VIP transportation; up to 9 seats.

Mi-8PA - Heavy transport; individual production example used in Japan.

Mi-171 - Ulan-Ude export equivalent to Mi-8AMT.

Mi-171A - passenger transport for the civilian market

Mi-171A1 - Cargo transport for the civilian market

Mi-171A2 - 2,400 hp CNC Klimov VK-2500PS-03 engine; new rotors; glass cockpit.

Mi-171C - Chinese-built variant of the Mi-171; under the Sichuan Blue Sky Helicopter Co., Ltd. brand label; equipped with dual radar configuration; rear single ramp door.

Mi-171E - Equipped with VK-2500-03 series engines for use in extreme weather conditions.

Mi-171LL - Flight test bed of the Mi-171 series

Mi-171M - Modernized Mi-171; standard operator two (three).

Mi-171S - Mi-171 with west-facing avionics suite.

Mi-171Sh - export variant of Mi-8AMTSh

Mi-172 - Kazan export equivalent to Mi-8AMT.

Mi-8MTV-3 - Kazan export equivalent to Mi-8AMT.

Mi-17 ("Hip") - developed from Mi-8; in Russian service as Mi-8M; tail rotor mounted to port; equipped with TV3-117MT engine, larger rotor and larger gearbox.