Mil Mi-26 (Halo)

History

Since its introduction to the Soviet Air Force in the early 1980s, the Cold War-era Mi-26 (NATO codename "Halo") has been the largest and most powerful helicopter in the world. This heavy duty series is designed to replace the aging Mil Mi-6 series.

The Mi-26 is equipped with a new eight-blade main rotor powered by twin Lotarev engines, which has helped the helicopter become a proven performer in the military and civilian fields, and its efficient refueling capability has made it useful in humanitarian relief operations Outstanding.

The Mi-26 is powered by two Lotarev D-136 series turboshafts, each producing approximately 11,400 shaft horsepower, mounted on the cargo section of the aft fuselage on the flight deck. In terms of performance, this big machine can reach speeds of up to 185 mph and cruise at 160 mph. Range is up to 1,200 miles and service is capped at 15,100 feet. The 105-foot diameter eight-blade main rotor features advanced design and construction and is paired with a five-blade tail rotor mounted to the starboard side along the vertical tail. The helicopter's cockpit design is very avant-garde, facing a short, rounded nose cone assembly and providing excellent cockpit visibility.

The cargo compartment is spacious and can hold up to 90 infantry equipment, 60 medical bags and personnel, or up to 44,100 pounds of cargo. It has so much power that it can be used to transport heavy construction equipment to areas that traditionally rugged STOL (short take-off and landing) aircraft cannot reach. Access is via sliding side doors, as well as a stern electric loading ramp that opens at the bottom of the stern section. The landing gear is fixed and drivable and consists of a conventional tricycle arrangement.

The standard operating crew for the Mi-26 is five, including two pilots, a flight engineer/loading supervisor, a dedicated navigator and a flight technician.

The Mi-26 evolved from its original V-29 prototype and came in various special and special forms. These include a modernized model, a MEDEVAC version, a dedicated anti-submarine warfare (ASW) platform, a passenger/cargo model and an airborne heavy-lift version. Also built a special fire platform.

In addition to the militarized version of the Mi-26, there are also civilian market variants in service. According to reports, about 300 Mi-26 helicopters have been produced since its inception. The first flight took place on December 14, 1977, and the service was launched in 1983.

It was subsequently delivered and reached full operational status in 1986.

The Mi-26 was designed by engineers at the famous Mir Moscow Helicopter Plant in Moscow, Russia.

In August 2002, a Mi-26 Halo carrying a Russian crew of more than 125 was shot down by a Chechen surface-to-air missile system, killing all passengers and crew. Recently, China's Mi-26 participated in relief operations in China's earthquake-stricken areas.

Specification

Basic

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Performance

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