Mil Wed-6

Mil Wed-6
	; Mi-6 in Germany, 1992
Type:	Heavy transport helicopter
Design country:	Soviet Union
Manufacturer:	Mil
First flight:	5th June 1957
Commissioning:	1962
Production time:	1960 to 1981
Number of pieces:	925

The Mil Mi-6 ( Russian Миль Ми-6 , NATO code name "Hook", German: Haken ) is a turbine-powered , heavy transport helicopter that was developed in the Soviet Union .

development

First considerations for the creation of a large helicopter were carried out in the OKB-329 by Michail Mil from the end of 1952. The official development contract was awarded by Soviet government agencies on June 11, 1954. First of all, a mock-up was created , which a state commission inspected in June 1955 and subsequently confirmed the continuation of the project. After three years of development work, the prototype completed its maiden flight on June 5, 1957 with test pilot Rafail Kapreljan . This was preceded by extensive ground tests and a second-long hop on March 3rd, which was not counted as a flight. The first public presentation took place during the Tushino Air Parade on July 20, 1958. With a total length of almost 42 m, the Mi-6 was not only the world's largest helicopter for over ten years, but also the first Soviet turbine-powered helicopter. During the testing phase, several records were set, for example a payload of 20,117 kg was lifted, a mass that is greater than the curb weight of the largest non-Soviet helicopter of the time, the Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane. A total of 17 world records were set with the Mi-6 between 1957 and 1964.

construction

The Mi-6 has an all-metal shell construction. In addition to the fuel tanks attached to the outboard, the stub wings , which contribute up to 20% to the total lift in forward flight, are characteristic. The Mi-6 also shows the typical five-bladed main rotor , as it is known from other designs from the Mil design office.

Two Solowjow D-25 W gas turbine engines generate a total output of 8090 kW, which enables the helicopter to reach a top speed of 300 km / h. The service ceiling is 4500 m, with a typical payload of 8,000 kg, a range of 620 km is specified. The maximum take-off weight is 42,500 kg, the empty weight 27,240 kg. The length of the helicopter is 41.74 m, its height 9.86 m; the main rotor has a diameter of 35 m.

The undercarriage is three-legged, with the double-tyred nose wheels measuring 720 mm × 310 mm being designed to be steerable. The dimensions of the main wheels are 1325 mm × 480 mm, the track width 7.50 m and the wheelbase 9.10 m.

commitment

Overview map with the operating countries of the Mil Mi-6

As a military transport helicopter, the Mi-6 can carry up to 70 soldiers, who can quickly exit the machine via a rear, two-part cargo hold access. This means that the Mi-6 is also suitable for transporting large military equipment or palletized freight. In civilian use, the Mi-6 has 65 seats in normal airline seating and up to 120 people can be transported. The internal payload is specified as 12,000 kg. Up to 41 stretchers and two medical flight attendants can be transported in an ambulance. A load hook under the fuselage can carry external loads of up to 9000 kg. An operational role is therefore that of the " flying crane " ( Russian Летающий кран - Letajuschtschi kran), whereby the company Mil has also developed the Mi-10 , based on the Mi-6, specially designed for this purpose . Nevertheless, the Mi-6 is often used in this role, among other things for the recovery of landed Vostok space capsules.

The helicopter, built in over 900 copies, was exported to countries close to the Soviet Union such as Egypt , Bulgaria , Indonesia , Iraq , Peru , Syria and Vietnam .

The Mil Mi-6 was used extensively in the work of liquidators after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster .

Records

The following records were flown with the Mi-6 from 1957 to 1962.

Wed-6 in the Togliatti Technology Museum

date	pilot	Kind of record	achieved values
October 30, 1957	R. Kapreljan	Height with 10,000 kg payload	2432 m
October 30, 1957	R. Kapreljan	largest payload at 2000 m	12004 kg
April 16, 1959	S. Browzew	Height with 5000 kg payload	5584 m
April 16, 1959	R. Kapreljan	Height with 10,000 kg payload	4885 m
November 21, 1959	B. Semskow	Speed on a 100 km closed route	268.920 km / h
September 21, 1961	N. Lyoshin	Speed over 15 (25) km distance	320,000 km / h
September 11, 1962	W. Koloshenko	Speed on a closed 1000 km route with 1000 kg (2000 kg, 5000 kg) payload	284.354 km / h
September 13, 1962	R. Kapreljan	Height with 15,000 kg (20,000 kg) payload	2738 m
September 13, 1962	R. Kapreljan	largest payload at 2000 m	20117 kg
September 15, 1962	B. Galitzki	Speed on a closed 500- (1000-) km route	315.657 km / h (300.377 km / h)
September 15, 1962	B. Galitzki	Speed on a closed 1000 km route with 1000 kg (2000 kg) payload	300.377 km / h
August 26, 1964	B. Galitzki	Speed on a 100 km closed route	340.150 km / h

Technical specifications

Three-sided tear

Cockpit of a Mil Mi-6

Parameter	Data
crew	5
Passengers	65
length	Hull: 33.18 m, total: 41.74 m
span	15.30 m
height	9.86 m
Rotor circle diameter	Main rotor: 35.00 m, tail rotor: 6.30 m
Rotor area	961.63 m²
Wing loading	44.19 kg / m²
Cabin dimensions	Length: 12.00 m Width: 2.60 m Height: 2.50 m Volume: 80.00 m³
Empty mass	27,240 kg
payload	normal 9,000 kg with external load maximum 12,000 kg
Takeoff mass	normal 40,500 kg maximum 42,500 kg
drive	two gas turbines Solovyov D-25W (TB-2BM)
power	4,101 kW each (5,500 WPS)
Fuel supply	normal 12,650 l maximum 18,250 l
Power load	up to 4.52 kg / WPS
Top speed	300 km / h
Cruising speed	250 km / h
Service ceiling	4,500 m
Range	1,050 km with a full fuel tank 620 km with 8,000 kg payload 200 km with 12,000 kg payload
Flight duration	maximum 5 h

Armament

As a heavy combat zone transporter, the Mi-6 could be armed with a machine gun in the bow.

1 × NUW-1 12.7 mm machine gun Afanasjew A-12.7 (9-A-016P) with 200 rounds of ammunition

literature

Peter Bork: Mil Wed-6 . In: Illustrated series for type collectors . No. 30 . German military publisher, Berlin 1966.

Web links

Commons : Mil Mi-6 - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Airplane archive from Karl Eichhorn
Mil Mi-6 at avia.russian.ee (partly in English)

Individual evidence

↑ Nikolai Jakubowitsch: Aircraft report: Mil Mi-6 . Soviet herculean task. In: Aviation Classics . No. 3/2017 . Motor Presse, Stuttgart 2017, p. 29 .

^ Karl-Heinz Eyermann , Wolfgang Sellenthin: The air parades of the USSR. Central Board of the Society for German-Soviet Friendship, 1967. p. 39

↑ Karl-Heinz Eyermann: Schestjorka - the great litter of Michail Leontjewitsch Mil. Fliegerrevue 10/82, pp. 458–463.

^ Karl-Heinz Eyermann: Through the helicopter sound barrier - The records of the Mil helicopters. Fliegerrevue 1/83, p. 30.

[1] Nikolai Jakubowitsch: Aircraft report: Mil Mi-6 . Soviet herculean task. In: Aviation Classics . No. 3/2017 . Motor Presse, Stuttgart 2017, p. 29 .

[2] Karl-Heinz Eyermann , Wolfgang Sellenthin: The air parades of the USSR. Central Board of the Society for German-Soviet Friendship, 1967. p. 39

[3] Karl-Heinz Eyermann: Schestjorka - the great litter of Michail Leontjewitsch Mil. Fliegerrevue 10/82, pp. 458–463.

[4] Karl-Heinz Eyermann: Through the helicopter sound barrier - The records of the Mil helicopters. Fliegerrevue 1/83, p. 30.