№ 1329-1333. 100th anniversary of birth M.L. Mil (1909-1970), the designer

Mi-1

In September 1948 GM-1 (Mil’s helicopter – 1), the first creation of M. Mil’, performed its flight. It was the first serial domestic helicopter Mi-1, which suited for mass use. On the whole there were 2694 machines built.

It was used in armed forces (for connection, government communication, reconnaissance and observing, artillery adjustment, dosimetric reconnaissance, saving works and also for putting telephone cables), as well as in national economy (carrying of people, post, small cargoes, providing emergent medical help, carrying out search-and-rescue operations, agrarian works, etc). However, the main task of the machine from the time of its construction was training helicopter pilots. It was the first rotorcraft, which entered military academies and airclubs of DOSAAF (Voluntary Society of Assistance to the Army, the Air Force and the Navy).

Mi-4

Multifunctional helicopter of Soviet production, developed by the construction bureau of M.Mil’ at the early 50-th of the XX century. It was widely used for civil transportation, in national economy and armed forces until Mi-8 was created. It was exported into 30 countries.

Blade construction, used on Mi-4, has become the typical one for Mi-helicopters for many years and has made them one of the safest mechanisms. Mi-4 helicopters were used more widely than Mi-1. In a big cabin for cargoes following can be carried: 16 paratroopers or 8 injured people; automobile GAZ-69 or 2 motorcycles M-72 with sidecars and 5 paratroopers; field cannon with crew and stock of shells or two mortars of 83 mm caliber with crew and 7 boxes of mines. Aside landing and carrying operations, Mi-4, after certain modification, was used for saving works and evacuation of injured people.

Mi-8

Multifunctional helicopter with bearing capacity up to 4 ton. For the first time it flew up in August 1962. As a passenger variant, it can carry 28 people. It is the most generally used twin-engined helicopter in the world and it also one of the most commonly used helicopters in the history of aviation. At present one can hardly find a country, which doesn’t use the famous “flying track” by Mil’.

There were 8 world records, achieved at Mi-8.

Modifications: transport-military helicopters, helicopters-salons, helicopter air command post, helicopters of radio electronic struggle, medical helicopters, helicopters-minesweepers, scientific investigating laboratories, mounting helicopters, flying laboratories and other civil modifications.

Mi-34

At late 70^th of the XX century in training units of Sky-force and airclubs of DOSAAF training models of Mi-1 stopped being used, as by that time they had already exhausted their resources.  In June 1986 the first model of Mi-34 was created. It was a light training-sportive helicopter, aimed at training flights by students of academies and airclubs and also at training flights and high-class exercises by pilots-sportsmen.

Constructed to be a training helicopter, Mi-34 possesses all the necessary parameters for multifunctional use, observing and patrolling from air, providing connection, ecological monitoring, business-flight, carrying of people, cargoes, etc.

Mi-28

Percussive helicopter, aimed at destructing armored objects and fire support of land forces. The cabin is made of strong armor. Full-armored flat-parallel glazing can sustain direct hits of shells up to 12,7 mm caliber, non-transparent armor sustains hits of 23 mm shells.

Fortification of Mi-28 consisted of non-removable flexible cannon system NPPU-28 with powerful cannon 2A42 of 30 mm caliber, which was developed in Tula engineer bureau of system constructing. Also there was the system of removable fortification, which was suspended to beam holders of wing pylons. As the majority of military helicopters of the world, Mi-28 was equipped with cannon, turning to wide angles, which enabled to open fire from different kinds of weapon simultaneously at two different aims.