Developed in the early 1950s to meet a Soviet Army requirement and first
flown in June 1957, the Mi-6 was the largest-yet helicopter created in
the Soviet Union. Its notable features included a power-plant consisting
of two turbo-shaft engines (for the first time on a Soviet helicopter)
and stub wings offloading the main rotor in forward flight; the cabin
was big enough to accommodate artillery systems and tactical ballistic
missiles. Built by two plants, the Mi-6 saw service with the Soviet Air
Force (including participation in the Afghan War) and the air arms of
several Soviet allies. It also proved valuable as a civil air-lifter
during oilfield exploration in Siberia, remaining in service right the
way up to 2002.
A worthy successor to the Mi-6 appeared in 1977 - the Mi-26. With its
20-ton payload, it was (and still is) the world's largest and most
capable transport helicopter. Again, the Mi-26 had both military and
commercial uses (the former included participation in several armed
conflicts); the type is still in production, being updated to meet
modern requirements, and has been exported to several countries in Asia
and Latin America.
The book describes the history, variants and service career of the Mil'
'big lifters' and contains a detailed overview of the scale model kits
covering these types which are currently available on the market.
