Wings of the Red Star - "Soviet Rotors"

[KJakker]

@Gepard I was wondering if you could pick this old documentary apart? I am sure there have to be mistakes given when it was made.

 

[+Gepard]

Its a nice docu. But there are some mistakes. First the Mi-2 was not the first turbine helicopter of the USSR. First came the Mi-6, then the Mi-8 and then the Mi-2.

The Mi-8 chapter was much to short. Its the most important helicopter of the soviets. It was the basic for developing the Mi-14 ASW helicopter and the Mi-24 and later the Mi-17. The most astonishing fact is, that neither military nor political leadership wanted to have the Mi-8 (W-8 called as project and as prototype). They were satisfied with Mi-4. The main problem was Khrustchev, who was not a fan of helicopters, he loved rockets and missiles.

Mil  used some tricks to get the W-8 program to live. He sold the idea to the civil air fleet and this guys were impressed. So the W-8 developmend started. First with only one engine, the same which was used in AN-24 airplane. This was a demand of the military, which woked up and was now intersted in W-8 too. But Mil had a better idea, he wanted to have two engines made by Isotov, the TV2-117. The civil airfleet agreed. So the civil prototype was built with 2 engines, the military with one engine. During flight tests the two engine version showed much better performance. Now the military cancled the single engine W-8 program and wanted a 2 engine version too. So the Mi-8 was born.

In the docu was said, that the soviet military doctrine was against a pure combat helicopter like the AH-1 or AH-56. This is wrong. In the Khrustchev time armed and combat helicopter were "forbiten" from above. Khrustchev hated this idea. When Breshnev came to rule, the combat helicopter development was started. But with a strategy of small steps. In the first step the Mi-8 was basic for development of a "transport combat helicopter", the later Mi-8TB and Mi-8TV. In a second step a "flying infantry fighting vehicle" was developed. This step was made because the development risks of a completly new design were to high. So the Mi-8 was basic for Mi-24 development. As many parts of the Mi-8 as possibly were used in Mi-24. Parallel to Mi-24 development, the development and testing of a real combat helicopter was started. There were a couple of design studies. (One looked like a small Mi-12.) After long years the Mi-28 was born. Today the Mi-28NM is in serial production.

Edited August 25, 2020 by Gepard

[+Stratos]

On 25/8/2020 at 10:04 PM, Gepard said:

. Parallel to Mi-24 development, the development and testing of a real combat helicopter was started. There were a couple of design studies. (One looked like a small Mi-12.)

Interesting, any pic of that proto?

[+Gepard]

3 hours ago, Stratos said:

Interesting, any pic of that proto?

Yep. here it is:

[+Stratos]

Now that's something out of a scifi movie! Really futuristic, I like it. Thanks a lot for posting it.

[+Gepard]

You find it in my book "Mi-24" on page 73.

 

[+Stratos]

ROFL, I missed that part!!!

[dsawan]

Might get your book. On Amazon wit good reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/Mil-Mi-24-Attack-Helicopter-Worldwide/dp/0764358677/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=mi-24+attack+helicopter+book&qid=1598573197&sr=8-1

[+Stratos]

I'm a owner of the book! From some months ago