end of the sixties was a time of the most rapid development of Soviet heavy transport aircraft.This process has been driven by both of the then military doctrine, as well as the needs of the economy.As it turned out later, the need for such heavy goods vehicles exists today, not only in Russia but in other countries, on almost every continent.
Mi-26 was originally conceived as a deeply modernized version of the proven and very good rotorcraft Mi-6, but already in the process of development engineers design bureau MLMile it became clear that all the conditions for the technical specifications will have to develop a completely new aircraft.
experience building "flying crane" CB has already had to his credit were such masterpieces of world aviation industry as the Mi-12, Mi-8, Mi-10 and the already mentioned Mi-6.Now it had to exceed its own level.
With a large choice of schemes Bureau named.Mile and Designer General Smirnov stood at single-rotor become traditional.Approval of the pilot project took place in late 1971.
Simultaneously with the launch of construction work on the helicopter, and has begun the development of a turboshaft engine.They engaged in CB "Progress", and the power of each of the two circuit provided Mi-26 engines to exceed 11 thousand horsepower.
Such power needed and special gear for which aviatsionschiki, contrary to tradition, took its own.Work entire power plant is controlled automatically stabilizing system rotor rpm power and synchronization.
To facilitate the 32-meter vosmilopastnogo rotor Mi-26 it is made of plastic, and the sleeve - made of titanium.The tail rotor blades was fiberglass.The result of all these efforts was the relatively low weight huge machine, match the weight of the Mi-6 with the volume of the cargo compartment and cargo capacity twice than him.
Air intakes protected from dust, and maintenance and ground handling as easy as possible, in particular, the tail boom was equipped with a special pass to equipment in case of need can produce work without disassembling the casing.
first prototype of the Mi-26 went down the stocks cost center in the town of Panki in the fall of 1977, and in December he took to the air, to start three minutes.The first long flight two months later was successful.
at the International Air Show at Le Bourget 1981 Mi-26 created a furor.It was the biggest helicopter in the world, and its design is so ahead of its time that it remains as such today.Load capacity is 20 tons giant.
heaviest in the literal sense, and sometimes dangerous job entrusted to these machines.They had to cut through the air radioactive Chernobyl take out a fire blazing refugees from Karabakh to swim in the hot Afghan sky.Not passed it, and Tajikistan, and Chechnya, and Yugoslavia, and Cambodia.Painted white with letters "UN" on board the Mi-26 have been to other hot spots: Burundi, Somalia, East Timor.
This giant always performs a unique rescue and transport operation.If a plane or a helicopter makes emergency landing, then for delivery to the site of repair cause of the Mi-26.Photos, where he is under a US "Chinook" bomber "Boston" time of war or hydroplane Be-12, always arouse interest, because this can not, no rotor helicopter in the world.
