Mil Mi-8

what is it?

The Mil Mi-8 (Russian: Ми-8, NATO reporting name: Hip) is a family of medium twin-turbine helicopters, originally designed by the Soviet Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) in the 1960s and introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1968. As of 2024, Russian production of the aircraft model continues. In addition to its most common role as a transport helicopter, the Mi-8 is used as an airborne command post, armed gunship, and reconnaissance platform.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 turboshaft engines · 21.3 m main rotor

base stats

• speed 250 km/htop speed
• range 495 kmwithout refuelling
• seats 24passengers
• size 13 tmax take-off weight
• built 12,000made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 65 years ago, in 1961.
• 🏎️Top speed is 1.9× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Rotor of 21.3 m: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🐘Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 2 African elephants (~6 t each).

turboshaft: A turbine that turns a shaft, usually a helicopter rotor.

spec sheet

first flight

1961-07-07

introduced

1965

status

still flying

number built

12,000

role

transport helicopter (also several armed versions)

origin

🇷🇺 Soviet Union

makers

Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, Kazan Helicopters

engines

2× Klimov TV3-117MT / Klimov TV2-117

crew

3

passengers

24

length

18.4 m

rotor diameter

21.3 m

height

5.5 m

max take-off weight

13 t

top speed

250 km/h

cruise speed

240 km/h

range

495 km

ceiling

5,000 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

family