Kamov Ka-26
The Kamov Ka-26 is a light utility helicopter built around Kamov's compact coaxial twin-rotor layout, with a removable rear fuselage pod that lets operators quickly swap between passenger, cargo, or agricultural spraying configurations on the same basic airframe. That modular pod system meant a single helicopter could serve multiple roles across a working day, valuable for the collective farms and utility operators across the Soviet Union that made up much of its customer base. Its twin piston engines, mounted in pods on either side of the fuselage, gave it a distinctive twin-boom look shared with few other helicopters. A number remain in agricultural and utility use across the former Soviet Union today.
Did you know?
The Ka-26's M-14V-26 radial engine became the basis for the M-14P that later powered famous aerobatic aircraft like the Yak-52 and Sukhoi Su-26.
Specifications
| Length | 7.8 m (25 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 4.1 m (13 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 13 m (43 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 6 |
| Persons on board | 7 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 3.2 t |
| Range | 250 NM (463 km) |
| Service ceiling | 10,500 ft (3,200 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 9,500 ft (2,896 m) |
| Engines | 2x Vedeneyev M-14V-26 (piston) |
| Units built | 816 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Kamov Ka-26 starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Kamov, the Ka-26 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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