Mil Mi-6
The Mil Mi-6 Hook was, when introduced in the late 1950s, the largest and most powerful helicopter in the world, and the first helicopter ever to exceed 300 kilometres per hour in level flight. Its stub wings, unusual for a helicopter, generated extra lift in forward flight, offloading some of the strain from the main rotor and helping it reach that unprecedented speed. It could carry troops, artillery, or vehicles in numbers no earlier helicopter had managed, establishing the Soviet Union's long-standing lead in heavy-lift helicopter design. Though long retired from frontline service, its basic dynamic system directly influenced the later, even larger Mi-26.
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Did you know?
The Mi-6 was the first helicopter to exceed 300 km/h in level flight, helped by stub wings that offloaded lift from its rotor.
Specifications
| Length | 33.2 m (109 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 9.9 m (32 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 35 m (115 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 70 |
| Persons on board | 90 |
| Crew | 5 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 40.5 t |
| Range | 385 NM (713 km) |
| Service ceiling | 14,750 ft (4,496 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 8,000 ft (2,438 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,180 ft/min (6 m/s) |
| Fuel capacity | 6,315 l |
| Engines | 2x Soloviev D-25V |
| Units built | 926 |
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 Mil Mi-6 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 Mil, the Mi-6 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
Catch it yourself.CatchFlights shows the aircraft flying near you on a radar, so a type like this one is only a catch away when it passes overhead. Explore CatchFlights.
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