Milos Sijacki
Senior Airman
Don't know if U guys know about this one, but I will post what I have found about it on WIKI...
The Soviet made Mil Mi-12 (Also known as the V-12, NATO reporting name "Homer") is the largest helicopter ever built.
The Mi-12 features the only two-rotor transverse scheme ever built by Mil eliminating the need for a tail rotor. The twin engines were taken together with the rotors from the Mil Mi-6 and duplicated on the Mi-12.
Development came about as a need for a heavy lift helicopter capable of carrying major missile components.[1] Production began on the Mi-12 prototype in 1965 with the goal of lifting no less than 30,000 kg, and it flew first on July 10, 1968. In February 1969, the prototype lifted a 31,030 kg payload to 2,951m (9,682 feet). On August 6, 1969, the Mi-12 lifted 44,205 kg (88,636 lb) to a height of 2,255m (7,398 feet), a world record.
Another Mi-12 with the registration number CCCP-21142 / H-833 was built and shown around Europe including at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget in 1971. Despite this, the helicopter did not meet its design specifications and the program was canceled with only two aircraft built.
Some sources mention a third MI-12 prototype, which crashed during testing, but this has never been confirmed by official sources. One confirmed accident is a hard landing during first flight, which bent the front wheel; the aircraft was repaired and continued to fly afterwards.
One of the remaining Mi-12 is on display at the Monino Air Force Museum in Russia (50 km east of Moscow). The other is reportedly at the Michail Leontjewitsch Mil helicopter plant in Lyubertsy-Panki near Moscow. (as of Aug. 2006) This has been confirmed by image updates in Google earth that clearly show the unique airframe of a Mi-12 at the helicopter plant in Lyubertsy-Panki.
The Soviet made Mil Mi-12 (Also known as the V-12, NATO reporting name "Homer") is the largest helicopter ever built.
The Mi-12 features the only two-rotor transverse scheme ever built by Mil eliminating the need for a tail rotor. The twin engines were taken together with the rotors from the Mil Mi-6 and duplicated on the Mi-12.
Development came about as a need for a heavy lift helicopter capable of carrying major missile components.[1] Production began on the Mi-12 prototype in 1965 with the goal of lifting no less than 30,000 kg, and it flew first on July 10, 1968. In February 1969, the prototype lifted a 31,030 kg payload to 2,951m (9,682 feet). On August 6, 1969, the Mi-12 lifted 44,205 kg (88,636 lb) to a height of 2,255m (7,398 feet), a world record.
Another Mi-12 with the registration number CCCP-21142 / H-833 was built and shown around Europe including at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget in 1971. Despite this, the helicopter did not meet its design specifications and the program was canceled with only two aircraft built.
Some sources mention a third MI-12 prototype, which crashed during testing, but this has never been confirmed by official sources. One confirmed accident is a hard landing during first flight, which bent the front wheel; the aircraft was repaired and continued to fly afterwards.
One of the remaining Mi-12 is on display at the Monino Air Force Museum in Russia (50 km east of Moscow). The other is reportedly at the Michail Leontjewitsch Mil helicopter plant in Lyubertsy-Panki near Moscow. (as of Aug. 2006) This has been confirmed by image updates in Google earth that clearly show the unique airframe of a Mi-12 at the helicopter plant in Lyubertsy-Panki.
