M edium-size helicopter, for more than 30 years serving with military and civil aviation in many countries.
V-8 prototype did not satisfy Aeroflot representative completely. Single-engine configuration
appeared not safe enough for large machine. Responding to customer request, powerplant was changed to pair of smaller engines, allowing
flight in case of one engine failure. New helicopter was flown on 17 September, 1962.
It had same gearbox and 4-blade rotor as Mi-4. Cabin-heater fairings were not installed.
In 1964 Mi-8 was fitted with new 5-blade main rotor and new rotorhead (scaled down variant of the
Mi-6 one). In this configuration main rotor speed was governed automatically
(with a manual override). Powerplant cooling is provided by third air intake on top of the fuselage.
All-metal semi-monocoque fuselage has rear clamshell door and sliding port forward entry door (hinged door on prototypes). Flight
deck with side-by-side crew seating has bulged glazing and provides an excellent field of vision. Nosewheel fixed landing gear with
oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers is quite conventional.
Passenger (Mi-8P) and transport (Mi-8T) differ by
cabin windows shape and rear door construction. Transport variant is equipped with a 3,000kg external sling (with automatic
cargo release) and a winch.
Fuel is carried in three tanks (445l internal, two external 745+680l). For ferry purposes extra pair of 915l
may be fitted in the cabin. The starboard tank forward end is extended to house the cabin air-conditioning system and has distinctive
air intake.
Mi-8 is equipped with electro-thermal de-icing system for main and tail rotors and flight deck glazing. Engine intakes are heated
by air the tapped from compressor.
Mi-8 and its variants are built on the
Kazan Helicopters Plant, one of major world
manufacturers of medium helicopters.
Airline service a the end of 1967 on Aeroflot's routes in Baku (Azerbajdzhan) region. Inter-airport service (between Moscow
airports and suburbs) started in 1970, traffic achieved 17,000 passengers in June 1971.
Different variants on the Mi-8 were supplied to
Afghanistan,
Bangladesh,
Czechoslovakia,
East Germany,
Egypt,
Finland,
Hungary,
India,
Iran,
Iraq,
Mexico,
Pakistan,
Peru,
Poland,
Romania,
Sudan,
Syria,
and other countries.
Evaluated by British and American crews, it was found equivalent to S-61N.
two Mi-8 (50k,42k) at the Monino
AF Museum by Paul Nann;
...three more (35k,35k,39k) at the Sheremetjevo-I by Paul Nann;
and two (54k,45k) at Moscow Air Show 1995 (Zhukovskij) by Paul Nann (pacman@cix.compulink.co.uk);
 (20k, 19k)
| Predecessors | Modifications/Developments |
|---|
Mi-4 |
Mi-8T transport |
Mi-8P passenger |
Mi-8TB assault |
ASW, SAR, Mine sweeper |
| V-8 |
Mi-9 |
Mi-14 |
Mi-8MT
Mi-17 |
Mi-8AMT
Mi-171 |
| Technical data |
|---|
two Mi-8 (50k,42k) at the Monino
AF Museum by Paul Nann;
...three more (35k,35k,39k) at the Sheremetjevo-I by Paul Nann;
and two (54k,45k) at Moscow Air Show 1995 (Zhukovskij) by Paul Nann (pacman@cix.compulink.co.uk);
(20k, 19k)
