Mil Mi-12 (V-12 Homer)

Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant · Soviet Union · first flew 1967 · helicopter

The Mil V-12 (NATO name Homer) was a Soviet prototype heavy-lift helicopter and the largest helicopter ever built. The designation Mi-12 would have been that of the production aircraft.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	4 × turboshaft, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	37 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Two giant five-blade rotors side by side on the tips of fixed wings, so there is no tail rotor
Four Soloviev D-25VF engines in two paired pods, one pair at each wingtip
Very large fin and rudder with a tailplane fitted with end-plate fins, and clamshell cargo doors at the rear

Its transverse layout puts two Mi-6-derived rotor systems at the tips of about 30 m span wings above a bulky fuselage with a large fin and rudder.

Specifications

The Mil Mi-12 (V-12 Homer) has a length of 37 m (121 ft).
It has a wingspan of 35 m (115 ft).
Its maximum speed is 260 km/h (162 mph).
Typical crew: 6.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Mil began design studies in 1959, and construction of the first prototype started at Panki in 1965. A first flight attempt on 27 June 1967 ended prematurely because of control oscillations, and the first successful flight was on 10 July 1968.

Variants

Two prototypes were built and the type was cancelled without entering production.

Where you'll see it

It was designed to lift loads of 20 to 25 tonnes, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, and was tested by the Soviet Union but never entered service.

Related aircraft

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