Mil Mi-2 Hoplite
PZL-Swidnik · Soviet Union · first flew 1961 · helicopter
A versatile Soviet-designed, Polish-built light twin-turbine helicopter, recognisable by its over-cabin engine pods and built in very large numbers.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 11.4 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin turboshafts mounted side by side on top of the cabin ahead of the rotor mast
- Boxy glazed cockpit with a slim tapering tail boom
- Fixed tricycle landing gear on a small light-utility airframe
The pair of turboshaft pods sitting side by side atop the cabin, with their intakes and exhausts above the cockpit, is the key marker. A boxy glazed front, slim tail boom and tricycle gear complete the small light-utility look.
Specifications
- The Mil Mi-2 Hoplite has a length of 11.4 m (37 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.5 m (48 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 210 km/h (130 mph).
- Typical crew: 1 (pilot); up to 8 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Mil designed the Mi-2, which first flew in September 1961, and then handed all production to WSK PZL-Swidnik in Poland. It was among the first light helicopters to use twin turboshafts, replacing piston types in the utility role.
Variants
Versions include the Mi-2T transport, agricultural sprayers, the Mi-2P passenger model and armed Mi-2US, URN and URP gunship conversions, alongside the re-engined PZL Kania derivative.
Where you'll see it
Used across the Warsaw Pact for training, liaison, agriculture, police and medevac, with around 5,400 built. It had no UK military service, though examples appear on the British civil register with private and display operators.
Related aircraft
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