Mil Mi-8 (Hip)

Mil · Soviet Union · first flew 1961 · helicopter

The Mi-8 Hip is a large Soviet twin-engine transport helicopter and one of the most-produced helicopters in history.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	18.17 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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

Spot it by:

Large slab-sided cabin with clamshell rear doors
Five-blade main rotor and twin engines above the cabin
Round porthole-style cabin windows on many versions

Look for the big slab-sided cabin, five-blade rotor, twin engines above the cabin and round cabin windows. It is much larger than Western medium twins and has clamshell rear cargo doors.

Specifications

The Mil Mi-8 (Hip) has a length of 18.17 m (60 ft).
It has a wingspan of 21.29 m (70 ft).
Its maximum speed is 250 km/h (155 mph).
Typical crew: 3 (pilots plus engineer).

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

History

Mil's Mi-8 first flew in 1961 and entered widespread Soviet and export service as a troop and cargo transport. Robust and adaptable, it and its Mi-17 derivatives have served in dozens of air forces and civil operators worldwide.

Variants

The family spans assault, transport, gunship-support, electronic-warfare and VIP versions, with the uprated Mi-17 export line and the maritime Mi-14 derivative.

Where you'll see it

Not a UK military type, the Mi-8 is occasionally seen in Britain through civilian-operated examples and museum aircraft, and is widely recognised from news coverage of conflicts.

Related aircraft

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