Category: Helicopters

  • Michaił Mil Mi-8, Mi-17. History. 1967

    The Mil Mi-8 (Ми-8, NATO reporting name: Hip) is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by CCCP, and now produced by Russia. In addition to its most common role as a transport helicopter, the Mi-8 is also used as an airborne command post, armed gunship, and reconnaissance platform. Along with the related, more powerful Mil…

  • Michaił Mil Mi-8 in Poland, military. 1967

    The first Mil Mi-8 helicopters were purchased for the Polish Army in 1967. They were bought for tasks for rapid response units. They were supposed to quickly deliver assault platoons with medium-caliber armaments instead of fighting. Then these helicopters were to support the army from the air. Finally, they were to evacuate the wounded from…

  • Michaił Mil Mi-8 in Poland, civilian. 1967

    In the times of People’s Poland, state-owned companies initially used Mi-8 helicopters belonging to the Polish Army. Later, several new Mi-8 helicopters were purchased, including by Aeropol and Instal. After the socio-economic changes, companies bought Mi-8 helicopters from the secondary market.

  • Michaił Mil Mi-4. 1958

    The Mil Mi-4 (NATO name "Hound") was a Soviet transport helicopter that served in both military and civilian roles. The Mi-4 was designed in response to the American Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw and the deployment of U.S. helicopters during the Korean War. While the Mi-4 superficially resembles the H-19 Chickasaw, it is a larger helicopter and…

  • WSK PZL Kania. 1979.

    In a relatively short time, the team of WSK PZL Świdnik designers developed a new helicopter for the Western market. Therefore, the helicopter has two names: PZL Kania and PZL Kitty Hawk. Under the latter name, the helicopter was promoted in the West. If the helicopter were to be used in the West, it would…

  • WSK PZL Świdnik Mi-2 emergency. 1969

    In 1969, the first version of the Polish helicopter was created for military sea rescue. Until then, the pilot of a combat plane catapulting over the Baltic Sea could only count on rescue from vessels. This, of course, took a long time. The use of a helicopter in a rescue operation in a jump-like manner…

  • WSK PZL Świdnik Mi-2 R. 1968

    Description for the photo: This PZL Mi-2 R helicopter was built in 1974 in Świdnik. It was used by the ZEUŚ-Heliseco company. He spent 2,823 hours in the air. He performed agricultural operations in Poland and abroad: Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria. in 2008, it was donated to the Polish Aviation Museum.

  • WSK PZL Świdnik Mi-2 military. 1966

    On December 29, 1966, the 74th Liaison-Sanitary Aviation Regiment adopted the first Mi-2 helicopter, starting its service in the Polish Army, which continues to this day (2018). The helicopters did not stand out from the civilian Mi-2 T helicopters, designed to carry 8 people or cargo weighing up to 700 kg inside the cabin. The…

  • WSK PZL Świdnik SM-2. 1959

    The idea behind the creation of the SM-2 helicopter was to use the excess power of the Lit-3 piston engine installed in the SM-1 helicopter. An engine with this power should easily carry five people on board, not just three or four as before. In addition, the SM-1 had several other operational shortcomings. For example,…

  • WSK PZL Świdnik Mi-2. 1965

    The Mil Mi-2 helicopter is one of the most recognizable helicopters in the world. In the NATO code, the Mi-2 was called Hoplite. (Hoplite is a heavy infantry soldier in ancient Greece from the 7th to 4th centuries BC.) The helicopter also received several dialect names, including the most popular Kettle. It was designed in…