Mil Helicopters - Russia / USSR: Illustrated History Books & Guides

Mi-28 Night Hunter and Others

The Mil design bureau, led by Mikhail Leonteyevich Mil, was one of the leading soviet plants promoting combination of helicopters and firepower. Mil was personally involved in the development of pre-war A-7 autogyro equipped with machine gun for its own defence and two more for ground targets destroying.

However, this type did not reach mass production. But Mil was since that time thinking about arming the rotorcraft, especially after his practise during design of several Bratukhin helicopters, of which some models were intended for artillery spotting and clearly showed that helicopter can play an important role in the army and can be a part of front line units.

Pages of the book "Mi-28 Night Hunter and Others"

When the Mi-1 helicopter was test flown for the first time on 20th of September 1948, it was clear a very versatile type was born. It became the first mass produced soviet helicopter with vide variety of special variants both for civil and military applications.

The Mi-1 was the first in a line of Mil helicopters, which were not only built used in the Sovjet Union but also in other countries.

In this book Jakub Fojtik describes the history, development and use of the Mil Mi-28 helicopter.

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Mil Mi-24 Attack Helicopter: In Soviet / Russian and Worldwide Service - 1972 to the Present

The Mil Mi-24 Soviet/Russian gunship and attack helicopter has been in continuous combat service since its first appearance in the early 1970s. Its impressive performance, ability to transport fully armed troops, and imposing armament soon earned the Mi-24 the nickname "Crocodile" and have made the big helicopter an opponent that is still feared to this day.

The Mi-24's technical, developmental, and operational details, as well as upgrades and variants, all are discussed here. Included are discussions of all versions, armament, radio, radar warning and navigational equipment, and defense systems.
Tactics and operations are also presented, with special emphasis on the Mi-24's service in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989. Worldwide use by over 30 countries includes the air forces of Angola, Brazil, Cuba, India, Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Vietnam, Yemen, and others.

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Mil Mi-24 Hind Attack Helicopter

Originating in the 1960s within the Soviet Union, this helicopter initially served as a fire-support platform and has maintained its production for decades, with over 2,000 units manufactured to date.
Dubbed the 'Hind' by NATO during the Cold War, this formidable aircraft has garnered various monikers from those who've encountered it. The Mujahideen fighters in Afghanistan referred to it as the 'Devil's Chariot' during the Soviet invasion and occupation from 1979 to 1989.

The Hind has seen active duty in diverse conflicts across Chad, Nicaragua, Angola, Chechnya, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Mali, and Ukraine. Impressively, it continues to serve in over twenty countries, including former Soviet bloc nations like the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Serbia, now aligned with NATO.

This comprehensive book delves into the helicopter's development, tracing its journey from inception to its pivotal roles in Cold War confrontations and more recent operations. Authored by a recognized expert in aircraft, the book is enriched with original photography.

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Mil Mi-24 Hind Gunship (Osprey)

With its distinctive double-cockpit design, the Mi-24 'Hind' is arguably the most recognizable war machine of the Cold War, and has achieved near-legendary status in the annals of military history. The first Soviet helicopter to function as both a gunship and an assault transport, it served extensively in Afghanistan, and is now employed by militaries across the world.

Written by an expert on the 'Hind', an drawing on manufacturing and military sources, this book presents the Mi-24 in all of its brutal glory, from design and development to deployment and combat. Also included are a number of color plates showing the distinct paint schemes employed by various nations in a range of theaters and for different armies.

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Mil Mi-6 and Mi-26 Heavy-Lift Helicopters (Flight Craft)

Developed in the early 1950s to meet a Soviet Army requirement and first flown in June 1957, the Mi-6 was the largest-yet helicopter created in the Soviet Union. Its notable features included a power-plant consisting of two turbo-shaft engines (for the first time on a Soviet helicopter) and stub wings offloading the main rotor in forward flight.
The cabin was big enough to accommodate artillery systems and tactical ballistic missiles.

Built by two plants, the Mi-6 saw service with the Soviet Air Force (including participation in the Afghan War) and the air arms of several Soviet allies. It also proved valuable as a civil air-lifter during oilfield exploration in Siberia, remaining in service right the way up to 2002.

A worthy successor to the Mi-6 appeared in 1977 - the Mi-26. With its 20-ton payload, it was (and still is) the world's largest and most capable transport helicopter.
Again, the Mi-26 had both military and commercial uses (the former included participation in several armed conflicts); the type is still in production, being updated to meet modern requirements, and has been exported to several countries in Asia and Latin America.

The book describes the history, variants and service career of the Mil' 'big lifters' and contains a detailed overview of the scale model kits covering these types which are currently available on the market.

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Mil Mi-8/17/171 Hip

This book covers the Mi-8 "Hip", the well-known Soviet multi-purpose helicopter. It is the first publication to present the full development of the Mi-8 family, from the V-8 prototype and early Mi-8 versions powered by TV2-117 engines, through the Mi-8MT (exported as Mi-17) with TV3-117 engines, to the Mi-8AMT (Mi-171) series and the latest Mi-8AMTSh-VN special operations variant.

Each version is introduced with its development, production, service use, and export history. A separate chapter describes in detail all known Mi-8/17/171 upgrades carried out by companies in Belarus, Bulgaria, China, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Israel, Lithuania, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Turkey, the UAE, the UK, Ukraine, the USA, the former Yugoslavia, and Russia.

All special variants and demonstrators are also covered. The book includes export and re-export lists, showing the global use of the Mi-8. A detailed technical section explains differences between variants. The volume is richly illustrated with mostly colour photographs, including walk-around and strip-down images. An essential reference for aviation enthusiasts and scale modellers.

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Mil - seit 1948 (Typenkompass)

The Russian helicopter manufacturer Mil was founded in 1948 and is famous for its robust and often gigantic helicopter designs.
Some of the most powerful helicopters in the world come from the factory halls near Moscow, such as the world-famous Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter or the enormous Mil Mi-26, the largest series-produced helicopter in the world to date. The machine has an unglazed weight of 22 tons.

Pages of the book "Mil - seit 1948"

In this Typenkompass, Jörg Mückler describes everything there is to know about the Russian manufacturer. Each type is presented using a photo, a historical description and a technical data sheet.

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Mil Mi-24

The Mil Mi-24 is the iconic Russian attack helicopter. Developed in the late 1960s, it quickly became a nightmare for Western military strategists. The powerful machine outperformed anything the NATO forces had and earned the nickname "flying infantry fighting vehicle."
Unlike Western attack helicopters, the Mi-24 could carry eight fully equipped soldiers and drop them directly into battle, a capability unmatched by any other helicopter.

This work by Michael Normann is essential for anyone interested in military aviation. It offers a unique monograph on the Russian attack helicopter, combining detailed information on its design, technology, and history. The Mi-24 is still in active service in over 50 countries.

Pages of the book "Mil Mi-24"

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