Mil Mi-8

The Mi-8 replaced the piston Mi-4, receiving two TV2-117 turboshafts and a five-blade main rotor. Power reserve after a single engine failure, a roomy cabin for four tonnes of cargo and modest basing requirements defined the phenomenal career of the machine. The helicopter mastered every trade: passenger routes of the Far North, medical aviation, erection of power line pylons, fire-fighting, search and rescue at sea. Military versions passed through dozens of conflicts. Production continues into its seventh decade, a record in helicopter construction. The museum Mi-8T in Aeroflot livery is open for visits: the cargo cabin and the cockpit are accessible with a guide.