The largest helicopters in the world are distinguished primarily by their weight, and not by the length, width or diameter of the propeller. Judging by this criterion, the leading position in this regard belongs to the domestic representative - MI-26. The machine is one of the few on the planet that is capable of lifting heavy loads equal to its own. The model is mass-produced now, despite the fact that the development of the giant was carried out in the mid-seventies of the last century. The largest helicopter in the world is usually used for medical, as well as military and civil transport purposes. For all the time, more than three hundred units of this model were built, which are now used in many countries in all corners of the planet.
History of creation
The need to develop a new model was dictated by the needs of not only the Soviet army, but also the national economy. The government of the country put forward the developers the requirement that the new product should be able to transport goods weighing up to 20 tons at a distance of up to 500 km and perform other tasks at a distance of up to 1000 km. At the same time, the model was supposed to replace the largest helicopter in the world at that time, which was MI-6. The layout was adopted by the state commission in 1975. Two years later, the first instance of the model took off, where he spent about three minutes. Initially, only military modifications were built, and a few years later, the creation of civilian versions also started.
Power
A power plant is installed in the largest MI-26 helicopter, which consists of two D-136 turbocharged engines . Its total power is 22,000 horsepower. Motors were designed and created specifically for this model by the Zaporozhye enterprise Motor Sich. The engines are so strong that they are able, together with a 40-ton machine (taking into account 12 tons of fuel), to lift a load weighing 20 tons and transport it to a distance of up to 2350 km. The fuel consumption of the power plant is a little more than 3 tons of fuel per hour, while the cost of one flight hour is estimated at 600,000 rubles. The largest helicopter in the world has a cargo compartment with a length of 12 m and a width of just over 3 m. Its usable area makes it possible to transport almost any military equipment loaded through the tail hatch under its own power. The machine can simultaneously transport 68 paratroopers or 82 soldiers, and special equipment allows you to quickly convert it into an ambulance helicopter, accommodating up to 60 wounded on a stretcher and three medical workers.
Civil modification
The civilian version of the model was called MI-26T. Its production started in early 1985. Unlike its military version, the navigation system in the car has been changed , and there are also no installations designed for the location of small arms. In addition, the largest civilian helicopter in the world has acquired an external suspension system, the main function of which is the ability to transport standard size sea containers without involving riggers. Among other things, the modification also has an automatic grip, which makes it easy to move large-diameter pipes, as well as transport wood mined in the mountains.