When it comes to Cold War-era Soviet helicopters, very few stand out among the rest. One, however, stands taller than the rest: the Mil Mi-4, which remains the sixth most produced military helicopter ever built – despite having been out of production for over 40 years!
Produced between 1952 and 1979, Mil built over 4,000 Mi-4s which went on to become the workhorse of most of the Eastern Bloc’s militaries. In many cases, the Mi-4 continued to serve long after the Cold War ended, whilst in others, it was retired long before.
Background
In 1947, the Soviet Government established a helicopter research laboratory under the direction of Mikhail Mil, one of the Soviet Union’s foremost experts on autogyros (the precursor to modern helicopters). Known as Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, the laboratory was based in the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute 25 miles southeast of Moscow.
Bringing over many of the Soviet Union’s other autogyro experts, Mil began work on the Mil Mi-1. First flown on September 20 1948, the Mi-4 entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1950 and went on to become the Soviet Union’s first mass-produced helicopter and a workhorse of the Soviet Air Force.Â
That same year, the Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw entered service with the US Air Force. Very soon, the H-19 became the workhorse of not only the US military, but also the British, French and Japanese militaries too – who all built them under license.
Usually, this wouldn’t worry the Soviets, just as the introduction of the Mi-1 hadn’t really worried the West. This time, however, was different.
Soviet spies in the West told Moscow just how the H-19 was much more advanced than anything the Soviets had. And Moscow was worried about what this could represent – a Soviet loss just as the Cold War was getting started.
After gathering more thorough intel on the H-19, Moscow ordered Mil to create a helicopter that would outcompete the H-19 in almost every regard…
Development
Operational History
Military
Airline
Museum
Specifications
| Specifications | Mil Mi-4A |
|---|---|
| Length | 16.8Â m (55Â ft 1Â in) |
| Main Rotor Diameter | 21Â m (68Â ft 11Â in) |
| Height | 4.4Â m (14Â ft 5Â in) |
| Crew | 1 – 2 |
| Capacity | 16 passengers or 1,600Â kg (3,527Â lb) of cargo |
| Max. Speed | 185Â km/h (115Â mph; 100Â kn) |
| Range | 500Â km (310Â mi; 270Â nmi) |
| Service Ceiling | 5,500Â m (18,000Â ft) |
| MTOW | 7,550Â kg (16,645Â lb) |
Why Was The Mil Mi-4 so Successful?
How Safe Was The Mil Mi-4?
Legacy
Future Helicopters
As one of the most popular Soviet helicopters of its time, Mil were constantly developing new variants of the Mi-4, including radio-controlled, SAR, electronic countermeasure, VIP transport and various research variants.
When the Soviets and Chinese signed the Treaty of Friendship in February 1950, the Soviets agreed to provide the Chinese with blueprints for military aircraft, including fighter jets, transports and helicopters, as well as the licenses to build them.
One of those helicopters was the Mi-4.
Built in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China by the Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, these Chinese-built Mi-4s were known as the Harbin Z-5, and quickly became the workhorse of not only the Chinese military, but also the North Korean, Albanian and Cambodian militaries.
Yet the Z-5 had its limitations: namely its engines. Powered by a Chinese-made, Soviet piston engine, the Z-5 didn’t have the range, nor the power to transport increasingly heavier Chinese military cargo.
To that end, Harbin developed a turboshaft-powered Z-5 known as the Z-6, which had the increased range, speed and MTOW the Chinese desperately needed.
Soviet Union
What do you think about the Mil Mi-4? Tell me in the comments!
Featured image courtesy of Ipernity.com via Flickr.