Mil Heavy-Lift Helicopters* The Mil organization began work on their first heavy-lift helicopter in 1954, when the OKB was ordered to design a rotorcraft that could carry a payload of more than 11 tonnes (25,000 pounds) over a distance of 240 kilometers (150 miles). The big rotorcraft was intended for both commercial and military service. The Soviet civil airline organization, Aeroflot, wanted to use the machine for operations in trackless backwoods environments, particularly Siberia, and the military wanted it to lift rocket launchers and other heavy weapons.
The result was the huge "Mi-6", which was given the NATO codename "Hook". Five Mi-6 prototypes were produced, the first flying in the fall of 1957 with test pilot Rafail Kaprelian at the controls. The Mi-6 is believed to have entered production in 1960, with about 860 built to end of production in 1981.
The Mi-6 was powered by twin Soloviev D-25V (TB-2BM) turboshaft engines with 4,100 kW (5,500 SHP) each. Access panels to the engines were opened and closed hydraulically, and were sturdy enough to be used as work platforms by maintenance crews. The Mi-6 featured a huge five-bladed main rotor with metal blades, and a four-bladed tail rotor with blades made of plastic-impregnated wood built around steel spars. The rotor system was originally fitted with an electrothermal de-icing system, but this was replaced in early production with an alcohol-based scheme.
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