Mi-2 (helicopter): specifications and photos

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The design of the Mi-2 helicopter is a turbine development of the Mi-1, in which, by installing two small gas turbine engines above the fuselage, the entire cabin area was freed for the payload. The creation of a new aircraft became known in the fall of 1961, and the first Mi-2 appeared two years later with two Izotov GTD-350 gas turbines with a capacity of 400 hp. With. each mounted side by side above the cab.

Main Tasks

The aircraft was designed to carry out the same tasks of transporting lightweight cargo as the Mi-1 did. The passenger version could transport 7 people and a pilot. In the role of a rescue aircraft, the Mi-2 helicopter can accommodate four stretchers and a paramedic. The ship is capable of carrying cargo weighing up to 700 kg. As a flying crane or for rescue work, the aircraft can be equipped with a ventral hook for a suspended load of up to 800 kg or a winch above the cabin door capable of lifting up to 150 kg. The fourth main application that distinguishes the Mi-2 helicopter is operation in agriculture, for which it can be equipped with tanks placed on both sidescabins capable of holding 450 kg of dry chemicals or 500 liters of liquid. For other tasks, cargo tanks can be replaced with additional fuel tanks.

History of Creation

The Mi-2 helicopter (see photo in the review) was produced at the WSK plant in Mielec, Poland. After negotiations started in January 1964, WSK received exclusive rights to manufacture the aircraft and its engines. It was supposed to replace the Mi-1 in military aviation and would be especially valuable to Aeroflot as an ambulance and air taxi. Some Mi-2s are believed to have been delivered to the UAR, from where they probably ended up in Israel.

In the mid-fifties, the Mil bureau decided to increase the performance of the Mi-1 by developing its turbine version. For this, two new gas turbine engines with a free turbine "Izotov GTD-350" were selected. With a weight that was half the mass of the previous piston internal combustion engines, two GTD-350s were 40% more powerful. They are mounted side by side above the fuselage, which significantly increases the available cabin space and improves the performance of the Mi-2 helicopter. Such a power plant made it possible to change the speed of rotation of the propeller, maintaining a constant engine speed.

The prototype of the aircraft was called V-2, and then was renamed Mi-2. The helicopter first took off in September 1961. It had the same rotor, gear and tail as the Mi-1. After preliminary tests, a metal tail rotor was adopted (the Mi-1 had a wooden one), and then from 1965 it was adopted.a new main rotor hub, borrowed from the Mi-6.

Since the Soviet factories were fully occupied with the production of the Mi-8 and other heavy helicopters of the Mi series, an agreement was reached with WSK-Swidnik for the production and further development of the Mi-2 in Poland, which began in 1964. First Polish The Mi-2 had previously flown in November 1963, and after testing was completed in 1965, its large-scale production began. The first serial Mi-2 helicopter was equipped with 400 hp engines. s., but since 1974 this parameter has been increased to 450 liters. With. The use of fiberglass in the main rotor, tail rotor and stabilizer has simplified production and increased productivity.

Different variants of the Mi-2 were built for civilian and military purposes. The helicopter, which was in service with the Polish Air Force, was equipped with rocket launchers and air-to-ground missiles, which were launched from rails on the sides of the fuselage.

Modifications

• Mi-2: standard civilian version helicopter, convertible passenger or cargo transport, pollinator (named Bazant), training aircraft for aerial photography and photogrammetry, or cargo carrier with external sling and electric winch.
• Mi-2B: Base model with upgraded navigation aids and electrical system without main rotor blade deicers. The weight of the passenger version was 2300 kg, and the cargo one - 2293 kg.
• Mi-2D Przetacznik: military air commandpoint with radio communication, encryption and telephone equipment.
• Mi-2P: standard passenger eight-seat helicopter, convertible into an all-cargo helicopter with external suspension and an electric winch.
• Mi-2R: agricultural version for conventional or extra low spraying and spraying. Tanks with a capacity of 500 liters of liquid or 375 kg of dry chemicals each were hung on both sides of the fuselage, and the 14th sprayer boom with 128 nozzles was attached. Weight without load - 2, 372 kg.
• Mi-2 Platan: mining helicopter.
• Mi-2RL: air ambulance and search and rescue version of the Mi-2, equipped with an electric lift.
• Mi-2RM Anakonda: A version of the Mi-2R search and rescue helicopter for naval use with an electric winch through the side door port for two people and air-dropped lifeboats. 9 units built for the Polish Naval Aviation.
• Mi-2Ro: military reconnaissance modification.
• Mi-2RS Padalec: chemical and bacteriological reconnaissance helicopter.
• Mi-2S: Medevac air ambulance equipped to carry four stretchers, an attendant, and two patients in a seated position.
• Mi-2SZ: dual control training helicopter.
• Mi-2T: military transport.
• Mi-2URN: 1973 variant of the Mi-2US, but with two Mars 2 launchers, each carrying 16 S-5 57mm unguided rockets for close air support or armed reconnaissance.
• Mi-2URP Salamandra: anti-tank model of the Mi-2 helicopter version1976 with four AT-3 ("Baby" 9M14M) guided missiles on pylons and four more in the cargo hold; later models were equipped with four Strela 2 missiles.
• Mi-2URPG Gniewosz: Similar to Mi-2URP, but with four SA-7 anti-aircraft missiles (9M32 Strela).
• Mi-2US: A combat helicopter equipped with a NS-23KM 23mm cannon on the left side of the fuselage, two machine guns on the sides and two 7.62mm machine guns in the rear.
• Mi-2FM Kajman: version for photogrammetry. 2 units produced.
• Mi-2X Chekla: radiation reconnaissance helicopter and smoke screen operator.
• UMi-2Ro: training reconnaissance variant.

Mi-2MSB

The Ukrainian version of the Mi-2MSB is equipped with AI-450M Motor Sich engines with a capacity of 465 hp. With. with 27% less fuel consumption and 25 kg less weight. The avionics of the helicopter has also been updated. The variant is equipped with pylons with eight B8W8MSB 80mm rocket launchers and automatic grenade launchers. Due to the fact that the pylons pass through the rear windows without changing the fuselage design, machine guns with ammunition from the cockpit can be installed outside.

Additional 7.62mm machine guns can be placed in helicopter windows. In addition, under the tail boom, along with the IR interference system, there is a flare launcher. These elements provide partial protection against infrared-guided anti-aircraft missiles, which pose the greatest threat tomilitary helicopters.

Technical description of the Mi-2 helicopter

The carrier system is a three-bladed propeller with hydraulic vibration dampers. Blade profile - NACA 230-12M. Blades do not fold. Installed rotor brake. The main propeller shaft is driven by the gearbox of each motor. The transmission includes a three-stage main gearbox, intermediate and tail.

Turbine speed reduction ratio for the main rotor is 1:24.6, for the tail rotor - 1:4.16. The main gearbox provides drive for auxiliary systems and power take-off for the rotor brake. The freewheel disconnects the main rotor from the failed engine, allowing it to spin.

Initially, each blade was of the typical Mil helicopter design, consisting of 20 connected sections attached to a light alloy spar with a honeycomb trailing edge and covered with light alloy sheet. Later, WSK-PZL-Swidnik developed more advanced rotor blades based on an extruded duralumin spar with plastic sections and a coating.

Cyclic and collective pitch control arm amplification system hydraulic; adjustable pitch angle controlled by a collective pitch lever, has a horizontal stabilizer.

Duralumin sheet fuselage connected by spot welding or rivets. It consists of three main units - the bow, the central and tail booms; load-bearing elements reinforced with alloy steel.

Chassis

Mi-2 is a helicopter with a non-retractable tricycle landing gear with a tail support. A double wheel is located in front and one wheel is mounted in the main part. Oil-pneumatic shock absorbers are installed on all supports, including the tail. The main dampers are capable of handling both normal workloads and possible ground resonance. The main tires have dimensions of 600x180 mm at a pressure of 4.41 bar. Nasal - size 400x125 mm, pressure 3, 45 bar. The main wheels are equipped with pneumatic brakes. Metal aviation skis are optional.

Power plant

The engine of the Mi-2 helicopter is a 313-kW turboshaft Izotov GTD-350, built in Poland. Two such gas turbine units are mounted side by side above the cockpit of the aircraft. A single rubber fuel tank with a capacity of 600 liters is located under the cabin floor. On both sides of the helicopter, it is possible to install additional external tanks with a volume of 238 liters. The filling station is located on the right side of the building. Oil volume - 25 l.

Accommodation

Usually one pilot is in the cockpit on the left side. The air-conditioned cabin provides space for 8 passengers - back-to-back benches for 3 people each with two additional side seats on the starboard rear, one behind the other. All passenger seats can be dismantled to carry up to 700 kg of cargo. Access to the salon is throughhinged doors on each side in front of the cabin and aft on the left side. The pilot's sliding window is squeezed out in emergencies. The rescue modification provides space for 4 stretchers and an orderly, or 2 stretchers and 2 seated patients. In the training version, the seats are side by side and there is dual control. Mi-2 is a helicopter with standard HVAC systems.

Systems

The interior is heated by air heated by the engine. For ventilation in cold weather, the temperature of the outside air is raised in heat exchangers.

The hydraulic system has a pressure of 65 bar and is designed to reinforce the cyclic and collective pitch lever. The hydraulic fluid flow rate is 7.5 l/min. The tank is ventilated. The pneumatic system has a pressure of 49 bar and is designed to operate the brake.

Power supply is provided by starter-generators driven by two STG-3 3 kW engines, as well as from a 3-phase alternating current generator with a power of 16 kVA and a voltage of 208 V. DC power supply with a voltage of 24 V is provided by two lead-acid batteries with a capacity of 28 Ah. The main and tail propellers, windshield are equipped with an electric anti-icing system. The air intake is heated by air taken from the engine.

Avionics

Standard items include two MF/HF transceivers, gyro compass, radio compass, radio altimeter, intercom system and blind flight panel. For somemilitary modifications installed nose and tail warning radars.

Equipment

The agricultural version of the helicopter is equipped on each side of the fuselage with a tank with a total capacity of 1000 liters of liquid or 750 kg of dry chemical, and either a nozzle rack at the rear of the cabin on both sides, or a dry chemical sprayer on each tank. Spray swath width is 40-45m.

In the rescue version, an electric winch with a lifting capacity of 120 kg is installed. The ventral cargo hook can be mounted to lift suspended loads up to 800kg.

At the smoke screen operator, long additional pipes are attached to the exhaust pipes, into which fuel is supplied. The pilot's windshield is equipped with an electric wiper. In addition, a freon fire extinguishing system is installed in the engine compartments and the main gearbox compartment, which is activated automatically or manually.

Mi-2 helicopter: specifications

• Height - 3.3 m.
• Length - 11.4 m.
• Propeller diameter – 14.5 m.
• Takeoff weight weight - 3550 kg.
• Empty weight of the helicopter is 2350-2372 kg.
• Fuel volume - 600 l, with additional tanks - 838 l.
• Ascent speed - 4.5 m/s.
• Cruising speed and speed at altitude - 190-194 km/h, near the ground - 210 km/h.
• Ceiling - 1700m (static), 4000m (dynamic).
• Flight range - 355 km, maximum - 620 km.

Mass production of Mi-2ended in 1993. Most of the more than 5450 helicopters produced were exported to the USSR and other Warsaw Pact countries. Nevertheless, the Mi-2, which is still in operation in more than 20 countries around the world, has a chance to be revived in the Mi-2A model being developed by the Moscow Helicopter Plant and OJSC Rosvertol.