Eastern Express 14506 Heavy Multi-purpose Helicopter Mi-6 early version

The Mil Mi-6 (NATO code: Hook) was a heavy Soviet-made transport helicopter of all-metal construction with a fixed undercarriage, in a classic layout with a main rotor and a tail rotor on the beam. The drive was provided by two D-25W turbine engines with a capacity of 5500 KM each. The flight of the first prototype took place in June 1957, and serial production lasted from 1961 to 1981. At the time of commissioning, the Mil M-6 was the most powerful and largest helicopter in the world, with a carrying capacity of 12,000 kg, which was phenomenal at that time! The size of the machine also allowed it to take up to 95 passengers. The Mil Mi-6 was produced in several variants: the basic one was the transport version (used both in the Soviet Army and for civilian purposes) or the fire version. On the basis of the Mi-6, a far-reaching modernization of this helicopter, called the Mi-10, which is a flying crane, was also developed. The very successful Mi-6 was exported to the Warsaw Pact countries, but also to Indonesia and Syria, for example. In China, the Mi-4 was also produced under the Harbin Z-5 designation. Mi-6 helicopters also served in Poland - initially as civilian versions, and from 1986 as military machines. Withdrawal from service in the Polish Army took place in 1990.