The Mil V-12 (NATO reporting name: Homer), given the project number Izdeliye 65 ("Item 65"), is the largest helicopter ever built. The designation "Mi-12" would have been the name for the production helicopter and was not applied to the V-12 prototypes. Design studies for a giant helicopter were started at the Mil OKB in 1959, receiving official sanction in 1961 by the GKAT (Gosudarstvenny Komitet po Aviatsionnoy Tekhnike - State Committee on Aircraft Technology) instructing Mil to develop a helicopter capable of lifting 20 to 25 t (44,000 to 55,000 lb). The GKAT directive was followed by a more detailed specification for the V-12 with hold dimensions similar to the Antonov An-22, intended to lift major items of combat materiel as well as 8K67, 8K75 and 8K82 inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBM). Design limitations forced Mil to adopt a twin rotor system but design studies of a tandem layout, similar to the Boeing CH-47 Chinook, revealed major problems. The single rotor layouts also studied proved to be non-viable, leading to the transverse layout chosen for the finished article. The transverse rotor system of the V-12, which eliminates the need for a tail rotor, consists of two Mil Mi-6 transmission systems complete with rotors mounted at the tips of the approximately 30 m (98 ft) span inverse tapered wings. Although the first use by Mil, the transverse system had been used by several of the early helicopters, including the Focke-Wulf Fw 61, Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache and Kamov Ka-22 Vintokryl convertiplane. The large fuselage accommodated the 28.15×4.4×4.4 m (92.4×14.4×14.4 ft) cabin and crew section in the extreme nose, housing a pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and electrical engineer in the lower cockpit, with the navigator and radio operator in the upper cockpit. At the aft end of the fuselage access to the cabin is gained by large clamshell doors and a drop down cargo ramp with inbuilt retractable support jacks. Doors in the fuselage also give access to the cargo hold: two on the starboard side and three on the port side. Above the rear fuselage is a very large fin and rudder, with a moderately sized tailplane with dihedral fitted with end-plate fins (not fitted for the first flight). Records achieved. Date Record description Achievement Current 22 February 1969 Altitude with 15,000 kg (33,000 lb) payload 2,951 m (9,682 ft) No 22 February 1969 Altitude with 20,000 kg (44,000 lb) payload 2,951 m (9,682 ft) No 22 February 1969 Altitude with 25,000 kg (55,000 lb) payload 2,951 m (9,682 ft) No 22 February 1969 Altitude with 30,000 kg (66,000 lb) payload 2,951 m (9,682 ft) Yes 22 February 1969 Maximum load to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) 31,030 kg (68,410 lb) No 6 August 1969 Altitude with 35,000 kg (77,000 lb) payload 2,255 m (7,398 ft) Yes 6 August 1969 Altitude with 40,000 kg (88,000 lb) payload 2,255 m (7,398 ft) Yes 6 August 1969 Maximum load to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) 40,204 kg (88,635 lb) No For further details on the V-12 (Mi-12), click here.
