General Information
Type Mi-10 (V-10? - prototype)
Function Flying crane
Year 1960
Crew 2 to 4
Powerplant
Type 2*D-25V by Perm Engine Plant
Shaft Power 2*5500hp
Size
Fuselage Length 32.86m
Length with rotor 41.89m
Height 7.8m
Height (with main rotor) 9.0m
Rotor Diameter 35.0m
Disk Area 926.11m2
Weights and loads
Empty 24,680kg
Loaded (Normal) 43,245kg
Rotor load 46.7
Power load (kg/hp) 3.93
Speed
Maximum 235km/h
Cruise 220km/h
Wind Restrictions
Headwind 25m/sec
Side wind 15m/sec
Payload Range
Ferry 795km
8,000kg 420km
12,000kg 250km
15,000kg 30km
Service Ceiling
14,500kg payload 4000m
8,500kg payload 5500m
Payload
Service tank 585kg
Strap-on tanks 5605kg
Ferry tanks 1920kg
Cargo Normal 12,000kg
Cargo Maximum 25,000kg
Load size LxWxH 20x5(10)x3.5m3
Hold (cabin) size LxWxH 14x2.5x1.68m3
Seats 28
Other

Mi-10 heavy load helicopter by Mil (NATO "Harke")

14k V-10 prototype in flight
from Mil KB site

The first prototype V-10 performed first flight on June 15 1960. First public presentation occurred in 1961 at Tushino airshow, where V-10 straddled and lifted geological survey hut. First out-of-country exhibition - Paris Air show of 1965. European Sales tours were undertaken in two following years. In 1967 Mi-10 was evaluated by BEA pilots at Gatwick.

New Mil machine was a dedicated heavy flying crane, capable to transport heavy and bulky loads on an external platform. It was based on the Mi-6. It uses engines, gearbox and rotors of the Mi-6, but the fuselage is much shallower due to aim on external loads. Landing gear was radically modified to carry heavy loads on underfuselage platform. Fuselage has 1°15' starboard inclination to compensate for tail rotor thrust during takeoff and landing. As a result, starboard undercarriage legs are 300mm shorter.

62k Mi-10 with cargo platform
"Russian Civil and Military aircraft 1884~1969" by Heinz J.Nowarra and G.R.Duval p.163

For normal operations, the crew consists of two pilots. Pilot desk has also accommodation for an engineer. Central jump-seat may be used for another crew member. Mi-10 has no navigator position in the glazed nose, but observation panels and exceptionally bulged pilots' windows give an excellent downward and rearward view for ground handling and loading. Cargo observation during loading and in flight, as well as crane operations are monitored by closed-circuit TV cameras. In addition, retractable ventral "dustbin" may be used for observation (despite its' role is an emergency parachute exit). Access to the flight desk - via stairs in the port forward leg. On-ground emergency exit - via wires extending from the cabin roof to the forward undercarriage legs.

Fuel is carried in the external strap-on cylindrical tanks and central service tank. Two additional tanks may be fitted in the hold (cabin) for ferry operations. The hold has bench seats for 28 passengers and 1.56mx1.26m door in the starboard side of the rear fuselage. Boom and 200kg electric winch are used for freight loading.

Main load is carried externally on the cargo platform (13.6t), hold by hydraulically operated freight clasps (15t), on the winch controlled from the hold (500kg) or on the sling (8t).

Mi-10 entered service with Aeroflot and military in 1962. In civil service it is used as a cargo transport, capable to deliver heavy construction, forestry and oil drilling equipment to the rural areas without prepared airfields.

26k b/w Mi-10 with bus loaded on the cargo platform
(www.military.cz)

Mi-10 is a strictly functional machine. It is not fitted with sound-proofing and air conditioning. It is equipped for all-weather operation, has an autopilot and low-altitude radio altimeter. Auxiliary 100hp AI-8 unit is used as a starter and drives 60kW electric generator. Normal continuous consumption is 24kW: winches, electric pumps for hydraulic systems (main, stand-by and auxiliary). Backup batteries can feed the system for 30min if necessary.

The VVS used Mi-10 in its primary roles (crane, cargo carrier) and as a carrier of ECM jammers (Mi-10PP variant). Its platform allowed accommodate entire trailer stuffed with electronics, and powerful on-board generator provided plenty of electricity. Mi-10RVK was used to carry armed ballistic missiles to the silos. Since there is no modifications to helicopter, those designations may be considered 'mission designations', not different machines.

18k Mi-10PP courtesy of . Details here

One Mi-10 was sold (together with one Mi-8) to the American company, Petroleum Helicopters Inc (Louisiana) in 1967 for some $2 million. Registration number - N16556. Since 1968, it was operated for servicing the company's drilling rigs in Bolivia.

Mi-10 was seen transporting 40m wing sections of the Tu-144 from Voronezh factory to Zhukovskij assembly facilities.

One of unusual missions carried out by Mi-10 was... transporting a mammoth. Well-preserved 47-years old (plus 20,380 in the ice) female mammoth was found by team of Dutch researcher Dick Mol in some 322km from Siberian town Khatanga. Mammoth itself weights some 6,000 to 7,000kg, but it had to be transported as a part of 22,000kg ice block. The only available way was by the air, and the only aircraft capable to perform this mission is Mi-10!

First Mi-10 record was established on September 23, 1961 by G.Alferov and B.Zemskov. Flying series machine, they lifted 15,103kg payload to 2326m. This result was overshadowed by Mi-6 crew in May 1965, but not for a long time...

81k Record-setting 1965 Mi-10R with short faired legs. Engine/gearbox maintenance platform is deployed.
("Russian aircraft since 1940" by Jean Alexander, p.270)

In 1965 specially modified Mi-10 was built. It had lightweight short spatted tricycle landing gear (from the Mi-6, by some sources) and carried military markings. It also had the strap-on fuel tanks removed established 2 World Records:

Created January 25, 1996
Modified December 10, 2000		 Back to
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