Mi-8T taking off in Saint Petersburg - HD 50fps

There goes a video I took while on holidays in Saint-Petersburg back in 2013. I got lucky enough to be hanging around with a camera just when this beautiful Mil Mi-8T operated by Baltic Airlines (Балтийский Авиалиний) was about to take-off next to Peter and Paul's Fortress (Петропавловская Крепость), right in front of the Museum of Artillery. Probably going out for a touristic flight of some kind.

The Mil Mi-8 (Ми-8, NATO reporting name: Hip) is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Union but still produced nowadays by the Russian Federation. In addition to its most common role as a transport helicopter, the Mi-8 is also used as an airborne command post, armed gunship, and reconnaissance platform. Along with the related, more powerful Mil Mi-17, the Mi-8 is among the world's most-produced helicopters, used by over 50 countries. As of 2015, it is the third most common operational military aircraft in the world.

Mikhail Mil originally approached the Soviet government with a proposal to design an all new two-engined turbine helicopter after the success of the Mil Mi-4 and the emergence and effectiveness of turbines used in the Mil Mi-6; but the military argued against a new helicopter, as they were content with the current Mil Mi-4. To counter this, Mikhail Mil proposed that the new helicopter was more of an update to new turbine engines rather than an entirely new helicopter; this persuaded the council of ministers to proceed with production. Due to the position of the engine, this enabled Mikhail Mil to justify redesigning the entire front half of the aircraft around the single engine (designed by Oleksandr Ivchenko at OKB-478 in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, originally for fixed wing aircraft as all other soviet turbines had been up to that point).

The prototype, which was named V-8, was designed in 1958 and based on the Mil Mi-4 with a larger cabin. Powered by an AI-24 2,010 kW (2,700 shp) Soloviev turboshaft engine, the single engined V-8 prototype had its maiden flight in June 1961 and was first shown on Soviet Aviation Day parade (Tushino Air Parade) in July 1961.

The Soviet military originally showed little interest in the Mi-8 until the Bell UH-1's involvement in the Vietnam war became widely publicised as a great asset to the United States, allowing troops to move swiftly in and out of a battlefield and throughout the country. It was only then that the Soviet military rushed a troop-carrying variant of the Mil Mi-8 into production. By 1967, it had been introduced into the Soviet Air Force as the Mi-8.

There are numerous variants, including the Mi-8T, which, in addition to carrying 24 troops, is armed with rockets and anti-tank guided missiles (Not the one in the video obviously). The Mil Mi-17 export version is employed by around 20 countries; its equivalent in Russian service is the Mi-8M series. The only visible difference between the Mi-8 and Mi-17 is that the tail rotor is on the starboard side (right side) of the Mi-8, whereas in Mi-17 it is on the port side. Also Mi-17 also has some improved armour plating for its crew. The naval Mil Mi-14 version is also derived from the Mi-8. The Mi-8 is constantly improving and the newest version still remains in production.

SPECIFICATIONS

Crew: 3
Capacity:
- 26 passengers or
- 12 stretchers and seat for 1 medical attendant or
- 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) on internal/external hardpoints
Length: 18.17 m
Rotor diameter: 21.29 m
Height: 5.65 m
Disc area: 356 m²
Empty weight: 7,260 kg
Loaded weight: 11,100 kg
Max. takeoff weight: 13,000 kg
Fuel max total capacity: 3,700 L
Powerplant: 2 × Klimov TV3-117Mt turboshafts, 1,454 kW (1,950 shp) each

PERFORMANCE

Maximum speed: 260 km/h
Cruise speed: 230 km/h
Range: 610 km
Ferry range: 960 km
Service ceiling: 4,500 m

More info on the heli here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_Mi-8

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