Largest chopper!

[Lump Jockey]

What is the biggest helicopter around today?
TIA.

[widgeon]

Phew thank goodness for that , thought someone was starting a thread about the late John Holmes .

[Chopper-Pilot-AU]

I think you will find that the largest Chooper around is the Russian built Mil26

I may be wrong but i am sure i am close :rolleyes:
used also up in papua new Guinee....
Tail rotor about the size of Bell206 main rotor.........

[Nick Lappos]

Yep, Mi-26 is it! The previously largest helo was the Mi-12, which was enormously larger, but not successful.

Mi-26 http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/row/mi-26.htm

Mi-12 http://avia.russian.ee/vertigo/mi-12-r.html

[Thomas coupling]

What did John Holmes die from, anyway?

The largest chopper was recorded by Dr R Dickinson in 1913:

He wrote:

The length of the incumbents member was 13.4" and the girth a mere 6.25" :eek: :eek:

Thankfully for all of us, it was flaccid at the time!!!!!

[rotorrookie]

And MI-26 main rotor diameter is 2 feet longer than B-737 wingspan :D

[ShyTorque]

The Mi-12 had a "wingspan" of 219 ft 9 in (67 metres), or nearly 15 ft wider than a Boeing 747. It had no tail rotor but a tail rather like a fixed-wing aircraft.

It was designed around two Mi-6 power units (total of 4 engines with 26,000 shp combined output), transmissions and rotor systems forced to fly side by side in close formation. Its max takeoff weight was quoted as 231,485 lbs (105,000 kgs).

It first flew in 1968 and I believe that although three prototypes were built it never went into production.

It wasn't any good at confined areas (although areas probably weren't "confined" for long once it arrived) and it went rusty as they couldn't get it in the hangar. I think it once blew the ATC tower over as it hover-taxied past ;)

I think there is one example in a Russian museum.

TC, I think John Holmes probably died from a lack of blood to the brain. Whatever it was, they had one heck of a job getting the coffin lid on :D