Weapon of the century: helicopters. Combat use of the Iroquois transport helicopter in Vietnam The smartest: Boeing A160 "Hummingbird"

, its silhouette will soon be the most recognizable in the world.

Photo of the Iroquois helicopter approaching the attack

The Iroquois helicopter was one of the main aircraft of the US Army aviation until the mid-1980s, when it was supplanted by a new helicopter of the same class -.

According to the staffing table, units armed with UH-1s were part of every American division - not only the airborne or air assault, but also the regular infantry or armored division. They were entrusted with the tasks of landing tactical airborne assault forces, evacuating the wounded, transporting small loads, transporting officers, etc. Thus, "Iroquois" has become a kind of aerial analogue of the "jeep"

UH 1H Iroquois became a kind of aerial analogue of a jeep

Helicopters of the first modification - UH-1 A - due to their limited carrying capacity, were used only in medical evacuation units. It was in this capacity that the Iroquois made its debut in Vietnam. In March 1962, the 57th medical detachment arrived in this country, equipped with UH-1 A.

Combat use of the Iroquois transport helicopter in Vietnam

The start of deliveries of more powerful UH-1 B, and then UH-1 D made it possible in a short time to saturate the army aviation units with them and to put into practice the concept of "air cavalry". The first experience of mass use of "Huey" (this slang name was used in Vietnam much more often than the official "Iroquois") in a combat situation was received by the newly formed 1st Cavalry (airmobile) division, which arrived in Vietnam in September 1965. This formation became the first division in the world in which the main means of moving personnel were not armored personnel carriers, but helicopters.

Camp Eagle Massive Iroquois helicopter landing approach, January 1971, reminiscent of a conveyor belt

In the course of combat use, the main shortcomings quickly emerged. In hot and humid climates, even 1,100 "horses" of engine power, installed on the UH-1 B / D, were not enough. To facilitate the helicopters, all unnecessary equipment was removed from them, in particular the sliding doors. The weak point of the early Huey was unprotected tanks, which reduced the survivability of the rotorcraft. Both problems were resolved - the fuel system was redesigned, and a more powerful engine was installed on subsequent UH-1 N modifications.

Fighting in Cambodia 1970

The tactics of using the IROKEZ helicopter

UH-1_variant onboard armament, very considerable firepower

With the advent of the "long" UH-1 D / H, the "short" UH-1В were transferred to the solution of fire support tasks. Since 1966, a specialized modification of the Iroquois appears in Vietnam, designed for these tasks - the UH-1C. Transport helicopters, nicknamed slick ("slippery" - they often removed the seats to reduce weight, and the paratroopers had to sit right on the floor of the cockpit) and assault (gunship - "gunboat") operated in close conjunction. "Gunships" accompanied the columns of "slicks", ensuring the suppression of enemy anti-aircraft points, and before the landing, they "processed" the bridgehead with machine-gun fire and unguided rockets. Below is an amateur real-life video filmed by American soldiers. In many stories, rotary-wing cars are used, we watch on the full screen a lot of interesting things happen at the edges of the frames, there is another part on YouTube, where excerpts about the use of various types of weapons are collected.

A typical landing zone below in the photo, what other vehicle can cope with the delivery and evacuation of both soldiers and various weapons.

Helicopter disembarkation (sliding doors removed for ease), pay attention to the landing area, this was considered a prepared pad

Features of the weapon options used on the Iroquois

M2 2 x 7.62 mm M60S machine gun on side brackets;
M3 - 2 x 24-charge PU 70-mm NAR on side brackets;
M5 - 40 mm M75 automatic grenade launcher in the ventral rotary mount;
М6 4 х М60С machine guns on side brackets;
M18 - 2 x 7.62 mm six-barreled M134 "Minigun" machine guns on side brackets;
M22 - 6 x AGM-22B ATGM (SS-11), used on the UH-1B;
M23 - 2 x M60D machine guns (600 rounds per barrel) in the side doors (on the UH-1 D);
XM26 - 6 x BGM-71 "Tou" ATGM (for UH-1B / C);
XM31 - 2 x 20 mm M24A cannons (500 rounds per barrel) on side brackets (on UH-1B / C);
XM59 - 2 x 12.7 mm M2NV machine gun (500 rounds per barrel) in the side doors (on the UH-1D / H).

In total, 7,013 UH-1 helicopters were sent to Vietnam, of which almost half were lost - 3305 units. 1074 Iroquois pilots and 1103 other crew members were killed. 50%, seemingly huge numbers of losses, but considering that over 11 years of war, American pilots in Southeast Asia made 36 million sorties (!), Having flown 13.5 million hours (!) And only 3,500 Huey US transport helicopters were lost ... Do not forget that he was designed as a transport, not. And there were no options, it was not on horses to throw soldiers and ammunition into the jungle. And with the evacuation, the calculation was only for a helicopter. Therefore, they used such a number, more than all the other armies of the world put together at that time in service.

and it happened so, there is no talk at all about the preparation of the landing zone

Landing approach, one might say a classic

The Iroquois also became an integral part of the reconnaissance units, operating as part of the airmobile reconnaissance squadrons. Each of them consisted of three platoons: one used light reconnaissance helicopters OH-6, the other was an infantry unit with several transport Huey, and the third had the same Huey in the gunship version (or specialized assault AN- 1).

Shooting from a helicopter through the eyes of a Iroquois pilot

The Iroquois transport helicopter was actively used by the armies of many countries.

In addition to the United States, "Iroquois" were used in Vietnam by American allies - Australia and South Vietnam. After the defeat of the latter, several dozen UH-1s of various modifications went to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam as trophies. Several copies also came to us in the USSR. Currently, "Iroquois" is gradually leaving the scene. In the United States, the latest medical versions are still flying with the National Guard.

UH-1 United States Marine Corps. Operational Base Kafferat, Afghanistan, 2009

They are also used by various government agencies - for example, the drug control agency uses its UH-1H in Afghanistan. The operation of the Iroquois continues by the military aviation of 35 countries. In particular, they are in service with almost all Latin American states. In Europe, UH-1 D serve in Germany, UH-1H - in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Georgia, Spain, Turkey.

Helicopters UH-1 H of the Georgian Air Force. Tbilisi, 2012

Such helicopters are very common in many Asian countries, and are also found on the African continent.

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS BELL UH-1H "IROKEZ"

Type: single-engine multipurpose, crew of 2 people
Capacity: up to 12 soldiers or 6 wounded on a stretcher
Engine: TVLD Lycoming T53-1-13 with a maximum power of 1400 hp. with.
Dimensions, length: 12.77 m, height: 2.62 m, rotor diameter: 14.63 m.
Empty weight 2140 kg, takeoff 4310 kg

Specifications:

maximum speed: 220 km / h
flight range: 510 km
practical ceiling: 4145 meters
Armament: it is possible to install two machine guns in the side windows, PU NAR, machine guns of various types on the side brackets.

Transport helicopter Mohawk uh 1 Huey USA photo The first generation was still quite imperfect - bulky, difficult to maintain, with heavy piston engines and low weight efficiency. Therefore, in 1952, the army announced a competition for a new light utility helicopter.

The path to a radical improvement in the flight and operational characteristics of the rotorcraft lay through the transition to a new power plant - a turboshaft engine (TVLD), much lighter than a piston engine, and with a higher power density. The army contract promised considerable profits, and two dozen companies submitted their projects to the competition. The customer made a difficult choice on February 23, 1955, having drawn up a contract for three prototypes of the Bell 204 helicopter, a single-engine machine equipped with a Lycoming YT53-L-1 (700 hp).

The most massive version of the helicopter - UH-1 N

The first prototype went into testing a year and a half later - on October 20, 1956. In the system of official designations, it was initially called YH-40. In March 1960, when the first serial order for 100 copies was issued, the car was given the designation HU-1A, because of which it was nicknamed "Huey", although it was officially dubbed "Iroquois". Finally, in 1962, with the introduction of a unified aircraft designation system in the US armed forces, the letters in the index were rearranged: instead of HU-1, it was now called UH-1. The layout chosen by Bell's designers turned out to be extremely successful - in total, more than 16 thousand Iroquois of various modifications were built.

Pilot cabin UH-1

The characteristic appearance of the "Iroquois" Bell 204/205, semi-monocoque fuselage with large side doors, which accelerated the landing / disembarkation; two-bladed main rotor; chassis in the form of tubular runners, lighter than wheeled.

Transport helicopter Iroquois uh 1 Huey USA , main options and modifications

The US Marine Corps UH-1 N helicopter on the deck of the helicopter landing ship dock "New York". Bold Alligator Exercise, Atlantic Ocean, 2012

IROKEZ transport helicopter cutaway

On the basis of the UH-1 N, a training helicopter TN-1N was created.

The TN-1N helicopter of the 23rd US Air Force Training Squadron. Fort Rucker, Alabama, 2008

search and rescue NN-1N
helicopters EW EN-1H and EH-1X
medical evacuation UH-1V.

American multipurpose helicopter Iroquois Bell Helicopter Textron

In addition to basic modifications transport helicopter mohawk uh 1 huey usa , there were a number of specialized versions of the Iroquois. "Iroquois" also entered service in the US Navy and Air Force - albeit in much smaller numbers.

Helicopter UH-1N of the 459th squadron of the US Air Force. Yokota Air Base, Japan, 2014

In addition to the USA, the Iroquois were produced under license in Germany (Dornier built 352 UH-1 D), Italy, where Bells 204 and 205 were produced by Agusta under the designations AB 204 and AB 205, as well as Japan, where Fuji produced UH-1B, and then UH-1J - a modified version of UH-1 H. In addition, small batches were assembled in Turkey and Taiwan.

Helicopter UH-1B German Air Force. Joint exercises of the USA, Canada, Germany and Denmark air forces. Alamogordo, USA, 1997

Since the mid-80s, "Iroquois" has gradually left the scene, and its place begins to take the same class and purpose (this applies to the United States). In the states on the Latin American continent, in Asia and partly in Africa, it still remains the main military transport helicopter of the army.

BellUH-1Iroquois (Bell Iroquois) - American multipurpose helicopter developed by Bell Helicopter Textron in the 1950s. Better known as Huey. One of the most massive helicopters in history.

History of the UH-1

The fifties of the XX century were marked by the true birth of helicopter technology in the world. Technologies, first of all, engine building, have reached a level that allows them to create really effective machines - the military realized that the helicopter is no longer exotic for local tasks, but a promising combat unit. It was in the 1950s that work began on the creation of the legendary helicopters in the USSR, and in the United States, a competition was also announced to create a universal combat and transport helicopter - probably the future most famous American rotorcraft.

By 1955, the Pentagon had opted for the Model 204, developed by Bell Helicopter, and the vehicle program began. The first prototype took off in 1956 at the Bell airfield in Texas. The first batch of three prototypes was tested at Bell facilities, a little later they were joined by 6 more machines that worked in the field and, finally, 9 pre-production helicopters sent to the military for testing. The helicopter was named HU-1 Iroquois - Iroquois. The name HU-1 remained until 1962 - later, it was replaced by the already known UH-1.

In the summer of 1959, the US Armed Forces received the first batch of ready-to-use UH-1A helicopters. Powered by a 770 hp Lycoming T53-L-1A engine, they were armed with two 7.62 mm machine guns, 70 mm unguided rockets (URM) launchers and could carry up to six people. Some of these machines were sent to Vietnam, where the UH-1 received the baptism of fire.

Participation in the combat operations of the US Armed Forces in Vietnam revealed a number of shortcomings of the base helicopter, the main of which is the insufficient thrust-to-weight ratio. This problem was resolved by 1961, when the UH-1Bs with the 960 hp T53-L-5 engine entered service, and later the 1100 hp T53-L-11. (+ 43% thrust from the base engine). The payload of the new helicopters reached 1360 kg.

Participation in hostilities made it possible to test the helicopter in a wide range of operations: from shock, to rescue. Thanks to this, the machines were constantly being modernized. By 1965, the UH-1C version arrived with an improved main rotor, which reduced vibration, improved handling and increased top speed. Otherwise, the new helicopter did not differ from its predecessor.

A further development of the family was the UH-1E modification intended for the US Marine Corps. It differed from the UH-1B with a new composition of radio equipment, and starting in 1965 with a new main rotor, similar to the UH-1C. The helicopter was actively used in Vietnam for landing and rescue operations. In the version of the fire support helicopter, it was equipped with two 7.62 mm M60 machine guns and two 70 mm NUR blocks.

The most advanced of the single-engine Iroquois was the UH-1C, refitted in 1968 and dubbed the Huey Tug. The helicopter was equipped with a Lycoming T55-L-7C engine with a capacity of 2850 hp. with. and a main rotor with a diameter of 15.24 m. The helicopter could carry up to 3000 kg of cargo on an external sling with a take-off weight of 6350 kg and develop a maximum speed of 259 km / h.

From April 1965 twin-engine helicopters appeared in the Iroquois family. The firstborn was the Model 208, which was a serial UH-1D equipped with a pair of Continental XT67-T-1 engines with a total capacity of 1400 hp. with. The helicopter served as a prototype for further twin-engine modifications. The installation on the UH-1H in 1968 of a pair of Pratt & Whitney PT6T-3 engines, called the Turbo Twin Ras, with a total power of 1800 hp. with., a new modification was received - Model 212. For the armed forces of America, Bell produced 145 of these helicopters, which received the designation UH-1N. The firm produced 70 CUH-1N for Canada. And in Italy they were produced under the designation AB 212.

Video of aerobatics of the Bell UH-1 Huey helicopter (Huey) at the air show, 2013

Airframe UH-1

UH-1 Iroquois is a multi-purpose single-rotor military transport helicopter with a tail rotor.

The fuselage is of semi-monocoque design, in its front part there is a cockpit for two pilots sitting side by side. A payload compartment is located behind the cab. In the lower part of the fuselage there is a loop for transporting goods on an external sling. As landing devices, steel skis are used, on which inflatable floats can be installed, which ensure the takeoff and landing of the helicopter on the water.

The power plant consists of one or two turboshaft engines. The gearbox and engine are located along the axis of the helicopter in the upper part of the fuselage behind the cockpit. The helicopter's hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical systems are powered by the engine. The helicopter is equipped with a set of navigation and radio-electronic equipment, landing searchlights and navigation lights.

Armament

In the doorways, two M60C machine guns or two M2HB machine guns, or two six-barreled M134 Minigun machine guns (Minigun) of 7.62 mm caliber can be installed.
M60C, M134 machine guns, guided missile armament: AGM-22, BGM-71 TOW; unguided rocket armament: 7-round, 19-round 70 mm rocket blocks or 24-charge 70 mm rocket blocks.
In the nose of the helicopter, a 40-mm M75 grenade launcher with 150 or 300 charges can be installed, fully controlled by the pilot.

Modifications

There are many options for the UH-1 helicopter, including civilian options.

XH-40- The first prototype Bell 204. In total, three prototypes were built.
YH-40- Six pre-production helicopters.
HU-1A- The first combat models Bell 204, in 1962 received the designation UH-1A.
UH-1B- Modified HU-1A. Various external improvements and equipment with an improved Lycoming T53-L-5 engine (960 hp), and later the T53-L-11 (1100 hp).
UH-1C- UH-1B with improved engine and modified blades for improved impact performance.
YUH-1D- Seven UH-1D prototypes.
UH-1D- The first production model Bell 205 (Bell 204 with an extended version of the fuselage) and the first twin-engine Iroquois. Designed as a military transport helicopter to replace the CH-34, which was then in service with the US Army.
UH-1E- UH-1B / C for the United States Marine Corps with a new composition of radio equipment and avionics, and since 1965 with a new rotor. The first models were also equipped with a retractable rescue winch.
UH-1F- UH-1B / C for the US Air Force with a General Electric T58-GE-3 1100 hp engine. with.
UH-1G- Skipped modification to prevent confusion with the AH-1G. However, the designation UH-1G was given to the UH-1D / H ganships operating in Cambodia.
UH-1H- Improved UH-1D.
UH-1J- Export version UH-1H for Japan.
HH-1K- Search and rescue helicopter for the US Navy with special equipment for the Navy.
UH-1L- Multifunctional version of the HH-1K.
UH-1M- ARA ("gunship") based on UH-1L, for night combat operations, equipped with special equipment, two television cameras and a night sight.
UH-1N- First production model Bell 212, with two PT6T Twin-Pac turbojets. The Marine Corps carried out many improvements, from improving avionics and helicopter protection to installing an infrared camera.
UH-1P- UH-1F variant for the US Air Force, designed for special operations - the drop / evacuation of troops from the rear of the enemy.
UH-1V- Medical helicopter for the US Army.
UH-1U- The only prototype for detecting and suppressing artillery positions. Crashed at Edwards Air Force Base during testing.
EH-1X- Ten electronic warfare and electronic warfare helicopters with equipment for special operations. Replaced by EH-60A.
UH-1Y- The helicopter, designed to replace the outdated UH-1N for the US Marine Corps, will be delivered under the H-1 program along with the AH-1Z attack helicopter, with similar changes and modifications.

Operating the UH-1

The UH-1 is one of the most massive helicopters in the world, with more than 16,000 units produced. Since its inception, it has participated in most of the military conflicts in which the United States or its allies played a role.

First of all, the UH-1 played an important role in its first war in Vietnam. As a result, he became one of the symbols of that war.

Helicopters were widely used in Vietnam by all American units, although the conventional infantry division had a much smaller fleet than the airmobile division. At the height of the war, American helicopters flew several thousand sorties a day, and the lion's share fell on the UH-1. In total, a total of 7,013 American UH-1 helicopters took part in hostilities during the war. Of this number, 3305 vehicles were destroyed, and a significant part was transferred to South Vietnam.

Various modifications of the UH-1 were used throughout the world in various combat operations. UH-1 was used during the US invasion of Grenada and operations in Panama. Participated in Operation Desert Storm, took part in a peacekeeping mission in Somalia. Now the helicopter is used by the US armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Despite their age, helicopters of various modifications UH-1 are still used in the armies of more than 60 countries.

Interesting Facts

Huey is the unofficial nickname for the helicopter, but the official name in the United States Marine Corps.
The helicopter received the name Huey because of its early (until 1962) designation HU-1 (Helicopter Utility - 1).
The US Army no longer uses this type of helicopter, replacing it with the UH-60, but the US Marine Corps continues to use it and invests money in its improvement. The latest model for the Marine Corps is the UH-1Y.
Based on the UH-1, the world's first specialized combat helicopter, the AH-1, was created.
At least one former South Vietnamese UH-1 was sent to the USSR for study after the war.
The helicopter made its first flight in 1956, which means that today it is the oldest of this type of helicopter remaining in mass operation.
Civilian airlines still fly Huey, which fought in the Vietnam War.

Diagram of the UH-1 Iroquois helicopter

Country: USA

First flight: 1967

Length: 16.66 m

Main rotor diameter: 15.62 m

Height: 4.18 m

Engine: turboshaft GET64, 3925 hp

Maximum speed: 393 km / h

Ceiling: 6100 m

Armament: bow turret with 40 mm M129 grenade launcher or 7.62 mm XM196 machine gun, main turret with 30 mm XM140 cannon, Mk4 missiles (70 mm), BGM-71 homing missiles

The helicopter could operate at low speeds and altitudes, provide reliable support for infantry and transport aircraft.

With the advent of the Boeing-Vertol CH-47 transporter, the Iroquois turned out to be powerless as an escort: the mighty Chinook was much faster than its guardian angel. The civilian UH-1, dressed in military uniform, lacked speed, power reserve, firepower, and advanced sighting systems. By 1962, the US Army was ripe for a tender to develop a special attack helicopter. Four years later, the winner of the Lockheed competition was awarded a contract for the supply of ten demonstration samples.

Technically, the Cheyenne is not a helicopter. It belongs to the class of rotorcraft, because in addition to the main and stabilizing propellers, it also has a pushing propeller. At speeds close to maximum (according to some sources, "Cheyenne" could exceed the speed of 400 km / h), less than 20% of the lift was created by the rotor. The device was held in the air by small wings located on the sides of the fuselage. The horizontal thrust was created by a pushing propeller. Unlike conventional helicopters, which lean forward strongly when moving at high speed, the Cheyenne could maintain a horizontal position, thereby reducing drag. The collective pitch handle was swivel, like on a motorcycle. With its help, the pilot controlled the pitch of the pushing propeller.

Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne

A unique hingeless main rotor was installed on the Cheyenne prototypes. The traditional rotor hub design provides horizontal hinges that allow the blades to swing up and down, and vertical hinges that lead or lag the blades. The hinges reduce the loads on the blades and allow them to take a natural position under the action of centrifugal force, but negatively affect the controllability of the machine, allowing the propeller to "walk" relative to the fuselage. On the AH-56, the blades were attached to the hub by means of special elastic elements. They kept the loads on the blades within acceptable limits and at the same time made the structure much more rigid. The swashplate was located above the blades and was combined with a gyroscopic stabilizer. The control rods were hidden inside the rotor axis, and the crank drive mechanism contained springs to minimize the transmission of vibrations to the controls. As a result, the Cheyenne's unique flying qualities were combined with the relative ease of piloting.

The pilot and gunner were located in spacious armored cockpits. The pilot seated above could fire using an infrared guidance system built into the helmet. The gunner's seat, sitting in front, was integrated into the guidance system and rotated synchronously with the main turret of the XM-52 (30 mm cannon with a rate of fire of 450 rounds per minute). The pedestal rotated along with the periscope, instruments and a large display map. A 40-mm grenade launcher or a 7.62-mm Minigun machine gun was installed in the nose turret. Six armament suspension nodes allowed the helicopter to carry up to 907 kg of additional ammunition.

The unique hingeless propeller AH-56 played a cruel joke with it. On March 12, 1969, pilot David Bale, disabling the safety systems, was supposed to provoke cyclical oscillations of the blades. The rigidity of the elastic elements was found to be insufficient to withstand the resonance. The blade pierced the lantern and killed the pilot, the helicopter crashed. For the military, this disaster was an excuse to back up. The vehicle was not yet ready for production, and the front was in dire need of helicopters. In addition, the army did not need such an expensive and difficult-to-maintain helicopter. The place of "Cheyenne" was taken by the modest "Cobra" AH-1, built on the basis of the same "Iroquois". In terms of fighting qualities, it could not compare with the AH-56, but it could be repaired by dismantling an old Bell in a junkyard.

Ka-50 "Black Shark"

Most maneuverable: Ka-50 "Black Shark"

Country: USSR

First flight: 1982

Takeoff weight: 9800 kg

Engine: turboshaft, 2700 hp

Maximum speed: 315 km / h

Ceiling: 5500 m

The coaxial rotor design allows the "Black Shark" to perform aerobatics called "funnel": while maintaining targeting, the helicopter moves around it in a side slip with a constant negative pitch angle of up to 35 degrees. The maneuver is performed at a speed of up to 180 km / h and provides long-term aiming at the target while evading enemy air defenses. During one of the test flights, the Ka-50 demonstrated the ability to hover in one place for 12 hours. On traditional helicopters, this would have been impossible due to the rapid fatigue of the pilot, who had to constantly manually stabilize the vehicle. Finally, the "Black Shark" is able to demonstrate a "loop" in the sky.

Flettner FL 265

The very first: Flettner FL 265

Country: Germany

First flight: 1939

Takeoff weight: 1000 kg

Engine: piston 7-cylinder, 160 HP with.

Maximum speed: 160 km / h

For the first time, the German naval forces decided to use helicopters in war during the Second World War. An experimental single-seat Fl 265 with two intersecting 12-meter propellers was based on ships in the Mediterranean and Baltic. Its task was to detect enemy submarines from the air. Light helicopters could carry small depth charges or luminous markers, as well as carry a stretcher with wounded, suspended from slings. A total of six Fl 265s were produced. In 1942 it was replaced by the Fl 282 "Hummingbird" with an open cockpit.

Mi-26

Largest: Mi-26

Country: USSR

First flight: 1977

Takeoff weight: 49650 kg

Engine: two turboshaft 10,440 hp each

Maximum speed: 295 km / h

Ceiling: 6500 m

While working on the Mi-26, the designer Marat Tishchenko strove to create a helicopter capable of carrying more than its own weight. Mi-26 is the largest and most powerful production helicopter in the world. According to calculations in the military transport version, it can take on board 60 stretchers with wounded or 80 fully equipped paratroopers. In practice, the Mi-26 had to transport up to 150 people. In October 1999, an external suspension helicopter transported a 25-ton block of ice with a 23,000-year-old mammoth found in the permafrost of Siberia.

Boeing / Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche

Most secretive: Boeing / Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche

Country: USA

First flight: 1996

Takeoff weight: 4806 kg

Engine: two turboshaft, 1432 hp each

Maximum speed: 324 km / h

Ceiling: 4566 m

Almost all structural elements of the Comanche reconnaissance and strike are subordinated to a single goal - to make the helicopter invisible and silent. The flat outer surfaces of the fuselage, made using stealth technology, are partially made of composite materials with special radio-absorbing coatings. The missiles are placed in two hidden side compartments inside the fuselage. The 20 mm XM301 cannon is also retracted into the fuselage. Only two prototypes of the Comanche were built: the military decided that it was easier to send drones into reconnaissance, and closed the program.

Mi-8

The most massive: Mi-8

Country: USSR

First flight: 1965

Characteristics of the Mi-8T modification

Takeoff weight: 11100 kg

Engine: two turboshaft, 1500 hp each

Maximum speed: 260 km / h

Ceiling: 4500 m

Since July 1961, more than 17,000 Mi-8 helicopters and its modifications have been produced. The machine is used in more than 50 countries around the world, including the USA, China, India, Venezuela, South Africa. The helicopter is used as a transport, landing, medical, electronic warfare vehicle, minelayer, flying command post. The popularity of the Mi-8 is fully justified. Modern modifications of this unpretentious and reliable helicopter are still breaking records. In particular, last year Mi-8 with new engines from Motor Sich climbed to an altitude of 8100 m in 13 minutes.

An-54 "Apache"

Most effective: AH-54 Apache

COUNTRY: USA

FIRST FLIGHT: 1975

Takeoff weight: 6552 kg

Engine: two turboshaft 1695 hp each

Maximum speed: 293 km / h

Ceiling: 6400 m

Apache is the main attack helicopter of the armies of the USA, Great Britain, Israel, Japan and other countries. This is one of the few rotary-wing aircraft that happened to play the first violin in real combat operations today. It was the AH-64 that made the first strike in Operation Desert Storm. Apache played a major role in the Iraq War from 2003 to 2010. The key to the success of the AH-64 is a combination of reliable design, thermal masking, noise suppression system (due to two stabilizing screws located at different angles), powerful night vision equipment and target guidance.

Mi-24

The most versatile: Mi-24

Country: USSR

First flight: 1969

Takeoff weight: 10500 kg

Engine: two turboshaft, 2800 hp each

Maximum speed: 340 km / h

Ceiling: 4500 m

The Mi-24, nicknamed Crocodile, became the first specialized combat helicopter in the USSR and the second in the world after the American AH-1 Cobra. Unlike the two-seater "Cobra", the Mi-24 embodied the concept of a "flying infantry fighting vehicle": in its middle part there was a cargo compartment in which eight people could be transported. "Crocodile" could land troops and independently provide him with fire cover. However, the principle of "flying infantry fighting vehicles" did not live up to expectations: in most cases, the helicopter was used as an attack helicopter, dragging the cargo compartment with a dead weight.

Boeing A160 "Hummingbird"

The smartest: Boeing A160 "Hummingbird"

COUNTRY: USA

FIRST FLIGHT: 2002

Takeoff weight: 2948 kg

Engine: 572 hp turboshaft

Maximum speed: 258 km / h

Ceiling: 9150

The weakest link in a modern helicopter is the pilot. Without it, rotorcraft can fly higher, farther, faster. The Kolibri reconnaissance drone is capable of flying around the clock at an altitude of more than 9000 m. The device is not controlled from the ground, but independently makes decisions along the route in accordance with combat missions. True, so far the Boeing A160 is only a prototype of a future military vehicle.

BELL UH-1 "Iroquois"

Most legendary: Bell UH-1 "Iroquois"

Country: USA

First flight: 1956

Characteristics of the UH-1D modification

Takeoff weight: 4100 kg

Engine: turboshaft 1100 hp

Maximum speed: 217 km / h

Ceiling: 5910 m

The Iroquois took its first battle in 1962 in Vietnam, becoming one of the brightest symbols of this war. Since then, more than 16,000 UH-1s (aka "Huey") of various modifications have been produced - some of them are still in service with many armies of the world. In addition to military merit, "Iroquois" boasts an impressive acting career. The helicopter took center stage in Mel Gibson's We Were Soldiers, shone in the action movie Green Berets, appeared in Apocalypse Now, Diamonds Are Forever, and even in the Star Trek series. No Vietnam War movie would be complete without good old Huey.