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Mil Mi-2

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The Mil Mi-2 (NATO reporting name: Hoplite) is a small, three rotor blade Soviet-designed multi-purpose helicopter developed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, designed in the early 1960s and produced exclusively by WSK "PZL-Świdnik" in Poland. Nearly 5,500 were made by the time production stopped in 1999, and it remains in service globally.<ref name="Hitchens"/>Template:Additional citations needed

Design and developmentEdit

The Mi-2 was produced exclusively in Poland, in the WSK PZL-Świdnik factory in Świdnik.<ref name="Hitchens"/>

The first production helicopter in the Soviet Union was the Mil Mi-1, modelled along the lines of the S-51 and Bristol Sycamore and flown by Mikhail Mil's bureau in September 1948. During the 1950s it became evident, and confirmed by American and French development, that helicopters could be greatly improved with turbine engines. S. P. Isotov developed the GTD-350 engine and Mil used two of these in the far superior Mi-2.<ref name="Hitchens"/>Template:Additional citations needed

The twin shaft-turbine engines used in the Mi-2 develop 40% more power than the Mi-1's piston engines, for barely half the engine weight, with the result that the payload was more than doubled. The Mi-2 fuselage was extensively altered from its predecessor, with the engines mounted overhead. However, the external dimensions remained similar.<ref name="Hitchens"/>Template:Additional citations needed

The Mil-built prototype first flew in the Soviet Union on 22 September 1961, after which the final development and the production of the project was transferred to Poland in 1964. The first Świdnik-built example flew on 4 November 1965; this was the only Soviet-designed helicopter to be built solely outside the Soviet Union. PZL-Świdnik produced a total of 5,497 helicopters, about a third for military users. The factory also developed fiberglass rotor blades, and developed the wide-body Mi-2M seating 10 passengers instead of eight. Most typical role-change kits include four stretchers for air ambulance usage, or aerospraying or cropdusting applications.<ref name="Hitchens"/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In Poland, several specialized military variants were also developed in early 1970s for support or training roles, with 23 mm autocannon, machine guns and/or two 57 mm rocket pods, four 9K11 Malyutka anti-tank missiles or Strela-2 AA missiles.Template:Sfn

Operational historyEdit

{{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= {{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= Template:Ambox }} }} The Mi-2 was first introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1965. The Mi-2 is used by mainly former Soviet and Eastern Bloc countries, although it was also purchased by the armed forces of Mexico and Myanmar.

Most of the armed Mi-2 variants were used by Poland. Some were also used by the former East Germany (with 7.62 mm machine gun and 57 mm unguided rocket armament only).<ref name=nrd>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

North Korea still maintains a large active fleet of Mi-2s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces were recorded capturing three Mi-2 helicopters in Kherson International Airport.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The helicopter is also used to spray agricultural chemicals by private owners in Ukraine. Two people were killed in a crash in 2021 near Zaive, in the region of Mykolaiv.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Another two people died in a crash of Kharkiv Air Force University (203rd Training Aviation Brigade) Mi-2 crash on 1.9.2024. <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 26 October 2024, a medical Mi-2 helicopter crashed in Kirov region in Russia, killing all four aboard, including a pilot, a doctor, and two paramedics.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

As of 8 March 2025, Ukraine lost 6 Mi-2 helicopters, in which 3 were captured by Russian forces.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

VariantsEdit

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File:Mi-2Ch Cracow 1.jpg
Mi-2Ch exhibited in Polish Aviation Museum
File:Mi-2 Plus Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe.jpg
Mi-2 Plus air ambulance in Poland
File:PL MWP Mi-2P.JPG
Mi-2P exhibited in Polish Army Museum in Warsaw.
File:Mi-2MSB, podczas zawodów śmigłowcowych.jpg
Mi-2MSB, Helicopter World Cup in Poland 2019
V-2
First prototype.
V-2V
Armament prototype.
Mi-2 Platan
Aerial minelayer version with 20 tube launchers on external pods and in left cab door, each for six or nine mines. 18 converted for Polish Army starting from 1989.Template:Sfn
Mi-2A
Mi-2B
Upgraded export version for the Middle East, fitted with improved systems and navigational aids.
Mi-2Ch Chekla
Chemical reconnaissance / smokescreen layer version.
Mi-2D Przełącznik
Aerial command post equipped with R-111 radio.
Mi-2FM
Survey version.
Mi-2P
Passenger / cargo version, with accommodation for 6 passengers.
Mi-2R
Agricultural version.
Mi-2RL
Land rescue/ambulance version.
Mi-2RM
Sea rescue version equipped with electric winch for two people and dropped rafts.
Mi-2Ro
Reconnaissance version equipped with cameras.
UMi-2Ro
Reconnaissance trainer version.
Mi-2RS Padalec ('Slowworm')
Chemical and biohazard reconnaissance version.
Mi-2S
Air ambulance version, equipped to carry four stretcher, plus an attendant.
Mi-2Sz
Dual-control training version.
Mi-2T
Cargo/utility version.
Mi-2U
Dual-control training version.
Mi-2US
Armed version fitted with a fixed 23mm NS-23 cannon, 4 x 7,62mm PKT machine gun pods and optional cabin PK machine gun. 30 built for Polish Army in 1972-73.Template:Sfn Similar without a cannon built for East Germany.<ref name=nrd/>
Mi-2URN Żmija ('Viper')
Armed variant with a fixed 23mm NS-23 gun and two 16x57mm S-5 unguided rocket pods Mars-2. Optional 7,62mm PK machine gun window-mounted. 7 built for Polish Army in 1973 and 18 rebuilt from Mi-2US.Template:Sfn Similar without a cannon built for East Germany.<ref name=nrd/>
Mi-2URP Salamandra ('Salamander')
Anti-tank variant, armed with 23mm NS-23 gun, optional window-mounted 7,62mm PK machine gun, and 4x AT-3 Sagger (9M14M Malutka) wire-guided missiles on external weapons racks and 4x additional missiles in the cargo compartment. Two rebuilt and 44 built for Polish Army in 1975-84.Template:Sfn
Mi-2URP-G Gniewosz ('Smooth snake')
Mi-2URP with additional 4x AA missiles Strzała-2 (Strela 2) in two Gad rocket launchers. Six rebuilt in 1988.Template:Sfn
Mi-2 Plus
Upgraded Mi-2 with uprated GTD-350W2 engines, all-composite rotor blades, new avionics and other modifications.
Mi-3
Planned Mi-2 derivative that lacked suitable engines for the program to continue.
Mi-2MSB or MSB-2 Nadia ('Hope')
Modernized by Motor Sich to passenger-transport version for the civil aviation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Mi-2MSB-V or MSB-2MO
Modernized by Motor Sich for Ukrainian Air Force.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Original engine replaced with AI-450M Template:Cvt engine, armed with rocket and machine gun pods, IR-jamming system and flares dispenser for defence against MANPADS.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

OperatorsEdit

File:Mil Mi-2 Users.png
Map with Mi-2 users in blue
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  • Algerian Air Force<ref name="waf19p33">Hoyle and Farfad Flight International 10–16 December 2019, p. 33.</ref>
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  • Myanmar Air Force<ref name="waf19p44">Hoyle and Farfad Flight International 10–16 December 2019, p. 44.</ref>
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  • North Korean Air Force<ref name="waf19p45">Hoyle and Farfad Flight International 10–16 December 2019, p. 45.</ref>
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  • Peruvian Army<ref name="waf19p46">Hoyle and Farfad Flight International 10–16 December 2019, p. 46.</ref>
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  • Total six, all in civilian companies. The Sky company (former Star Aerospace and also former Star Airline) has four; one borrowed, three bought. The companies Pearl Korea and Heliworld have one each.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Russian Aerospace Forces<ref name="waf19p47-8">Hoyle and Farfad Flight International 10–16 December 2019, pp. 47–48.</ref>
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  • Senegal Air Force<ref name="waf19p48">Hoyle and Farfad Flight International 10–16 December 2019, p. 48.</ref>
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  • Syrian Air Force<ref name="waf19p50">Hoyle and Farfad Flight International 10–16 December 2019, p. 50.</ref>
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Former operatorsEdit

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  • Czech Air Force<ref name="World Air Forces 2018">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Latvian Air Force<ref name="waf19p43">Hoyle and Farfad Flight International 10–16 December 2019, p. 43.</ref>
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{{#invoke
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File:Polish Mi-2 (cropped)).jpg
A Polish Mi-2 on takeoff
File:Mi-2(SP-SXA).jpg
A Mi-2 of the Polish Medical Air Rescue
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  • Russian Army<ref name="Mi-2 Helicopter History of Development">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Aeroflot<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Specifications (Mi-2T)Edit

3-view line drawing of the Mil Mi-2

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See alsoEdit

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ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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Template:Mil aircraft Template:YAF aircraft Template:Authority control

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