01:02Russia: HeliRussia chops up the Moscow skyline
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Russia: HeliRussia chops up the Moscow skyline
An assortment of helicopter models swooped into the west of Moscow on Wednesday, hitting the ground for the HeliRussia exhibition 2013. The range of helicopters that cut through the Moscow skyline included the well-known MI-171/MI-8, the AW-139, the Ka-226 and the MI-35M breeds. All made an impressive entrance, coolly hitting the ground at the exhibition centre's parking lot. The exhibition is set to take-off on Thursday but with Wednesday's arrival, enthusiasts got a taste of what is to come.
The Soviet designed MI-171/MI-8 military helicopter inspired by the MI-8 is the most widely produced helicopters of all time and so, of course, took a prime position on the guestlist. The MI-171/MI-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter which can also act as a gunship. It can carry up to 30 troops and has a top speed of 250 km/h. With a storage capacity of up to 1,500 kg it can accommodate bombs, rockets and gunpods - meaning that when it comes to the crunch this soviet-built machine can really pack a punch. Military operators have included the Syrian, North Korean, Iranian and Afghan militaries.
Also landing at the Expo with style was the AW-139 model usually used as a 15 seat civil helicopter, though it can accommodate military modifications resulting in the AW-149 and AW-189 models. This smaller breed of helicopter can reach speeds of a whopping 310 km/h, outpacing its more cumbersome cousin the MI-171/MI-8. Military operators of the AW-149 and AW-189 include the Egyptian, Lebanese and Qatari air forces.
The twin-engine Russian helicopter Ka-226, often used by the Russian Emergency Response service (EMERCOM), also flew into the car park on Wednesday. This smaller breed of helicopter, operated solely by the Russian air force, has an interchangeable mission pod rather than a conventional cabin allowing it to be flexible in what it carries and making it perfect for search and rescue missions aswell as responding to natural disasters.
The distinctive "double bubble" canopy of the MI-35M, also known as the "flying tank," could also be spotted in the car park on Wednesday. This mean fighting machine can reach dizzying speeds of 335 km/h, and can carry up to 1,500kg of external armament stores including internal and external guns, bombs, rocket launchers, wing-fitted anti-tank missiles and gunpods. The MI-35M has a long combat history with operations including the Cambodian-Vietnamese war in 1978, the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war and in the 2003 Iraq war. It is currently operated by over 50 national air forces.
HeliRussia is an annual event showcasing the most cutting edge developments in the helicopter industry. More that 200 companies from 18 countries took part in the expo in 2012, and the 2013 exhibition is predicted to attract over 10,000 visitors.
01:02NONE
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Russia: HeliRussia chops up the Moscow skyline
An assortment of helicopter models swooped into the west of Moscow on Wednesday, hitting the ground for the HeliRussia exhibition 2013. The range of helicopters that cut through the Moscow skyline included the well-known MI-171/MI-8, the AW-139, the Ka-226 and the MI-35M breeds. All made an impressive entrance, coolly hitting the ground at the exhibition centre's parking lot. The exhibition is set to take-off on Thursday but with Wednesday's arrival, enthusiasts got a taste of what is to come.
The Soviet designed MI-171/MI-8 military helicopter inspired by the MI-8 is the most widely produced helicopters of all time and so, of course, took a prime position on the guestlist. The MI-171/MI-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter which can also act as a gunship. It can carry up to 30 troops and has a top speed of 250 km/h. With a storage capacity of up to 1,500 kg it can accommodate bombs, rockets and gunpods - meaning that when it comes to the crunch this soviet-built machine can really pack a punch. Military operators have included the Syrian, North Korean, Iranian and Afghan militaries.
Also landing at the Expo with style was the AW-139 model usually used as a 15 seat civil helicopter, though it can accommodate military modifications resulting in the AW-149 and AW-189 models. This smaller breed of helicopter can reach speeds of a whopping 310 km/h, outpacing its more cumbersome cousin the MI-171/MI-8. Military operators of the AW-149 and AW-189 include the Egyptian, Lebanese and Qatari air forces.
The twin-engine Russian helicopter Ka-226, often used by the Russian Emergency Response service (EMERCOM), also flew into the car park on Wednesday. This smaller breed of helicopter, operated solely by the Russian air force, has an interchangeable mission pod rather than a conventional cabin allowing it to be flexible in what it carries and making it perfect for search and rescue missions aswell as responding to natural disasters.
The distinctive "double bubble" canopy of the MI-35M, also known as the "flying tank," could also be spotted in the car park on Wednesday. This mean fighting machine can reach dizzying speeds of 335 km/h, and can carry up to 1,500kg of external armament stores including internal and external guns, bombs, rocket launchers, wing-fitted anti-tank missiles and gunpods. The MI-35M has a long combat history with operations including the Cambodian-Vietnamese war in 1978, the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war and in the 2003 Iraq war. It is currently operated by over 50 national air forces.
HeliRussia is an annual event showcasing the most cutting edge developments in the helicopter industry. More that 200 companies from 18 countries took part in the expo in 2012, and the 2013 exhibition is predicted to attract over 10,000 visitors.