--- title: "This Russian helicopter is an eight-bladed, troop-hauling, heavy-lifting beast" date: "2018-06-25" modified: "2020-10-21" authors: - name: "Logan Nye" job_title: "Senior Contributor, Army Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/logan-nye/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/this-russian-helicopter-is-an-eight-bladed-troop-hauling-heavy-lifting-beast/" categories: - "Aircraft" - "Tactical" tags: - "Russia" --- # This Russian helicopter is an eight-bladed, troop-hauling, heavy-lifting beast ![]() Russia's Mil Mi-26 is one of the world's largest helicopters and an absolute beast, capable of carrying 44,000 pounds, including 90 soldiers or 60 stretchers, anywhere. The 8 rotor blades are powered by two engines to generate the necessary lift. --- Often called the world's largest helicopter, it's actually based on a prototype that was larger, the Mil V-12. The V-12 never went into full production, so the Mi-26 is the largest helicopter ever mass produced. It was originally designed to carry heavy vehicles and ballistic missiles flown into country on large cargo planes. Now, the Mi-26 is used for a variety of military and civilian heavy-lift tasks, including sling loading large helicopters and carrying them to maintenance facilities. Watch one of these monsters carry a Chinook in the video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBP1cIh27Oo ## Author Logan was an Army journalist and paratrooper in the 82nd. Now, he's a freelance writer covering military history, culture, and technology. He has two upcoming podcasts and a Twitch channel focused on basic military literacy. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [Facebook]()