 {| |} the mil mi-8 (, nato reporting name: hip) is a soviet-designed medium twin-turbine transport helicopter. there are also armed gunship versions. the mi-8 is among the world's most-produced helicopters,"concerning the number of machines built, the mi-8 has been surpassed only by the bell 204/205/212 family of light utility helicopters" used by over 50 countries. russia is the main producer and the largest operator of the mi-8/mi-17 helicopter. ==design and development== mikhail mil originally approached the soviet government with a proposal to design an all new two-engined turbine helicopter after the success of the mil mi-4 and the emergence and effectiveness of turbines used in the mil mi-6 but the military argued against a new helicopter as they were content with the current mil mi-4. to counter this mikhail mil proposed the new helicopter was more of an update to new turbine engines rather than an entirely new helicopter which the council of ministers decreed shall be built. due to the position of the engine, this enabled mikhail mil to justify redesigning the entire front half of the aircraft around the single engine (designed by alexander ivchenko originally made for fixed wing aircraft as all other soviet helicopter turbines had been up to that point). the prototype named v-8 was designed in 1958 based on the mil mi-4 with a larger cabin.donald, david, ed. "mil mi-8". the complete encyclopedia of world aircraft. barnes & noble books, 1997. isbn 0-7607-0592-5. powered by an ai-24 2,010&nbsp;kw (2,700 shp) soloviev turboshaft engine,frawley, gerald. "mil mi-8 & mi-17". the international directory of military aircraft, 2002/2003. fishwick, act: aerospace publications, 2002. isbn 1-875671
Mil_aircraft Military_helicopters Soviet_civil_utility_aircraft_1960a1969 Soviet_helicopters_1960a1969 Soviet_military_transport_aircraft_1980a1989 Soviet_military_utility_aircraft_1960a1969 Twin-turbine_helicopters