Mi-6PZh Firefighting Helicopter. First flight: 1967 © Konstantinos Panitsidis

Photos from the personal collection of Kostas Panitsidis


 Technical specifications      Photos      Video

 

 

PZh - pozharnyy - fire fighting

The firefighting version was developed in 1967 (was based on the Mi-6). Compared to the original Mi-6, the new helicopter version lacks a wing. Inside the fuselage there is a 12-ton water tank, and, additionally, retardant fluid.  A pumping tube is used to fill the water tanks from lakes or rivers. It has also the capacity to carry, on an external suspension, a load of up to 3000 kg (6 tanks x 500 kg)   within a special net.

During the next flight in the fight against a forest fire on August 6, 1967 the Mi-6PZh helicopter fatal crash occurred in the south of France, and the test pilot Yu.A. Garnaev was killed.

In 1971, a small number of Mi-6 helicopters were upgraded to the level of the Mi-6PZh2 which incorporate a monitored water-jet gun from the cockpit at the front end of the fuselage.

All helicopters have been successfully used in the fight against forest fires. 

 


TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

DESIGNER
OKB Mil
TYPE
Firefighting Helicopter
CREW
5
POWER-PLANT
Solov'ev D-25V
Power, kW
2 x 4.100
DIMENSIONS
 
Length, m
33,18
Main rotor diameter , m
35,00
Tail rotor diameter, m
6,30
Height, m
9,86
WEIGHT
 
Empty, kg
28.724
Normal take-off, kg
40.500
Maximum take-off, kg
42.500
PERFORMANCE
 
Maximum speed, km/h
300
Cruising speed, km/h
250
Range, km
555
Service ceiling, m
4.500
Static ceiling, m
2.500
Payload, kg
12.000
- or with on hook, kg
-

 


PHOTOS  Mi-6PZh Central Air Force Museum Monino 2007