Mil V-16

Mil Design Bureau

Industry	Aerospace, Helicopter manufacturing
Founded	1947 in Moscow, Soviet Union
Headquarters	Moscow , Soviet Union
Products	Helicopters

Overview

The Mil V-16 represented a Soviet initiative from the late 1960s to develop a heavy-lift transport helicopter. This project was undertaken by the Mil Design Bureau, part of the Moscow-based Mil helicopter manufacturing facility. The initial configuration featured a robust twin-rotor system arranged side-by-side, each rotor powered by a pair of Soloviev D-25VF gas turbine engines. These engines were positioned beneath six-bladed rotors located at the extremities of heavily reinforced wings extending from either side of the main fuselage. The landing gear was of the tricycle type, with the rear wheels mounted under the wings and the nose wheel situated beneath the cockpit area.

Conceived primarily for military applications, the V-16 was designed to transport large contingents of troops as well as serve as a vehicle carrier within Soviet armed forces operations. Notably, this helicopter was among the earliest Soviet aircraft to incorporate operational algorithm-based control systems, marking a significant advancement in aviation technology for its era.

Variants

V-16

Designed as an ultra-heavy variant of the Mil V-12, this model aimed to handle payloads between 40,000 to 50,000 kg (88,000 to 110,000 lb). Initially, the concept featured a tri-rotor configuration driven by six Soloviev D-25VF engines; however, the design was later simplified to a dual-rotor arrangement akin to the V-12, utilizing two substantial gas generators each powering a single large low-pressure free-turbine connected to the main gearbox.

Mi-16

This was the designated name by the VVS for the production version of the V-16.

Specifications (V-16)

General planned characteristics:

Length: 37 m (121 ft 5 in)

Rotor span: 67 m (219 ft 10 in)

Height: 12.5 m (41 ft)

Empty weight: 69,100 kg

Gross weight: 97,000 kg

Maximum takeoff weight: 105,000 kg

• Cargo bay dimensions: 28.15×4.4×4.4 m (92.4×14.4×14.4 ft)