In the late 1950s, the Mikhail Mil design bureau in the USSR began work on a successor to the Mi-1 helicopter. The new helicopter was intended to carry 8 people and be powered by a turbine engine. The Klimov design bureau started work on the GTD-350 engine, modelled on the American Allison 250. The prototype of the V-2 helicopter, powered by two GTD-350 engines, was first flown in 1961. In 1963 it entered production under the designation Mi-2.
In 1964, licence production of the helicopter and the engine was transferred to Poland. The first serial units were produced in 1965. A total of about 5,450 Mi-2 helicopters of various versions were built, including 350 in the agricultural version. In civil aviation, Mi-2 helicopters continue to be operated as passenger, ambulance and patrol aircraft. They also fly in police and border guard aviation.
Numerous military versions of the Mi-2 were developed: transport-ambulance, passenger, training, rescue, assault, and smoke-screen/contamination reconnaissance variants. The agricultural version was first flown in 1968. In Poland, Mi-2R helicopters were operated by the Helicopter Services Plant (ZEUS) at PZL Swidnik, and subsequently by the Heliseco Aviation Service Enterprise in Swidnik.
The Mi-2 is a multi-purpose helicopter of metal construction. It has a fixed undercarriage with a nosewheel and a 3-blade metal main rotor. The cabin accommodates the pilot and an operator, as well as 8 passengers or 700 kg of cargo. The powerplant consists of 2 GTD-350 turboshaft engines rated at 405 HP (298 kW) each, manufactured at WSK PZL-Rzeszow.
Looking at the operational parameters […] for this helicopter […], completing a more than 550-kilometre flight over the open sea from Heraklion on the island of Crete to Alexandria seems impossible, yet it was accomplished by the pilots and mechanics of ZEUS. — Ryszard Kosiol*
In the agricultural version, 2 laminate chemical tanks with a capacity of 600 l each are mounted on the outside of the fuselage. Lattice frames for suspending spray bars and atomisers (for ultra-low-volume spraying) are attached to the fuselage. The chemical pumps and atomisers are driven by electric motors.
In the dry-fertiliser version, the following are used alternatively: pneumatic tunnels mounted at the tank throats, in which airflow is forced by electrically driven fans; and mechanical centrifugal disc spreaders with electric drives, mounted at the tank throats.
The exhibited helicopter is equipped with tanks and equipment for spreading dry chemicals. It was donated by “Heliseco” to the Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow on 10 June 2008. Produced in 1972, it logged 2,823 flight hours. It carried out aerial application operations in Poland as well as in Egypt, Iraq and Nigeria.
| year of production | 1972 |
| rotor diameter | 14.50 m |
| length | 17.42 m |
| fuselage length | 11.94 m |
| height | 3.75 m |
| empty weight | 2410 kg |
| take-off weight | 3550 kg |
| max speed | 210 km/h |
| service ceiling | 4000 m |
| range | 800 km |
| spraying width | 30 m |
| fertilising width | 28 m |
| powerplant | two GTD-350 turboshaft engines rated at 405 HP (298 kW) each, driving a 3-blade metal rotor |
