Mi-8/17/171 Hip

by Jakub Fojtik

MMP Books

Reviewed by David Couche

As a helicopter model builder, I was very pleased to receive a copy of this Mi-8 Hip book to review. Detailed references for this iconic chopper are few, so to see this book with such detailed history and technical data is especially relevant. It makes a great companion to anyone with any of the myriad of Mi-8 Hip kits out there, from 1/144 to 1/35 and get building.

This latest Yellow Series publication covers the legendary Soviet multipurpose Mi-8 Hip helicopter. It describes not only the history and status of the original Mi-8 variants powered by TV2-117 engines starting with the V-8 prototype and the Mi-8MT (for export known as Mi-17) models powered by TV3-117 engines, but also the Mi-8AMT (Mi-171) family up to the latest Mi-8AMTSh-VN special operations variant. Each version is introduced by its development and production history and followed by details of its service and export. A separate chapter is dedicated to the detailed description of all Mi-8/17/171 family upgrades carried out by Belorussian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, Finnish, French, Israeli, Lithuanian, Polish, Serbian, Slovak, South African, Turkish, UAE, UK, Ukrainian, US, Yugoslavian and of course Russian companies.

The chapters in this book include;

1. Helicopter Air Mobility in the USSR

2. Brand new design

3. Evergreen production

4. With a new power plant

5. In difficult times

6. The legend continues

7. Upgrade spree

8. Global footprint

9. Mi-8/17/171 Technical Description

The book opens with the author looking at the change and needs of using helicopters in the USSR military and civil usage. It then follows on to the development of the Mi-8 Hip and how it nearly didn’t happen and went on to become a flying legend. That chapter, and may I say all writing, is in an easy to read style with some good anecdotal telling of the Mil story.

The next chapters look at the versions with improved power plants with so many photographic examples of these changes but including a massive range of schemes on these aircraft and the external add-ons they had. I must say that the sheer mass of reference photos within this book definitely make if a must for the dedicated Russian helicopter modeller. The final of these chapters is on all of the various upgrades that were added to the various versions to modernize and keep them flying longer in a meaningful manner.

The next chapter is on the global use of the Mi-8 and contains a comprehensive listing of every country that flew the Hip, the years and the versions that they flew, as well as the quantity.

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The last section is a technical description and, again a large number of detail photos of technical details of the Hip. A wonderful resource for the modeller again.

The book ends with a set of wonderfully illustrated set of 13 wonderful varied colour profiles by Marcin Gorecki to help you if you want to model something different.

Also throughout the book are 1/72 scaled plans of most of the variants, including sectional profiles in some cases.

Rarely do you get a publication with this depth of history, as well as the amazing degree of   technical detail/photos and is possibly the definitive book on the Mil-8 Hip and all of its versions. This publication will be essential reading for Russian aviation enthusiasts & scale   helicopter modellers.

Thanks to MMP Books  for the sample.

All MMP Books are available direct from the publishers, who now accept credit cards (Visa, MC, Amex, Switch)  

North American distributors are MMD, Australian distributors are Platypus Publications. In Europe, the books are available from any good bookshop (via our UK distributors, Orca). Contact MMP direct in case of difficulties. 

Thanks to Roger at MMP Books  for the sample.

Review Copyright © 2021by David Couche
This Page Created on 4 May, 2021
Last updated 5 May, 2021

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