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The Mil Mi-1 (NATO code name 'Hare') marked the start of the Soviet Union's huge helicopter industry. The Mi-1 was designed by Mikhail Mil, who was as important for the Soviet helicopter sector as Igor Sikorsky was to its American counterpart. Both men worked on helicopter models during the 1930s, but it took them until the second half of the 1940s to develop successful production machines. With Igor Sikorsky as the frontrunner, the two pioneers embraced the basic helicopter configuration, with its main and tail rotor, which endures to date. The Mi-1 is often compared to the Sikorsky S-51 Dragonfly. Although both models have similar specifications, this is really where the likeness ends; they are two distinct designs, which is understandable given that two separate design teams worked in complete isolation (cold war era). Indeed, despite all the thrilling espionage stories, in my opinion, the tale of the Mil Mi-1 being an S-51 clone is in itself a (Western) cold war product. The Mil Mi-1 is a 3-seater single piston engine helicopter that is used for surveillance, Medivac, and in attack roles. Later, the model was also used for passenger transport by Aeroflot. Its development started in 1947, which was the same year that Mikhail Mil was given permission to start his own helicopter design bureau (OKB). One year later, the first prototype had flown. It took two prototypes to complete the design, and there was a commercial breakthrough in 1950 when the Soviet Union started a competition for a helicopter that was won by Mil with its submission of the Mi-1. The rest is history. Mil sold over 2500 Mi-1 units in both the Soviet Union and to Warsaw Pact countries. Some were also exported to Arab nations.
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