The Mil Mi-26, codenamed 'Halo', is the world's largest helicopter, standing 'taller than a giraffe' at 40 metres long. First flown in 1977, this Russian-built heavy lifter can carry up to 20 tonnes of cargo and is powered by two 11,400bhp engines.
In 1999, the Mi-26 performed one of its most unusual missions: airlifting the frozen remains of a 23,000-year-old woolly mammoth from the Taimyr Peninsula in Siberia. The 20-ton specimen was extracted from the frozen tundra and transported by helicopter for further study.
According to aviation experts at Key Aero, the Mi-26 is the 'undisputed king of military heavy lift helicopters'. It holds a world record set in 1982 for lifting the heaviest mass to 2,000 metres, carrying a load of 56,768 kilograms.
The helicopter remains in active service, primarily with the Russian Aerospace Forces, and is also operated by China and India. Its eight-blade main rotor and twin-turbine engines enable it to operate in harsh environments, from Siberian tundras to Middle Eastern deserts.
