The largest helicopter ever built was a massive aircraft developed in the Soviet Union during the 1960s called the Mil V-12. The V-12 was a rather unusual test vehicle that featured two rotors mounted side by side at the ends of a large wing. Each rotor had a diameter of nearly 115 ft (35 m). The helicopter was so enormous that the distance from the edge of one rotor disk to the other was almost 220 ft (67 m), even wider across than the wingspan of a Boeing 747!Even more remarkable was the lifting capacity of this powerful craft. The V-12 set a record in 1969 for carrying a payload of 88,635 lb (40,205 kg). The V-12 is the world's largest helicopter according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Only two V-12 prototypes were built, yet despite its amazing size and lifting power, the design was considered a failure by its manufacturer and Soviet authorities. The V-12 was simply too big and difficult to maneuver to be a practical machine.
Here's a video of it in action.
Video: YouTube
Link & Image: Aerospaceweb
Tags: Helicopter | Largest | World Record | Mil V-12
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