Mil Mi-4 Information & Mil Mi-4 Links at HealthHaven.com

Mi-4
	Mil Mi-4 at Prague Aviation Museum
Role	Transport helicopter
Manufacturer	Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
First flight	3 June 1952
Introduced	1953
Status	Limited active service
Primary users	Soviet Air Force; Polish Air Force
Produced	1951-1969
Number built	over 4,500 including Z-5s
Variants	Harbin Z-5

"Mi-4" redirects here. Mi-4 may also refer to Michigan's 4th congressional district.

The Mil Mi-4 ( USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 36"^[1], NATO reporting name "Hound"^[2]. ) was a Soviet transport helicopter that served in both military and civilian roles.

[edit] Design and development

The Mi-4 was designed in response to the American H-19 Chickasaw and the deployment of U.S. helicopters during the Korean War. While the Mi-4 superficially resembles the H-19 Chickasaw, it is a larger helicopter and is able to lift more weight. The first model entered service in 1952, and replaced the Mi-1. The helicopter was first displayed to the outside world in 1952 at the Soviet Aviation Day in Tushino.

One Mi-4 was built with a jettisonable rotor.

[edit] Operational history

The Mi-4 went out of service with the development of the Mi-8. It is not used by the Russian Air Force today, though it remains in service in some countries as a utility helicopter or a military transport. The Mi-4 played a very important role in Bangladesh liberation war of 1971. The Mi-4 was the workhorse of the Indian Army at the time. A highly successful heli-borne operation using Mi-4's helped the Indian Army's 57 Mountain Division clear the mighty Meghna river. The helilift of a battalion of Indian troops to the outskirts of Sylhet was the first heli-borne operation of the Indian army.

[edit] Variants

V-12: Prototype. Designation reused for the Mi-12.
Mi-4 (NATO - Hound-A): Basic production version.
Mi-4A: Assault transport helicopter.
Mi-4L Lyukes: Six-seat VIP transport version, sometimes converted into an air ambulance helicopter.
Mi-4M (NATO - Hound-C): Armed close-support helicopter, fitted with a gun turret.
Mi-4P: Civil transport helicopter, with accommodation for between 8 and 11 passengers, plus eight strechers and a medical attendant for air ambulance duties.
Mi-4PL (NATO - Hound-B): Anti-submarine warfare helicopter.
Mi-4S Salon: VIP transport helicopter.
Mi-4Skh: Multi-role agricultural helicopter, with a large chemical container in the main cabin. Also used as a fire-fighting helicopter.
Mi-4T: Major military production version, equipped with a large diameter main rotor and bulged windows.
Harbin Z-5: Chinese military transport helicopter. Chinese production version.
Xuanfeng: Chinese civil transport helicopter. Chinese production version.