The Mil
Design Bureau was organized under Mikhail L. Mil in 1947.
Its first helicopter, the Mi-1 first flew in 1948. Since then,
Mil has developed a full range of helicopters, from light utility to
heavy transport. Perhaps the most well known Mil helicopter
outside of Russia is the Mi-24 combat assault helicopter (NATO code
name "Hind").
The difficulties of manufacturing a new type of
aircraft (the helicopter) lead to Mikhail Mil being appointed plant
manager at the plant responsible for producing Mil designs in the
early 1950s. By the 1960s, Mil produced over 95% of the
helicopters in the Soviet Union.
In 1993 the Mil Design Bureau and Moscow
Helicopter Plant were transformed to an open joint-stock
company--the
Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant.
Note: Following the Soviet method of
designating aircraft, Mil was a design bureau and not a manufacturer
of aircraft. The Russian aircraft industry is in the process
of adapting itself to the new economy by integrating design bureaus
and production facilities.
