Mi-18

This variant of the Mi-8 was an improved stretch variant with a deeper fuselage and a retractable undercarriage

Designated Mi-18, it was completed 25 years ago and now resides in the helicopter museum at Torzhok.

This is the real thing - taken at Torzhok by Chris Dewhurst. Note the longer, deeper fuselage and retractable undercarriage.

Starboard side of the same machine - note the additional sliding door and lack of external fuel tanks.

The model changes I have identified are.....

1. Lengthen rear fuselage by 14.16mm

2. Add new sliding door to starboard

3. Increase depth of fuselage.

4. Add retractable undercarriage.

5. Leave off fuel tanks and remove moulded bases.

6. Remove Dopler box from tailboom and place Doppler aerials inside tailboom.

Rear fuselage cut away and Doppler box removed.

Starboard side - Doppler box removed, rear fuselage cut away, new sliding door opening cut out, fuel tank mouldings removed.

The extension on the Mi-18 is longer - and has an extra circular window in it.

Plastic card is used to fill the inside of the hole left by the removal of the Doppler box.

The Doppler aerial part will just drop inside - flush with the tailboom.

I have been casting around for something to use to deepen the fuselage -

and decided to use the roof section cut from an old Zvezda Mi-8 kit.

Roof section ready to be attached to the bottom of the Mi-18 fuselage.

The square cutout is for the retractable nosewheel.

I will 'box in' the nose well - I have also added plastic tube -

when rubbed down it will form the flush intake for the cabin heater.

The sponsons for the retractable undercarriage being added.

Scrap plastic added to fill in the gaps....

....it saves a lot of filler....

A combination of Milliput - then Green Stuff - used to blend it all in....

Note how much deeper the Mi-18 fuselage is compared to the Mi-8.

Starboard side showing the tube for the sight at the front.

Top view showing the shape of the sponsons.

The intakes need to be modified - they do not have the particle separators.

Rain guttering/fairing on the new starboard door - plus a couple of intakes.

Modifying a spare port door (left) to make it into a starboard door (right).

Having reamed out the intake opening, I used press studs to make the intake centrebody.....

They look OK to me - just a couple of holes to fill.

Camo applied - as re-painted at Torzhok.

It still needs a bit of touching up...

Underside - showing the wells for the retractble undercarriage - still to be made.

You can see how much deeper the fuselage is from a standard Mi-8.

Finished model - apart from the aerial wires and a few 'tweaks'.....

Note the new starbaord sliding door.

The levered-suspension mainwheel legs are scratchbuilt from wire and sprue.

Side view showing the lengthened, deeper fuselage and retractabel undercarriage. It also has one extra window.

The rear fuselage is lengthened.

Comparative view of a 'standard' Mi-8 and the Mi-18.

Note that only the fuselage is lengthened - the tail booms are the same size.

Ken Duffey

November 2009