Yakolev Yak-24. Horse.

Twin Rotor Helicopters.

Everyone likes to think that it was the Americans who where the first to concieve this type of helicopter, the Boeing-Vertol 107 Knight and the YHC-1B Chinook. Both these machines made their public debut in 1961 and since then it has been the Chinook CH-47 that has taken the field.

But these helicopter platform systems developed by the United States were the end result of an abandoned Soviet project known as the Yak-24, which was developed from 1954. The Soviet army needed a helicopter that could move troops and more than one vehicle to the battle from. A civil version for Aeroflot known as the Yak-24P could carry 39 passengers and fly at 130 mph, cruising at 112mph and a range of 186 miles. It could had a weight ratio of 35-38,500lbs.

Later development of the machines into the 1960's was halted, after stability problems and the Russians felt the development and deployment of the Mil Mi-6/10K was a far better option.