Most Famous Helicopters of All Time

Ah, the helicopter. Often overlooked, and always underestimated, the helicopter has become a mainstay in all military fleets due to its fast maneuverability, its unique ability to hover in place, and for also being an excellent surveying tool.

Over the years, there have been a number of helicopters that changed the course of military history—and at times, even managed to be a driving force that changed the outcomes of wars.

These famous helicopters, in particular, have become legendary among military historians. Do you remember reading about these in books?

Mil Mi-8

Some famous helicopters got their notoriety simply because they are everywhere on military bases. Such is the case with the Mil Mi-8, which currently holds the record for being the most produced helicopter in the world.

Another reason why this copter is famous is its backstory. The only reason the Mil Mi-8 even was created was because Nikita Kruschev took a ride in the US Presidential helicopter and then decided that he wanted to have a similar chopper made in Russia. Kruschev hoped Russia could create a copter that Eisenhower would envy.

Russian engineers added two Isotov turbines and a brand new gearbox to their helicopters, and thus, the first Mil Mi-8. It was a major success and quickly became a classic Russian workhorse of a copter.

Even though the first Mil Mi-8 was made in 1959, these helicopters are still being produced today and are now currently used in over 80 countries.

Boeing CH-47 Chinook

We can't talk about famous helicopters without talking about the Boeing CH-47 Chinook. These helicopters are the first tandem rotor helicopters ever made, and quickly became a favorite of the US Armed Forces during the war in Vietnam.

The Chinook's strong points were being able to access otherwise inaccessible areas, quick drop-offs, and impressive speeds. Currently, the Boeing CH-47 Chinook is the fastest helicopter in the world, with a top speed of over 196 miles per hour.

Because of how unique the design was, many Chinook copycats soon came out. Even so, it's hard to beat the original when it comes to reputation and speed.

Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk

Another obvious choice on the list of the most famous helicopters of all time is the Sikorsky Black Hawk, which gained its notoriety thanks to being the center of one of the best military movies of all time—Black Hawk Down.

The Black Hawk was designed with twin engines, with the hope that it'd become a replacement for the UH-1 Iroquois/Huey. Though the production was called YUH-60A, it eventually ended up morphing into the Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk.

Nowadays, thousands of these helicopters are used by a variety of different militaries, including the American, Colombian, and Japanese armed forces. It's one of the most reliable utility-assault helicopters in the world.

Mil Mi-26

Mother Russia made quite a few famous helicopters, and the Mil Mi-8's cousin also happens to be on this list. The Mil Mi-26 is famous because it's huge.

How huge is it? Its eight rotor blades have a diameter of 105 feet, which is roughly the length of two full-sized school buses. Currently, it's the largest helicopter in existence.

The Mil Mi-26 also has an insanely powerful engine capable of pushing out 22,800 horsepower. In the past, it's broken world records for lifting 125,153.8 pounds of goods over a mile into the sky.

Though it's primarily used as a military weapons transport copter, the Mil Mi-26 also has a number of civilian uses as well. Mostly, it's used for sending freight that is too large to be sent traditionally—such as a preserved woolly mammoth body.

Bell 206 JetRanger

The Bell 206 JetRanger is one of the most famous helicopters in the world, primarily because of Hollywood. Unlike the Black Hawk, though, you probably won't be seeing the JetRanger in any modern military movies.

It's a civilian copter, and it's the one that currently holds the title of being one of the most heavily-used luxury corporate helicopters out there. Most helicopter rentals in the US have JetRangers.

Any time you see a movie clip featuring a news "eye in the sky," you're looking at an actor in a Bell 206 JetRanger—or a model of this chopper being held up by a string. Celebrities regularly ride in these when they need transport, as do executives.

Ironically, the Bell 206 JetRanger was originally a military invention. However, much like what happened with most of the foods that were developed by the military, the JetRanger found itself way more accepted by civilian life.

Bell AH-1 Cobra

Unlike the JetRanger, Bell's AH-1 Cobra will never be a civilian plane. Like the name suggests, the Cobra's role is to strike—and that's why it's the first attack helicopter in history.

Fully armored with enough seating for a gunner and a pilot, the Bell AH-1 Cobra changed the way that people saw helicopters. By the time the Vietnam war was in full swing, the AH-1 Cobra had become a major tool in offenses, escort missions, and the occasional rescue mission, too.

These famous helicopters are still used today, and trust me, these Cobras still have a lot of bite.

Bell UH-1 Iroquois

In Vietnam, the most famous helicopters were all Iroquois copters. "Hueys," as troops called them, were everywhere in the war and regularly were used for escort missions, supply drops, and rescue missions alike.

Stateside, most people got introduced to this utility helicopter by the show M*A*S*H*. That's why it's recognizable, even to those who didn't serve in the war.

It's still a copter that strikes a very rough nerve in some. The booming "whump-whump-whump" sound that would emanate from their blades while they were in the air became synonymous with the Vietnam War to most veterans.

Aerospatiale SA-313 Alouette II

These days, a jet-powered helicopter doesn't seem that insane, but during the early years of helicopter design, it was a revolutionary concept. The Alouette II was the first jet-powered helicopter in history and quickly rose to fame during 1950s.

A lot of its beginner missions were search-and-rescue outings where time was of the essence. Considering that it broke world records for speed and agile steering, this makes sense. Historically speaking, the Alouette II was the first helicopter in the world to perform a mountain rescue.

By 1975, the Alouette II found its home in more than 40 different armed forces, and became the first helicopter to have anti-tank munitions as part of its equipment.

Sikorsky R-4

Remember how we mentioned that Kruschev was really impressed by a presidential helicopter? Chances are very high that the helicopter in question was a more upscale take on the Sikorsky R-4.

First created in the early 1940s as an effort to beef up fleets during World War II, the Sikorsky R-4 takes the title for being the first mass-produced helicopter in history. These choppers were designed by Igor Sikorsky himself and were used by Allied forces.

As far as famous helicopters go, this one may be a bit obscure to most military folks these days, but back in the day, they were the international standard.

Focke-Wulf FW-61

Last, but not least, on our list of famous helicopters is the chopper that started it all—the Focke-Wulf FW-61. This German helicopter was designed by Professor Henrich Focke, using autogyro knowledge he had received from British engineer, Cierva Autogiro.

Most people would say the Focke-Wulf looks very airplane-like, and they'd be right. Though it may look more like a plane than a helicopter, the rotating blades are what made it official.

This helicopter broke ground in 1936, and kicked off the history of helicopters that we now know. It just proves that humble beginnings can lead to pretty spectacular things, doesn't it?