Marine Corps' new helicopter completes its first flight

Fox News ^ | October 28, 2015 | Allison Barrie

[DUMBGRUNT]

King Stallion, the U.S. Marine Corps’ brand spanking new helicopter, completed its first flight Tuesday. The Marines’ new helo is incredibly advanced - it will be able to lift a whopping three times more weight than its predecessor.

[SkyDancer]

Not only that, but a microwave oven and a coffee maker. Plus WiFi.

[smoothsailing]

Hot Damn, that does it! Where’s a dealership?

[Airwinger]

Was Crew Chief on the “Ds” in mid 70s, loved flying on that bird.
This one really looks nice, and will end the feud about who is the Heavy Lift Champion.

[arielguard]

I was an aircrewman on 53E’s in the 90’s. We used to run a hydraulic line behind the soundproofing connected to a hand pump. After takeoff one of use would pump the hand pump to create a fake leak just to freak out the grunts for fun. When they pointed it out we would go bang on it with a wrench to make it look like we fixed it. Ahh...the memories.

[HokieMom]

Do you know where it’s manufacured?

[Jet Jaguar]

I do not.

[Captain Rhino]

That (sigh) would still be the Russian (ex-Soviet) Mi-26:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_Mi-26

General characteristics
-Crew: Five: 2 pilots, 1 navigator, 1 flight engineer, 1 flight technician
-Capacity:
-90 troops or 60 stretchers
-20,000 kg cargo (44,090 lb)
-Length: 40.025 m (131 ft 3 in) (rotors turning)
-Rotor diameter: 32.00 m (105 ft 0 in)
-Height: 8.145 m (26 ft 8 in)
-Disc area: 804.25 m2 (8,656.8 sqft)
-Empty weight: 28,200 kg (62,170 lb)
-Loaded weight: 49,600 kg (109,350 lb)
-Max. takeoff weight: 56,000 kg (123,450 lb)
-Powerplant: 2 × Lotarev D-136 turboshafts, 8,500 kW (11,399 shp) each
-Main rotor RPM: 132

Performance
-Maximum speed: 295 km/h (159 kt, 183 mph)
-Cruise speed: 255 km/h (137 kt, 158 mph)
-Range: 1,920 km (1,036 nmi, 1,190 mi) (with auxiliary tanks)
-Service ceiling: 4,600 m (15,100 ft)

First flew in 1977!! 316 built and still in production.

Photographs at link. Interior looks like the inside of a C-130.

As of 2013, the Mi-26 still holds the FAI record of greatest mass lifted to 2,000 metres - it lifted 56,768.8 kg in 1982 (56,768.8kg = 124,891.36lbs)

Reported operational history in the Wikipedia article includes high altitude external lift recoveries of down US Army Chinooks from the mountains of Afghanistan. (By civilian operated aircraft no less. That had to be embarrassing.)

[Airwinger]

yeah, I know, but I was speaking to the ongoing battle between the CH-47 Chinook and The Ch-53