The Mi-26 Halo

Now that's what i call a helicopter - The Russian Mi-26 HALO - The largest freakin helicopter in the world!

It's not until you get up close to this monster, that you appreciate the sheer scale and traditional raw engineering of a RUSSIAN build. The rotor bend depicts the huge length and weight of each one. The body size is comparative to that of a Mk 1 C-130 Hercules and can carry either 82 combat troops, with gear, or even two 10 ton combat vehicles.A huge lift and load capability and a definate asset for both humanitarian relief and resupply. This particular aircraft flew missions in Afghanistan. I had the privilege of flying in this behemoth once and what a treat! Although sadly, soon after i took these photos, this airframe (RA-29112) crashed, killing all 8 on board.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=78761
Some Stats:

• Crew - 5-6
• Max Speed 295 Km/h
• Range 1952 Km
• Max take-off weight 56,000 Kg
• 82 Troops / 20 Tones of internal /external underslung payload
• Max Range 800km