Developed in the Soviet Union by the Mil Design Bureau, built in Poland between 1966 and 1999, with around 5,600 produced – and some still in service worldwide today.
I’d like to show a few examples of the original liveries that come with the model.
The first livery shows a Mi-2 operated by the Soviet airline Aeroflot during the time of the Soviet Union. This is clearly reflected in the aircraft’s “CCCP” registration, as well as the overall markings, which follow the regulations and standards of that period.
Let’s take a look into the cockpit – it’s unmistakably Soviet in character. The labeling is in Cyrillic, and the instruments are calibrated in metric units.
According to the documentation, the cockpit can be adapted to different preferences, including English instrumentation. However, I prefer to fly it in its original configuration.
The model also includes performance data for both the Russian and English instrument setups.
The next livery shows a Mi-2 in service with the Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) of the former GDR.
Introduced in the early 1970s, the Mi-2 was primarily used as a training helicopter, replacing older types such as the Mi-1/SM-1. Some aircraft were later modified and assigned to border troops, where they also took over roles previously carried out by the Mi-4.
Although the Mi-2 was used in a variety of roles, including search and rescue, its limitations became apparent. Compared to the Mi-8, it lacked true all-weather capability and had only limited hoist performance, which led to its gradual replacement in more demanding tasks.
Despite this, the Mi-2 remained a versatile and widely used helicopter within the NVA.
The next livery represents a Mi-2 in service with German police forces after reunification, roughly between 1990 and 1999.
Originally acquired by the Volkspolizei of the GDR as a partial replacement for the Kamov Ka-26, these helicopters remained in service after reunification before eventually being replaced by Western-built types.
At least one former police Mi-2 is documented to have been sold abroad, reportedly ending up in the Congo in 2009.
Mi-2 helicopters also remained in service in other former Eastern Bloc (COMECON) countries after the political changes around 1990.
For economic reasons in particular, many of these aircraft were not retired immediately, but continued to operate for some time. This example shows a Hungarian police helicopter in the 1990s.
The national markings clearly indicate that this aircraft was in service after the political transition in Hungary.
For the final example, we have a Mi-2 as it could still be seen in operation today.
I flew this aircraft in Kamchatka, from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Mikhailovo – my first flight of over an hour with this model.
I’m not sure if any Mi-2 ever made its way to New Zealand… but it’s a fascinating aircraft and definitely worth trying if you’re looking for something a bit more unusual.
