How to recognise military helicopters
24 military helicopters in Spotrep’s field guide, each with a photo, where it comes from, who uses it and the details that tell it apart from the rest.
Practise in Classic- A129 Mangusta / T129 ATAKHelicopters · Italy
Slim attack helicopter with stepped tandem cockpits, stub wings and a gun turret under a narrow chin.
- AH-1Z ViperHelicopters · USA
Very narrow fuselage, tandem cockpit, four-blade rotor, stub wings with missile rails at the tips.
- AH-64D ApacheHelicopters · USA
Tandem stepped cockpit, chin gun, stub wings; many carry a round Longbow radar dome above the rotor.
- AH-64E ApacheHelicopters · USA
Tandem stepped cockpit, chin gun, stub wings, four-blade rotor with tail rotor.
- Airbus H145MHelicopters · Germany
Light twin-engine helicopter on skids with a four- or five-blade rotor (five on newer builds), rear clamshell doors and a ducted fenestron tail rotor.
- AW101 MerlinHelicopters · UK / Italy
Large three-engine helicopter with a five-blade rotor, a third engine intake behind the rotor and a long tail with a high horizontal stabiliser.
- Bell UH-1 HueyHelicopters · USA
Two-blade main rotor, skids, a rounded cabin with large sliding doors and a thin tail boom.
- CH-47 ChinookHelicopters · USA
Two big three-blade rotors in tandem, one at each end of a long boxy fuselage, no tail rotor.
- CH-53 StallionHelicopters · USA
Big helicopter with a six- or seven-blade rotor, sponsons on the fuselage sides and a tail fin canted to one side on the E and K.
- Ka-50Helicopters · Russia
Two stacked contra-rotating rotors and no tail rotor, narrow single-seat cockpit.
- Ka-52Helicopters · Russia
Two stacked contra-rotating rotors and no tail rotor, side-by-side cockpit.
- Mi-8 / Mi-17Helicopters · Soviet Union
Five-blade main rotor, bulbous glazed nose, two engine intakes over the cabin, clamshell rear doors; tail rotor on the right on the Mi-8, on the left on the Mi-17.
- Mi-24VHelicopters · Soviet Union
Two separate bubble canopies, bulky troop cabin, drooping stub wings.
- Mi-26Helicopters · Soviet Union
The largest helicopter in service: an eight-blade main rotor, a huge fuselage with rear clamshell doors and a high tail.
- Mi-28NHelicopters · Russia
Tandem stepped cockpit with flat armoured glass, chin cannon, stub wings, five-blade main rotor.
- Mi-35MHelicopters · Russia
Mi-24 layout with stepped bubble canopies, but fixed landing gear, shorter stub wings and a twin-barrel cannon under the nose.
- NH90Helicopters · Europe
Rounded, smooth composite fuselage with four-blade rotor, main wheels in short side sponsons and a rear ramp.
- TigerHelicopters · France / Germany
Small, slim tandem cockpit, short stub wings, four-blade rotor, tail with end-plate fins.
- UH-60 Black HawkHelicopters · USA
Four-blade rotor, long low fuselage, tail wheel at the very back and a large canted tail rotor on the right.
- V-22 OspreyHelicopters · USA
Tiltrotor: two huge rotors on engine nacelles at the wingtips that tilt from upright to forward, a high wing and twin tail fins.
- No photo yetAW159 WildcatHelicopters · United Kingdom
Compact helicopter with a squat nose, fixed wheels and a large tail rotor on a tall fin with a small stabiliser.
- No photo yetKa-27 / Ka-29Helicopters · Soviet Union
Two contra-rotating rotors stacked on top, no tail rotor, a short boxy fuselage and twin tail fins.
- No photo yetMH-60R SeahawkHelicopters · USA
Black Hawk shape in grey with a folding tail, a sensor turret under the nose, the tail wheel moved forward and sonobuoy launchers on the side.
- No photo yetZ-10Helicopters · China
Narrow attack helicopter with stepped tandem cockpits, stub wings with missiles and a five-blade rotor.
