Kamov Ka-26

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The Kamov Ka-26 (NATO reporting name Hoodlum) is a Soviet light utility helicopter with co-axial rotors.

Kamov Ka-26

The fuselage of the Ka-26 consists of a fixed, bubble-shaped cockpit containing the pilot and co-pilot, plus a removable, variable box available in medevac, passenger-carrying and cropduster versions. The helicopter can fly with or without the box attached, giving it much flexibility in use. The Ka-26 is small enough and handles well enough to land on a large truck bed.

The Ka-26 was used by some WARPAC armies in light desant role, but its slow speed (travelling speed 150 km/h) and vulnerability limits its military use. It is, however, eminently useful for cropdusting. The coaxial main rotor configuration, which makes the Ka-26 small and agile, also results in a delicate airflow pattern under the helicopter, providing a thorough yet mild distribution of chemicals onto the plants. The Ka-26 is often used to spray grape farms in Hungary, where conventional "main rotor and tail rotor" layout helicopters would damage or up-root the vine-stocks with their powerful airflow.

The main weakness of the Ka-26 is its powerplant. It is powered by two 325 hp (242 kW) Vedeneev M-14V-26 radial engines mounted in off-board gondolas. The reciprocating engines, although more responsive than modern free-shaft gas turbines, are relatively maintenance intensive. The Ka-26 is underpowered with its two radial engines, especially when used in cropdusting role, where excess payload is common. No other helicopter exists in the world that runs at constant 95% engine power for most of its flight regime. This leaves the pilot with little power reserve for emergencies. Due to frequent overloads, the interconnect shaft which joins the two engines is prone to breakage and requires frequent inspection.

The standard instrumentation of the Ka-26 resembles that of larger naval Kamovs and is considered excessive for civilian or cropdusting use. The large cockpit panel with its 18 main dials obscures a significant part of the right-downwards view direction from the cabin, which is crucial to avoid telephone and power lines in agricultural and other low-altitude roles. It is common practice to replace the instrument panel with a simplified layout, retaining only the six generally useful dials for better vision.

The low height of the lower rotor requires passengers and crew to approach from the rear when the rotors are turning, as it is low enough to contact a person's head at the front of the aircraft.

The Ka-26 entered production in 1966. 850 have been built. A variant with a single engine was the Ka-126. A gas-turbine powered version, built under license in Romania, was the Ka-226. (All the Ka-26/126/128/226 variants are codenamed "Hoodlum").

1 Variants
2 Specifications (Ka-26)
- 2.1 General characteristics
- 2.2 Performance
3 Military Operators
4 Civil Operators
5 External links
6 Related content

[edit] Variants

Ka-26 Hoodlum-A : The Ka-26 was designed as a multi-role utility helicopter. The Ka-26 can be used for agricultural work, like crop dusting and spraying, also for search and rescue, aero medicial evacuation, aerial survey, and as a utility transport helicopter.
Ka-126 Hoodlum-B : Turbine-powered multi-role utility helicopter.
Ka-128
Ka-226-50 - 28-Dec-2001 passed ground tests at Kumertau production facility

[edit] Specifications (Ka-26)

[edit] General characteristics

Crew: two
Capacity: 6 passengers or 900 kg (1,980 lb) of cargo
Length: 7.75 m (25 ft 5 in)
Main rotor diameter: 2x 13.00 m (42 ft 8 in)
Height: 4.05 m (13 ft 3 in)
Main rotor area: 265.5 m² (2,856 ft²)
Empty: 1,950 kg (4,300 lb)
Loaded: 3,250 kg (7,170 lb)
Maximum takeoff: kg ( lb)
Powerplant: 2x Vedeneyev M-14V-26 radial piston engines, 239 kW (320 hp) each