LOM PRAHA released the first photos of the Czech Air Force Mil Mi-171Sh sporting a special colour scheme to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first flight of the Mi-8 helicopter and the 55th anniversary of the introduction of the Mi series helicopters into the service of the Czech Armed Forces.

In a statement released on Thursday, March 2, LOM PRAHA a Czech Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) company revealed that a single Czech Air Force Mil Mi-171Sh, serial 9868, received a special colour scheme to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first flight of the Mi-8 helicopter and the 55th anniversary of the introduction of the Mi series helicopters into the service of the Czech Armed Forces.

This unique colour scheme consists of a total of 12 shades and shows how the camouflage has changed over time on individual types.

Based on the soviet-era workhorse Mi-8 Hip utility transport helicopter, the Mi-171Sh is the export version of the Mi-8AMTSh modernised armed assault helicopter first delivered to the Russian military during 2010, the Mi-171Sh was ordered by the Czech Air Force in 2005. This armed assault version retains the ability to carry 37 troops or 12 stretchers but includes modernised avionics such as GPS, uprated engines, armour for the cockpit and crucially the ability to carry the same weapons fit out as the Mi-24V/35 Hind including guided anti-tank missiles. 

In 2019, the Czech Government signed a contract with the United States to begin replacing its fleet of Mi-8/17/171 Hip variants with the Bell UH-1Y Venom which is operated by the US Marine Corps, there is currently an initial batch of eight on order. 

Statement from LOM PRAHA;

“On the first day of March, a Mi-171Š helicopter, hull number 9868, with a unique camouflage, departed from LOM PRAGUE. This machine underwent a second overhaul at the state-owned enterprise.

In the course of it, a partial modernization of the equipment was also carried out on the "one hundred and seventy-one", which included the installation of footrests in the entrance doors of the helicopter, the replacement of the original on-board crane with a new one, or the installation of rails for standardized attachment of cargo in the transport cabin. After the completion of these works, a completely new anniversary spray was applied to the helicopter in the LOM PRAHA paint shop.

On the 60th anniversary of the first flight of the Mi-8 helicopter and on the 55th anniversary of the introduction of the Mi series helicopters into the service of the Czech Armed Forces, the Mi-171Š helicopter No. 9868 was painted in camouflages, as they changed over time on individual types.

Painting the helicopter was very time consuming. The masked surface consists of a total of 12 shades, and the individual types of masking are separated by the so-called "peeling paint". During painting, it was necessary to often change the masking of the painted parts of the hull after the paint had dried sufficiently. The most laborious part of painting was creating the illusion of peeling paint that separates the individual areas of the camouflage. Akzo Nobel polyurethane paint in NVG matt finish was used for painting. The paint consumption was about 48 to 50 liters. Approximately 4 to 4.5 liters of paint from each shade.”

Photos: Lukas Syrový, Peter Soukop and Pavel Lang