Poland donates papal helicopter to bolster Ukrainian training
Polish Governmental Agency for Strategic Reserves has announced the transfer of three helicopters to Ukraine as part of its aid efforts. These helicopters come from the Polish police fleet, one of which is a model previously used to transport Pope John Paul II.
Two Mi-8 helicopters and one Bell 412-HP have been acquired by the Agency for Strategic Reserves through collaboration with the Military Property Agency and the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. They will be sent to the Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, where they will be used for exercises and training for future pilots. Additionally, the helicopters are likely to serve as a source of spare parts for other helicopters used by Ukrainian aviation.
Mi-8 helicopters are the workhorses of the Ukrainian Air Force, primarily used for transporting soldiers and freight over long distances. However, they are also occasionally used in attacks with S-8 rocket pods or for drone hunting.
On the other hand, Bell 412 helicopters are of a similar class and are constructions from the USA derived from the Bell 212, which is a civilian evolution of the famous military Bell UH-1 (Huey). Poland purchased two Bell 412 helicopters for the Polish Armed Forces, delivered in 1991. Notably, the helicopter numbered 02 was loaned to transport Pope John Paul II during his pilgrimage to Poland in 1991.
It quickly became apparent that one version was too small, so in 1993, it was replaced with a Bell 412-HP model, which then served in the 36th Special Aviation Transport Regiment until 2011. After its dissolution, the Bell 412-HP joined the police helicopter fleet, but due to financial issues and a lack of spare parts, it spent most of its time in the hangar of the Central Base of the Police Aviation Management of the Main Police Headquarters in Warsaw.
Bell 412 - workhorse of many armed forces and businessmen
The Bell 412-HP helicopter is a twin-engine construction with a four-blade rotor capable of carrying up to eight passengers. However, there are also versions able to accommodate 13 people besides two pilots (depending on the interior configuration). The helicopter's empty weight is about 3,300 kilograms, and the maximum takeoff weight is approximately 5,400 kilograms. Interestingly, the Polish unit has a FLIR STAR SAFIRE HD electro-optical head and a thermal imaging camera.
The Bell 412 is a very popular machine among armed forces and civilian users, with over 1,300 units produced since 1979. The largest users include Canada, Italy, and Japan, which are produced under licence by Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, Leonardo, and Subaru, respectively.
