Mi-26
Mi-26, as well as its its foregoer Mi-6, was intended for transportation of military equipment, armory, food, troops with their equipment and armament, for medical evacuations and, in special case, for tactical landings.
It was the first Soviet helicopter of the third generation. In the end of the 60s-70s many foreign companies were designing innovative helicopters, but Mi-26 was significantly superior to both domestic and foreign rates of helicopters with a cargo compartment.
Almost at the same geometrical dimensions as that of the Mi-6, the new vehicle had twice bigger payload and significantly better performance characteristics. But it didn’t affect the take-off weight of the helicopter.
They had been working much with the project trying to find reasonable solutions, constructions of some parts were repeatedly redesigned.
In 1974 they already knew what Mi-26 is going to be. Almost all systems of the power unit were located over the cargo compartment. In the nose part of the fuselage there was a cabin with seats for a left pilot, right pilot, navigator and a mechanic and a cabin for four persons who accompanied a cargo and one more mechanic.