Helicopter-DataBase

Mi‑2 delivered to the German Democratic Republic

The German Democratic Republic received a total of 54 Mi‑2 helicopters. Of these, 33 aircraft were taken over by the National People's Army (Nationale Volksarmee), 15 aircraft by the border guard troops of the GDR (Grenztruppen der DDR) and six aircraft by the helicopter squadron of the Ministry of the Interior (Hubschrauberstaffel des MdI).

All helicopters were produced in Poland by PZL Świdnik. Deliveries took place from April 1972 to June 1986. Although the deliveries spanned a very long period overall, most of the helicopters (37 aircraft = 69 %) were procured from 1972 to 1974.

The main area of all Mi‑2 operations was the training of helicopter pilots. In the 1970s, the training of helicopter pilots was strongly promoted in the National People's Army in order to cover the growing need for helicopter crews. The change from helicopters with piston engine to twin-engine turbine helicopters and the introduction of attack helicopters required thorough training of the flying personnel.

With armed Mi‑2, the formation of both combat helicopter regiments of the National People's Army was started. Until the National People's Army received Mi‑8TVK and Mi‑24D combat helicopters, armed Mi‑2 were used in the air defense system (Diensthabendes System der Luftverteidigung).

From 1973, the border guard troops used unarmed Mi‑2 for reconnaissance flights along the Inner German border, to monitor the border area and to control the border security systems.

From 1983 to 1986, the helicopter squadron of the Ministry of the Interior procured a total of 6 Mi‑2 and carried out police duties with these helicopters. The focus was on monitoring transit traffic between the Federal Republic of Germany and Berlin (West) as well as controlling road traffic in rush hours. During major public events and sporting events (Leipziger Messe, Ostseewoche, Friedensfahrt...) the helicopter squadron was used for aerial reconnaissance.

In the period from 1972 to 1990, a total of four Mi‑2s were lost in air disasters: 07Apr1976 ‑ crash of 387 after failure of flight controls (two passengers were killed), 21Mar1978 ‑ crash of 395 after left engine failure due to icing (two pilots were killed), 30Aug1984 ‑ collision 384 with 351 (two pilots were killed).