MMP was founded in 1996 by Roger Wallsgrove, to publish "Mushroom Model Magazine". This quarterly modelling magazine was developed from "Mushroom Monthly”, a club newsletter which ran from 1985 to 1995, achieving a world-wide reputation for quality articles, fearless and honest reviews, and a great sense of humor. From 1997 the magazine was produced in collaboration with Robert Peczkowski and Artur Juszczak (Stratus), which meant a big leap in print quality and design. MMP expanded into book publication in 1999, and since then they have built up a list of books on aircraft and aviation, naval, military vehicles, and military history. MMP Books are distributed in North America by Casemate Publications.

Jakub Fojtik attended the Police Academy of the Czech Republic in Prague, achieving his Bachelor degree in Management of Security Forces, Security, and Law Studies. He followed up with a Master Degree in Management of Security Forces and a Master of Laws (LLM) in International Business Law. To top it off he achieved a Doctorate (JUDr.) in Security studies at the Academy of the Slovak Police in Bratislava and a Ph.D. in Management of Security Forces from the Police Academy of the Czech Republic in Prague. Jakub Fojtik is currently a University Lecturer at the Police Academy of the Czech Republic, the Vice President of Military Sales for Aero Vodochody Aerospace a.s. (Aero L-39, L-159, etc.) and an independent aviation journalist who is regularly published in aviation related journals and aviation magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Defence Helicopter, Fly Past, Flying Revue, Hobby Historie, Letectvi a Kosmonautika, 4 Rotors, and many others. He is the author of over twenty aviation books, primarily rotary wing military aircraft monographs like: Mi-8/17 Mi-8 Multipurpose Helicopter (Jakab, 2009); Mi-4: Mi-4 Multi-Purpose Helicopter (Jakab, 2011); Latest Hips [Mi-171 & Mi-17V-5 and its Subvariants] In Detail (W&WP, 2014); Albatros: Aero L39, L59, L139 (Magnet Press, 2016); Ka-50 Ka-52: Werewolf, Black Shark, Erdogan, Alligator and the Others (Kagero, 2017); Mi-28: Night Hunter and the Others (Kagero, 2017).

Dariusz Karnas is a skilled modeler and amateur aviation historian. He lives in Przemyśl, Poland. He has authored or contributed color plates and / or scale drawings for over one hundred publications. These include MMP’s Polish Wings, Scale Plans, and Inside series as well as books in the MMP Yellow series: Fieseler 156 Storch 1938-1945 (2012) and Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 (2004). You can find Dariusz Karnas on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/people/Dariusz-Karnas/100008987326348 .

This latest monograph by Jakub Fojtik covers the Mil Mi-8 and its export versions, the Mi-17 and Mi-171. The Mi-8, with the NATO reporting name of ‘Hip’, is a medium multi-purpose helicopter. The Mi-8’s first flight was achieved June 24, 1961, and it remains in production with over 17,000 manufactured to date with service in some eighty countries. Originally envisioned as the successor to the Mil Mi-4, the military displayed zero interest. It wasn’t until Nikita Khrushchev’s US visit and ride in the US President’s Marine One UH-34 that Mil got the go ahead to develop the Mi-8. The original orders were for a troop transport version, Mi-8T, and a 28 passenger version, Mi-8P.

Jakub Fojtik continues with the numerous variants and one-off specials that were produced over the next 55 years. The chapters focus on the major variants, each containing the variant development and service accompanied by plenty of detailed photographs and line drawings. Jakob Fojtik follows with upgrades and variants developed by eighteen non-Russian countries as well. The detailed tables comprehensively cover export production Hips. Jakob Fojtik concludes with a detailed technical description supported by a plethora of walk-around photographs.

The cover color photograph shows off a Polish Mi-17-IV that is used for special operations support. I counted 12 black and white photographs along with a whopping 472 color pictures. There were 17 color profiles and 18 black and white drawings in 1/72. You will also find seven tables. The Table of Contents includes the following sections:

• Photo Credits
• Author’s Note
• Acknowledgement
• Introduction
• Helicopter Air Mobility in the USSR
• Brand New Design
• First Flight [Page 11]
• Evergreen Production
• Flying Infantry Vehicle
• Special Tasks
• Any Mission
• For National Economy [Page 40]
• Mi-8T 1/72 Drawings
• Mi-8PS 1/72 Drawings
• Mi-8TV 1/72 Drawings
• Mi-8PPA 1/72 Drawings
• With A New Power Plant
• Most Promising Family Member
• With New Power Again
• Special Models
• Mi-17 1/72 Drawings
• In Difficult Times
• Kazan Variants Spree [Page 74]
• New Kazan Standard
• Ulan Ude Parallel Line
• Mi-171 1/72 Drawings
• The Legend Continues
  • Unsuccessful Attempt
• (R)evolution of the Type
• Global Ambitions
• Recent War Experience
• Upgrade Spree
• Minor Modifications
• Re-arming
• Avionics Focus
• Sensors and Capabilities
• Czech Upgrades
• Slovak Upgrades
• Baltic Hips
• Polish Hips In Hurry
• Without Supervision
• Israeli Projects
• Behind Great Wall
• Global Footprint
• List of Mi-8/17 Exports and Domestic Mi-8/8MT Deliveries Till 1991 (Table)
• List of Mi-8/17/171 Exports and Domestic Mi-8/8MT/AMT Deliveries Since 1992 (Table)
• List of Mi-8/17/171 Helicopters Re-exports, Defections, and Captures (Table)
• Mi-8/17/171 Technical Description
• The Fuselage
• Undercarriage
• Engines, Transmission, and Rotors
• Control System
• Hydraulic System
• Fuel System
• Pneumatic System
• Air-Conditioning System
• De-Icing System
• Electrical System
• Fire Suppression System
• Oxygen System
• Lighting System
• Rescue System
• Avionics
• Defense Suite
• Targeting System
• Ground Covers
• Mi-8/17/171 Technical Data (Table)
• Machine Gun and Grenade Launcher Data (Table)
• Unguided Rockets (Table)
• Guided Missiles (Table) [Page 223]
• Color Profiles [Page 232]
• Bibliography
• Abbreviations

This is truly an impressive tome, on par with Jakub Fojtik’s earlier monograph on the Mil Mi-24 Hind (See IPMS USA Reviews). I shouldn’t have been surprised given the Hip’s huge number of helicopters manufactured, but many countries got into the business of doing their own upgrades of the Hip. Notable was Israel’s IAI’s upgrades that made their way to the Le Bourget air shows. IAI wasn’t the only Israeli company upgrading Mil Hips either, as Elbit has been involved as well.

While this monograph is not the first on the Mi-8/17/171 Hip, and may not be the last, it certainly is the most complete that I have seen. Jakub Fojtik has delivered a great history on the Mil Hip that not only covers the development and operational aspects, but provides a good basis for the modeler with nice detail shots of all the aircraft components.

My thanks to Casemate Publications, Mushroom Model Publications and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great book.

Highly recommended!