Following its first flight in late 1948, the Soviet high command was quick to realise the potential of Mikhail Mil's brand new helicopter - the Mi-1, or "Hare" according to NATO. This machine represents the true beginning of the USSR's long and respectable history in the world of helicopters, and paved the way for its most successful products in this field. Powered by a single Piston engine, the Mi-1 seems extremely limited by today's standards, but fitted many rolls very well at the time of its release. Though the first few examples suffered from terribly short operational flight times, such problems were soon ironed out, and later production models found work in agriculture, medical assistance, geographic surveys and the military. During its military career, the Mi-1 performed well as a liaison and reconnaissance helicopter, but provided a flawed performance when fitted with facilities to launch Malyutka Anti-Tank guided missiles, so it was not deployed for frontline combat duties. Of the 2,500 Mi-1s built between the USSR and Poland, only 1 remains airworthy today having been refurbished recently by enthusiasts in Eastern Europe. Many were abandoned soon after the far superior twin Turbine Mil Mi-2 entered production, and sadly left to rot in airfields across the Eastern Bloc and afar. To fly this SimplePlanes example, it should take off at around 65% throttle, and cruises best at 75%. It has a fairly slow top speed, but handles well and is easy to control. Don't worry about hard landings either, as the wheels and struts seem able to bounce back and stay in one piece without any problems. Enjoy! :D