The Kamov Ka-26 is a twin-engine light-utility helicopter with co-axial, counter-rotating rotor system. The Kamov Ka-26
(NATO reporting name 'Hoodlum') was developed by the Kamov company as a Ka-15 replacement and features the design characteristics
typical of Kamov: a compact fuselage of very robust construction with a co-axial rotor system. In January 1964, the Soviet
government issued a directive on the creation of the multi-purpose Ka-26 in two versions: the agricultural version capable of
carrying 600-700kg of chemicals and the transport version for carrying passengers over distances of up to 400km. The basic Ka-26
airframe consists of a fixed, bubble-shaped cockpit containing the pilot and co-pilot, rotor head and stub wings, with the engine
pods at their extremities and twin tailbooms to the rear supporting the tail assembly. The helicopter sat on a four-wheeled fixed
landing gear. The fuselage of the Ka-26 can be fitted with a removable, variable box available in medevac, passenger-carrying and
crop duster versions. A variant for geophysical survey is equipped with an electromagnetic pulse generator in the cabin and a big
hoop antenna outside. The helicopter can fly with or without the box attached for flexibility. The Ka-26 is powered by two 325 hp
Vedeneyev M-14V-26 air-cooled nine-cylinder radial engines mounted in outboard nacelles through a gearbox to the two, three bladed
co-axial rotors. The glass fiber-reinforced composite rotor blades are interchangeable. The prototype Kamov Ka-26 was flown first
on 18 August 1965. Initial manufacture began in 1966 in the Kumertau Aircraft Plant and the Kamov Ka-26 was placed in full production
in 1970. The Ka-26 is no longer in production, although it has been developed into the turbine powered and modernised Ka126 which
first flew in 1986. Development of the Ka-126 continued into the mid 1990s but production was never undertaken. About 850 Kamov Ka-26
helicopters were built for civil and military roles. The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the Ka-26 helicopters is KA26.
On 14 April 1977, Kamov Ka-26 s/n 7705908 was registered DM-SPG with Interflug. On 30 December 1981, the 1977-built Kamov Ka-26 was
re-registered DDR-SPG. After German reunification in 1990, and in the period of the breakup of Interflug / Agrarflug, Kamov Ka-26
DDR-SPG joined the Flugservice Berlin fleet. As of 3 October 1990, the East German DDR-prefix was no longer valid, all active DDR-
registered aircraft had to be re-registered and Kamov Ka-26 DDR-SPG was registered D-HOAG. In March 1002, registration D-HOAG was
cancelled as withdrwn from use. Since, the Kamov Ka-26 is preserved in the Otto-Lilienthal-Museum at Anklam. When seen at Flugplatz
Anklam it had flown 4.933 hrs and made 34.374 landings. The helicopter is owned by FSB (Flugservice Berlin) and part of the static
display of the Otto Lilienthal Museum (Aeronauticon) at Flugplatz Anklam.
