This latest authoritative work of reference to join the Warpaint series charts the rise of the helicopter in both military and civilian use throughout the vast territories of the Soviet Union from the mid-1950s. The Mi-4 was the first successful series production type, and its widespread use with the Soviet Army and Navy saw fundamental changes to tactics and doctrine. Lavishly illustrated with original images, the story unfolds in detail and tells how the Mi-4 went on to serve globally, ranging from China to Cuba, through Africa, India, and the Middle East, and was to remain ubiquitous both in military and civilian use throughout the Eastern Bloc, and with Soviet client states across the World.