Racing on air: How USSR drivers used helicopter wheels to win

In the USSR, overcoming material shortages required creativity. This is why race car drivers, in their quest for an advantage, turned to helicopter wheels because of their lightweight nature.

It's difficult to imagine now, but competition, tuning, and innovation also thrived in the USSR. However, the centrally controlled economy posed significant challenges for drivers who needed parts made from lightweight materials like aluminum, forcing them to improvise.

With aluminum wheels scarce, a suitable replacement was needed. Helicopter wheels became the go-to solution. Specifically, the magnesium-made K2-116 wheels were favored in Mi-4 and Mi-8 helicopters, An-28 airplanes, or Il-18s. There were rumors about the aluminum KT 192-020 wheel from military amphibian manufacturers being another option.

An advertisement on a Russian website mentioned that these wheels were multi-part, though it was unclear if they weighed less than 20 pounds.

Adapting the rims to fit the vehicle's bolt pattern—depending on the model—was necessary. Due to the rather makeshift modification methods, achieving proper balance was extremely challenging. Nevertheless, the potential performance boost made them hard to resist.

Interestingly, these rims can be purchased directly from the Vertol company's website, which is based in Kyiv.