Mikhail Leontyevich Mi-24 (Hind)

When the Mi-24 first appeared, it must have been a great shock to NATO. Here was a heavily armed and protected battlefield helicopter, that could go hunting for NATO AFV’s and helicopters to destroy. With the ability to provide its own suppressive fire and land troops, a very impressive ‘all in one package’.

During the Cold War, both sides copied and improved on ideas from each other. So after seeing the success of the AH-1 Cobra and ‘Huey Gunships’ against the Viet Cong and the PAVN during the Vietnam war, they took the idea of a ‘gunship’, and improved it, by making it a self contained gunship and troop carrier..

The ‘Hind’ proved itself in Afghanistan, where, until the Mujahideen were equipped with Stinger SAM’s, it dominated the battlefield, as ISAF’s AH-64’s do today.

History

Designed as an idea developed by the helicopter creator Mikhail Leontyevich Mil in the 1960’s. Initially, there was no interest from the military, but with polictal backing and with the successful use of ‘Gunships’ by the USA in Vietnam, the military could see what a useful asset a ‘Gunship’ could be.

Design work started in May 1968, and by 1970, the first Mi-24A’s were rolling off the production line. In 1972, it officially entered the ‘Arsenal’ of the state.

The Mi-24 and its varients have been involved in many conflicts, both during the Cold War period, and after. The most ‘public’ being its use in Afghanistan. A list of conflicts that the Mi-24 has been used in can be found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_Mi-24.

Versions

Mi-24 (Hind-A)

Speed Weight Span Length
210 mph 16,711lb (empty), 24,250lb (max) Rotor diam 56ft 9in 57ft 5in

Mi-24A (Hind-B)

Speed Weight Span Length
210 mph 16,922lb (empty), 25,353lb (max) Rotor diam 56ft 9in 57ft 5in

Mi-24U (Hind-C)

Speed Weight Span Length
210 mph 17,085lb (empty), 25,353lb (max) Rotor diam 56ft 9in 57ft 5in

Mi-24D / Mi-25 (Hind-D)

Speed Weight Span Length
210 mph 18,368lb (empty), 25,353lb (max) Rotor diam 56ft 9in 57ft 5in

Mi-24V/VM / Mi-35 (Hind-E)

Speed Weight Span Length
208 mph 18,739lb (empty), 25,353lb (max) Rotor diam 56ft 9in 57ft 5in

Mi-24P/PM (Hind-F)

Speed Weight Span Length
210 mph 18,893lb (empty), 25,353lb (max) Rotor diam 56ft 9in 57ft 5in

Users (still adding info here)

Country Service Model Dates
Afghanistan Air Force Mi-24D(?)/Mi-35 Mid 80s – 2001,2009 to present
Algeria Air Force Mi-24D(?) 2002 to date
Angola Air Force and Air Defence Force Mi-24D/Mi-25E/Mi-35F Late 70s(?) to date
Armenia Air Force Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F Late 72 to date
Azerbaijan Air Force Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F Late 72 to date
Belarus Air Force Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F Late 72 to date
Brazil Air Force    
Bulgaria Air Force Mi-24D 1979 to date
Burundi Army Aviation    
Burkina Faso Air Force    
Chad Air Force    
Congo Air Force Mi-24D 1984 to date
Cyprus Air Force    
Czech Republic + Czechoslovakia Air Force Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F 1978 to date
Djibouti Air Force    
Equatorial Guinea Military    
Eritrea Air Force    
Ethiopia Air Force Mi-24A / Mi-35 1978 to date
Georgia Air Force Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F 1972 to date
Guinea Military    
Hungary Air Force Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F 1978 to date
India Air Force Mi-25 1984 to date
Indonesia Army    
Kazakhstan Military Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F 1972 to date
Kyrgyzstan Military Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F 1972 to date
Libya Air Force Mi-24A / Mi-25 1980(?) to date
Macedonia Air Force    
Mali Air Force    
Mongolia Air Force    
Mozambique Military    
Myanmar Air Force    
Namibia Air Force    
Niger Air Force    
North Korea Air Force    
Pakistan Air Force    
Peru Air Force Mi-25 Early 80’s to date
Poland Air Force / Army Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F 1978 to date
Russia + USSR Air Force Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F 1972 to date
Rwanda Miliatry    
Senegal Air Force    
Sri Lanka Air Force    
Sudan Air Force    
Syria Air Force Mi-24A(?) Late 70’s to date?
Tajikistan Military    
Turkmenistan Military Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F 1972 to date
Uganda Air Force    
Ukraine Army Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F 1972 to date
USA Army (evaluation)?    
Uzbekistan Military Mi-24A,B,C,D,E,F 1972 to date
Venezuela Army    
Vietnam Air Force Mi-25 (?) Mid 80’s to date ?
Yeman Air Force    
Zimbabwe Air Force    
Germany (East) Air Force    
Germany (Reunified) Army    
Iraq Air Force Mi-24A / Mi-25 1980? to date
Nicaragua Air Force    

Sources

Books

Web

YouTube

Mi-24.NVA.DDR.den Sozialismus gegen alle Feinde zu verteidigen (Mi-24.NVA.DDR.den To defend socialism against all enemies)

Model Kits

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