HISTORY

THE HIND D

AS IT SHOULD BE

TOMÁŠ „HINDMAN“ DVOŘÁK

Photo: Jaroslav Špaček, Petr Popelář, Michal Ovčáčík, Tomáš Dvořák, Petr Soukup, David Všetíček, Viliam Švacho, Slavomír Medzihradský, Martin Janoušek (we hope we did not forget

anybody…)

I was prompted to write this article not only

Eduard company asked me to but also because lately, at modeling exhibition, unfortunately rarely happening, internet forums and

modeling magazines I have been seeing top

models of „twenty four“ showing clean construction and realistic finish. These models

have usually one thing in common, they represent a certain „hybrid“ of the versions of

this helicopter. Sometimes it is about the helicopter airframe, another time regarding the

ordnance and sometimes the combination of

both. Following text therefore aims at modelers who wish to have in their showcase the

most accurate replica of the Mi-24D version of

the helicopter so iconic for our air force.

As you know Eduard have just released 1/48 scale kit of Mil Mi-24D

Hind helicopter. They utilized the familiar sprues from the Zvezda

Mi-24V/VP kit. In fact, this is upscaled and moderately modified seventy

second scale kit of this Russian manufacturer. Similar to their previous

„small scale“ repackaging Eduard provides the conversion parts for D

version but considering the scale in the more detailed form.

The following text deals exclusively with Mi-24D aircraft which flew with

Czechoslovak, Czech and Slovak air forces, in other words with the early

D versions and not the later series where except of the ordnance we

can speak of V version. The certain case can be made of both our „two-seaters“, i.e., Mi-24DU, as well as the later versions of our air force,

such as Mi-24V/Mi-35, but we will discuss these the other time. We will

also skip the type’s service history in our air force. A lot of interesting

material was already written, and I am sure more will be written, by the

most qualified person, pilot Jaroslav Spacek. We will inspect our bird

through the eye of an ordinary engine/airframe maintenance specialist.

I will gradually describe specific sections of the helicopter, exterior and

ordnance, all areas that differ between „D“ and „V“ always maintaining

the focus on D. We will start nicely on „the first floor“ i.e., in the pilot-operator’s cockpit.

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eduard

Pilot-operator’s cockpit

At a first glance both cockpits seem to be the same and from the modeler’s point of view it would not be a sin to leave them as is. Nevertheless,

since both versions, besides other things, differ mainly in the ordnance,

logically there are some small differences in the pilot’s cockpit as he

controls primarily the guided missiles and remote gun turret USPU-24.

It is couple of switches and visual indicators located on the left instrument panel otherwise the panels for both versions are identical. As far

as two oblique panels along the combined aiming station KPS-53AV

sides is concerned the left one is identical for both versions, gunsight

as well and on the right panel D lacks several controls since some airframes, flown at demos abroad, featured „feetmeter“ (altitude indicator

calibrated in feet instead of meters) here and above it, next to the fan

GPS control box. As an example, you can check the well-known 4011

and 0220 airframes featured in the kit color instructions. The majority

of differences can be found on the right side of the cockpit where slightly different yokes for controlling the guided missiles are located and

blocks pertaining to these missiles guidance system right of the yoke

(control panels). If you decide to build the helicopter from the period

before 1987, represented by the airframe 4009 in the instructions, don’t

forget to remove ASO-2V decoy launcher control under the „tube“ of the

guided missiles optical sight and L-166V-11E infrared spectrum jammer

control located on the window frame above the yoke. This wraps up the

description of the differences in the front cockpit and we can move „one

flight up“ to see how the helicopter commander’s cockpit looks like.

The front panel in the pilot-operator cabin is dominated by the KPS-53AV aiming station.

The panel to the left of it is identical to the V version, the right one is slightly different. The

photo of the cabin of 0215 chopper shows the retrofitted equipment - GPS unit on top and

radio below.

INFO Eduard - November 2021