HISTORY
The bigger differences are on the right side, where the control consoles and controls for
the Falanga anti-tank missile system are located. The L-166V-11E infrared jammer control
box is located above the "rams".
Cockpit of pilot in command
There are several changes here obvious at the first glance. While in
V version bulky ASP-17V sight dominates above the instrument panel
and with later series S-13 gun camera and on the windshield upper frame the SPO-15 radar radiation warning system can be found, nothing
like that is found in D version. The instrument panel is identical for both
versions, except of several visual indicators located in the left upper
section, but D version has an uninterrupted top cover which doesn’t interfere with the forward vision, contrary to V version. The area which
features the gunsight in V version is plated over in version D which leads
to the thought that the gunsight was originally intended to be mounted there. This also supports an opinion, expressed from time-to-time,
that D version was created as a stop-gap because during the time when
A version was being transformed from a vulnerable all glass cockpit
into a tandem-style crew cockpit and the new advance weapons system,
known from V version, was not available yet and so the A version equipment remained stuck in the new airframe except USPU-24 gun turret.
However D designation should mean „Dorabotanyi“ i.e., finished, completed. I am not sure...
After a little of history let’s move on. On the plated-over location in the
upgraded aircraft the „feetmeeter“ control and a new compass indicator
were located here, same as in the front cockpit. The aiming in D version
was conducted by a common optical reflex-type gunsight PKV mounted on the windshield upper frame next to the fan. The weapons control
The seat is identical in both versions, the left side of the cockpit differs in the D and V
versions more or less only by the radio control panel.
panel, located under the instrument panel, between pilots‘ legs, has the
same shape but features completely different switch arrangement. The
remaining panel s in the pilot’s cockpit, except of radio control on the
left side panel, are identical and from the modeler’s point of view we
can ignore those few visual indicators and switches. D does not feature
ammunition counter which is located above the first aid kit in V version. Let’s not forget that the helicopters which were not yet upgraded
with ASO-2V and L-166V-11E did not feature the rear mirrors to monitor
the rear hemisphere. This relates to airframe 4009 featured in the kit.
In V version the little reading light is mounted next to the left mirror,
in D version on the right side next to the seat. That pretty much wraps up
the pilot cockpit. There is a narrow tunnel behind it connecting the pilot’s
cockpit with the cargo cabin.
View of the Mi-24D instrument panel, with the center section covered by plate and with uninterrupted top cover. The gunsight is mounted on the cockpit frame. The lower armament
panel can also be clearly seen, which differs substantially from the V version in the arrangement of the controls.
INFO Eduard - November 2021
eduard
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