HISTORY
Passageway and cargo cabin
In the passageway, which in our air force is occupied by an board engineer (typically sitting on an improvised, welded tripod), blocks for the
guided weapons are located. Since the left one is covered with canvas
because the control linkages are there as well, we don’t need to be concerned with blocks differences. On the right hand side there is a „hi-fi tower“ which is nothing else then piled up guided missiles control
blocks. Of course, they are different for versions D and V however as
a compact block they give very similar impression. We need to mention
that the pilot’s seat armored, head protection is typically folded down
so as an engineer can have the unobstructed view and can, in the first
place, monitor the engine and reductor instruments.
Now let‘s move to the cargo cabin, designed for the deployment of as
many as eight fully armed soldiers. In Czechoslovak and Czech air force
however, only the rear bench was used during the operation so as to
keep the cabin roomier. On the left side, next to the passageway, there
was occasionally a board engineer‘s parachute hanged and on the right
side there was a small box containing spare film rolls for the emergency
recorder SARPP-12DM and a fire extinguisher. These details however
are specific to each individual aircraft. Only first three windows can be
opened in V version while in D version all four of them. Common to both
versions there are collapsible personal weapons holders mounted at
the first three windows. There is one more feature specific to D. To extend the aircraft range two auxiliary fuel tanks (850 liters capacity each)
can be installed in the cargo cabin.
If only one tank was installed (which was the case most of the time) then
it was the rear one. The tank rubber filler sticks out between 3rd and
4th window even if the tank is not installed. The last visible difference
is the weapons block which is markedly smaller (which Zvezda kit surprisingly captures which means it is wrong for the version V) with less
wiring. It is of interest that for all Ds the supplemental interior armor
was supplied which could be installed on the bottom of the hinged doors
and under both rear windows by means of securing pins. I am not aware
of a single case these were installed on the choppers of Czechoslovak
or Czech air force, apparently due to their weight. Nevertheless, I came
across these fairly often in the Third World countries, especially on the
later V and P versions.
That will be all about crew cockpits and cabin and those modelers who
would like to open the whole „top“, which is the option in the kit, we will
inspect this area as well.
Below the two air conditioning outlets, the opening for the filling of the internal auxiliary tank can be seen.
A view of the version V tunnel. Note the elegant tripod for flight engineer. The parachute
hanging on the left side is also for him.
"Hi-fi" tower, as called, the right side in the tunnel between the cockpit and the D version
cargo hold is shown here.
Engines, main reductor, hydro-blocks and AI-9V
There are not that many differences on the top under the covers noticeable for modelers. Even though D version is driven by TV3-117 engines of
3rd series and V by TV3-117V from the modelers´ point of view there is no
difference. The same is true about hydraulic boosters. While V features
KAU-115 D features KAU-110 and there are no visible differences there
neither. The main difference between the engines is the shape of the
exhausts. On V version they end paralell with the vertical axis due to the
EVU exhaust gases coolers installation. On D version they end obliquely,
more-less paralell with the fuselage intersection shape. The main reduction gear, cyclic automation and main rotor head are identical.
The major mistake I have noticed so far on the finished models from
Zvezda in both scales were two red fire extinguishing bottles installed
on the floor on the left of the reduction gear. Let me stop at that. It is not
part of firefighting system as those red „balls“ on the right side of the reduction gear, but bottles containing neutral CO2 gas. In versions Mi-24D,
14
eduard
INFO Eduard - November 2021