HISTORY

Landing gear, radio section and tail boom interior

The landing gear is identical for both versions, only in D and first series

of V (0701-0710) supplied to Czechoslovak air force there is a bulkhead

in the rear of the main wheel well separating left and right well. This

is missing in the later version so one can see through from one well

to another. Hardly anyone will attempt to model the radio section and

tail boom interior but had someone opened the inspection hatch on the

fuselage bottom be advised that without the inspection lightning on there is a pitch black dark there. Nothing interesting from the modeler’s

point of view… Blocks of the gunnery and bombing computer AIST-24

on the right are covered with canvas on both versions D and V, to the

left there are electrical and radio equipment blocks, in the front the fuel

installation above the tank No. 3. This one is different but is not visible

and up in the tail the is a transmission shaft from gear boxes to inserted

reduction gear and doubled linkages from the pedal controls. It may be

of interest that in D version the linkages lead in pairs all the way to the

end reduction gear, in DU, V and later version, approximately and the

last third of the boom length one linkage from the pair is crossing which

prevents the situation that in case of a stray bullet the whole pair would

View of the main wheel well. In the D version there is a bulkhead between the right and

left side, only in the front there is a small triangular gap.

Exterior surface – fuselage nose

On the fuselage nose we will notice the biggest difference between

D and V versions which is the Raduga-F guided missiles assembly. On

the left there is a guiding antenna cover which is rotatable on D version

and in more rectangular shape. There is a differently shaped step above

it. The cover on V version is fixed, in the shape of a teardrop with circular intersection. Parabolic antenna is rotating under the cover and the

step is installed right on the cover. The whole assembly is strengthened

by an oblique strut. On the right there is a cover of the optical aiming

device which differs in its openable covers. In D version the cover only

features simple metal hatches for the optics under which the hardened

glass is installed (the optical device under the cover of course features

its own protective glass). There is only one linkage on each side coming

from the hydraulic piston opening the cover. The teardrop covering the

optics attachment to the airframe above the outside linkage is shaped

differently. In V version the hatches are doubled, outer ones are metal

and inner ones made from the hardened glass (they only opened for the

time necessary for aiming). Only then the hardened glass of the cover

follows and glass of the optics. One would say that nothing can be seen

through so many layers of glass, but the opposite is true. So, V version

features more complicate hatches mechanics and two linkages on each

side protected by rubber covers. There is also the GPS antenna on the

operator’s windshield frame. This applies to the Hinds No. 4011 and 0220.

At the end of the tube holder of the DUAS sensors, on the operators‘ cockpit frame there is also trident-shaped antenna of the IFF system SRO-2

Chrom 3rd bandwith. These antennas are installed on all Ds and also on

Vs from the first delivery of that version to Czechoslovak air force (Nos.

0701-0710). Later series of the V version already featured fin-shaped

antennas of the newer system 62-01.

Hind D in Czechoslovak and Czech air force features the smooth sides

of the nose section, there are no oval antennas of the L-006 Beryozka

system there, which in the later D and early V series are located on the

fuselage bottom between pilots‘ cockpits, in later V version on the top,

behind the pilot’s cockpit. D version features only two ammunition belt

control covers on the right under the operator’s cockpit while V version

features three of them. Ammunition case in opened position for re-loading does differ. Should someone wish to make it fully opened, in the

position for maintenance, weapons blocks hidden behind are slightly different. On the left, below the pilot’s cockpit there is a cover of the guided

weapons blocks section. It is different between the versions, it’s smooth

on D, without auxiliary landing light, but the locking system is different

as well. The blocks inside are different too. The air conditioning cover

follows which, as well as the air conditioning under it, is identical for

both versions.

The antenna of the Raduga-F guidance system for the Falanga missiles has a different

shape compared to the V version and the whole housing is rotatable.

This is what the double cover of the guidance system looks like on the V version.

In version D, the optical guidance system housing has only one

"door", i.e., the protective cover. In the V version there is also a

hinged glass cover underneath. This is closed during observation

and preparation for firing and is opened only for the necessary time

when the missile is being guided to the target. This ensures that the

visor remains as clean as possible and ensures optimum visibility

in the viewfinder.

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be disabled. Now let’s move on to, possibly most interesting area from

a modeler’s view, airframe exterior surface.

The three-fingered antenna of the IFF SRO-2 Chrom system on the

cabin frame at the root of the DUAS sensor tube can be clearly seen in

this picture, as well as the retrofitted GPS receiver antenna next to it.

The helicopter No. 0214 has the machine gun removed on the picture.

The Hind D on the support stands during hydraulic system testing. In the

picture you can clearly see the absence of the landing light on the lower

left part of the fuselage under the captain's cabin.

INFO Eduard - November 2021