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Its NATO reporting name is Hind and variants are identified with an additional letter. The export versions - the Mi-25 and Mi-35, are denoted as Hind D and Hind E respectively. Soviet pilots called the aircraft the 'crocodile'.
The core of the aircraft was taken from the Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name "Hip H"), two top mounted turboshaft engines driving a mid-mounted 17.3 m five-blade main rotor and a three blade tail rotor. The engine positions give the aircraft its distinctive double air intake above the equally characteristic tandem cockpit. Other components of the airframe came from the Mi-14 . Weapon hardpoints are provided by two short mid-mounted wings (which also provide lift), each offering three stations. The load-out mix is mission dependent, the Hind can be tasked with close air support, anti-tank operations, aerial combat. The body is heavily armoured and the titanium rotor blades can resist impacts from 12.7 mm rounds. The cockpit is overpressurized to protect the crew in NBC conditions. The craft uses a retractable tricycle undercarriage.
The comparatively high size and weight of the Hind limit its endurance and maneuverability. In tight banking turns it can roll alarmingly as the wings lose lift - this was noted during test-flights in 1969 but has still not been entirely eliminated. To counter this vulnerability the Russians operate the aircraft in pairs or larger groups, with attacks carefully coordinated to strike from multiple directions simultaneously. Another weakness was the possibility of the main rotor striking the tail-boom during violent maneuvers. Its high loaded weight can also limit its effectiveness as a helicopter, some reports state that with a full load the Hind needs a rolling take-off and also cannot hover. The problems with the dual-role Hind have prompted the development of the Mil Mi-28 and also the Kamov Ka-50 to replace it in the gunship role.
The aircraft was operated extensively during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The US supplied Stinger missiles to the Mujaheddin and the Hind was a favourite target - around 300 were lost during combat operations in Afghanistan, an unknown number to missile hits.
Initially modelled on the Bell AH-1 Cobra and borrowing extensively from existing models the Hind went from drawing board in 1968 to first test-flights in less than eighteen months. First models were delivered to the armed forces for evaluation in 1970. The Mi-24A (Hind-A) did have a number of problems - lateral roll, weapon sighting problems, and limited field of view for the pilot. A heavy redesign of the aircraft front section solved some of these problems. The most common variant is the Mi-24D (Hind-D), a purer gunship than the earlier variants, the first to include the electronics for Anti-tank guided missiles 9M17 Falanga (AT-2 Swatter). Later development led to the Mi-24V (Hind-E) with newer ATGMs (9M114 Kokon, AT-6 Spiral) and tube launchers, and then the Mi-24P (Hind-F), which replaced the 12.7mm machinegun with a fixed 30mm gun.
The newest variant is the 1995 Mi-24VM, with light-weight fibre main and tail rotors to improve all-round performance, updated avionics to improve night-time operation, new communications gear, shorter and lighter wings, and updated weapon systems to include support for the Ataka, Shturm and Igla-V missiles and a 23 mm main gun. Other internal changes have been made to increase the aircraft life-cycle and ease maintenance. The Mi24VM is expected to operate until 20152015 is a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). Events March 20 Total solar eclipse (visible in the North Atlantic). April 25 100th Anniversary of Dardanelles Campaign at Anzac Cove September 13 Partial solar eclipse Fictional Referenc.
Since 1978Events January January 1 The Copyright Act of 1976 takes effect, making sweeping changes to United States copyright law. January 1 Air India's Boeing 747 explodes near Bombay 213 dead. January 4 Referendum in Chile supports policies of Augusto Pinochet. around 2,000 Hinds have been manufactured, 600 for export. The U.S. ArmyThe Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. As of fiscal year 2002 (FY02), it consisted of 480,000 soldiers on active duty and 555,000 in reserve (350,000 in Army National G operates a number of Hinds in LouisianaLouisiana is a southern state of the United States of America. It uses the U. postal abbreviation LA . The state is bordered to the west by the state of Texas, to the north by Arkansas, to the east by the state of Mississippi, and to the south by the Gulf for adversarial training.
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