Online Encyclopedia
Mil Mi-24
The Mil Mi-24 is a large combat helicopter, a gunship, and low-capacity troop transport operated from 1976 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and over thirty other nations.
Its NATO reporting name is Hind and variants are identified with an additional letter. The export versions, Mi-25 and Mi-35, are denoted as Hind D and Hind E respectively. Soviet pilots called the aircraft the 'crocodile'.
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Characteristics
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.
Problems
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.