John Kettler Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 (edited) Wasn't allowed to keep it, of course, just visit the wee beastie. Okay, it's huge, which is why you can only see about half of it. This is the export version of the what we called then the Mi-24D/HIND D, the nightmare of the muj until CIA-supplied 14.5 mm HMGs, other AAA and MANPADS. (especially the Stinger) arrived. Have my hand on the gun camera housing and am standing next to one of four launch rails for the AT-2 radio guided MCLOS ATGM. All told, it also has 4 x UB-32 32-shot 57 mm rocket pods (two visible, but with business ends in shadow behind me and to my left). That black thing almost touching the door is the nasty quad 12.7 mm light auto cannon in its turret. Am allowed to say this helo is in Lancaster, Texas, but I am not allowed to say where I got to see another iconic threat, the mighty Su-25/FROGFOOT, still less post a pic. Will say, though, that it's a beast up close, sits very high on its wheels (greatly reducing the chances of sucking debris into its engines) and fairly screams its roots in the Northrop Grumman A-9, which lost the AX competition to the A-10. The tough old bird was in bad shape, as in having no wings or tail assembly on it (were near it on the floor), the canopy off, the entire instrument panel removed. The cockpit was a sea of switches, and one instrument still present was the landing gear status indicator display. The ejection seat frame was still in, as were the stick and rudder pedals. The exterior paint was extremely bleached out and chalky looking, so the bird had spent years exposed to the weather. Thrilling as it was to see this aircraft, was greatly disappointed the heart of it, the left underside of nose mounted GSh-2-30 cannon wasn't present at all and had apparently not been in the plane when received. Did see the forward barrel support bracket was still in place. This is in stark contrast with China, which decades back shipped a pair of MiG-15s to Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California. Those fighters arrived with fully functioning armament (1 x NR-37 (yes, 37 mm cannon that ate B-29s alive over NK) and 2 x NR-23 23 mm cannon each)--plus ammo. This caused a fair degree of excitement in a number of quarters! Regards, John Kettler Edited December 28, 2021 by John Kettler 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 On 12/28/2021 at 5:47 AM, John Kettler said: Wasn't allowed to keep it, of course, just visit the wee beastie. The real thing would probably be a bit awkward to park, but this might interest you JK: https://ipmsdeutschland.de/archiv/FirstLook/Zvezda/Mil_Mi-24V/Zve_Mi-24W.html Or, if you want bigger: https://ipmsdeutschland.de/archiv/FirstLook/Zvezda/Mil_Mi-24V_VP_48/Zve_Mi-24W_WP.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 Sgt.Squarehead, The bird itself takes up a lot of space, but the rotors aren't stowable (that I know of), so are the real space eaters. ZVEZDA does some very good model kits, but I haven't built a plastic model since the Tamiya 1/35 SU-100 (mit motor) back in high school. Plastic model kits these days are obscenely expensive. The never changed Monogram Panzer IV/H in 1/32 is $40 plus, and a recent kit with all that etched brass stuff can run $90. Gasp! That's just the kit. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 (edited) I can do $100 US on a single 1/72 model quite easily including aftermarket parts, custom decals & other extras.....I have the Zvezda Mi.24P (with the twin barrel 30mm cannon), I'm planning on getting interior & exterior etched detail sets, a resin cockpit & engine bay, resin weapons, the list goes on (& on & on). PS - If you move up to 1/35 the level of detail possible is insane, I have a 1/35 AMX-13 and a few detail sets for it, the smallest parts in the detail sets are individual wingnuts (to fasten the clamps that hold the on-vehicle tools in place), each one requires two folds/twists to form the correct shape! Edited December 30, 2021 by Sgt.Squarehead 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted December 31, 2021 Author Share Posted December 31, 2021 (edited) Sgt.Squarehead, Please post pics of your rotary-wing modeling handiwork when done. Am sure many here would love to see it. The Mi-24P is what we called the Mi24E/HIND/E. What it gave up in having the flexibility for combined ground attack and air-to-air work, coupled with immense angular coverage vertically and horizontally, it gained enormously in hitting power with the powerful GSh-30K, as seen here in this video posted mere days ago. Of note is that this is the same OKB (design bureau) that makes/made the GSh-6-30 for the MiG-27/FLOGGER/D and the GSh-2-30 for the Su-25/FROGFOOT. The military-technical data here indicates a MV of 900 meters/sec (vs 805 meters/sec for Apache 30 mm Chain Gun) and a thoroughly respectable 750 rounds carried, roughly half the round count of the A-10. Since this bird first entered service in 1981, it theoretically would be available in the late part of the CMCW timeframe. Regards, John Kettler Edited December 31, 2021 by John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireship4 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 Yes, I want to see - sounds pretty cool, especially the Hind. I have a 1:72 Harrier here that my brother got me the other year I haven't got around to, along with all the other stuff lying around (tube amp I'm looking at you). I used to do a bit of modelling. Nothing professional. Tits and teeth etc... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artkin Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 Tube amps sound so, so sweet. And LOUD!!!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireship4 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 Not this one, it's an old scala that I replaced the tubes on, and was never very loud. I took out the boards to see if there was something wrong and to re-solder them, and it's sat waiting for me to do that a good few years. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 17 hours ago, fireship4 said: Yes, I want to see - sounds pretty cool, especially the Hind. Still buying all the aftermarket bits for the Hind.....I have a Mi.2 Hoplite to do first, I already have almost everything for that one (yes I know it's not as sexy as a Hind). If I get my **** together and start work on it in any meaningful way I'll open a thread on Britmodeller (same ID as here) and put a link somewhere where you can find it. On 12/31/2021 at 9:37 PM, John Kettler said: Since this bird first entered service in 1981, it theoretically would be available in the late part of the CMCW timeframe. It's already in all of the Modern titles. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted January 21, 2022 Author Share Posted January 21, 2022 On 1/2/2022 at 2:38 PM, Sgt.Squarehead said: Still buying all the aftermarket bits for the Hind.....I have a Mi.2 Hoplite to do first, I already have almost everything for that one (yes I know it's not as sexy as a Hind). If I get my **** together and start work on it in any meaningful way I'll open a thread on Britmodeller (same ID as here) and put a link somewhere where you can find it. It's already in all of the Modern titles. Sgt.Squarehead, Have some great close-in pics of the Mi-2/HOPLITE, a fully restored one. Will post them if you and or others would like to see them. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 8 hours ago, John Kettler said: Have some great close-in pics of the Mi-2/HOPLITE, a fully restored one. Will post them if you and or others would like to see them. I'd certainly be interested to see them.....I think I have all the bits I need for the Mi.2 now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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