Squadron Signal Aircraft In Action 1083 Mi-24 Hind
The Mil Mi-24 Hind*, has become one of the most widely known assault helicopter gunships in the world. The Hind's impressive firepower and the vast numbers available to the Warsaw Pact are of major concern to NATO planners. The Hind forms the backbone of first line assault helicopter regiments in every Warsaw Pact nation. In the event of war NATO planners estimate Allied forces would encounter hundreds of Hinds over European front lines in the opening stages of a Warsaw Pact armored assault.
The Hind's roots can be traced back to the late 1950s, when the Soviet government issued a requirement for a new transport helicopter to replace the agingMil Mi-4 Hound. This helicopter was to emerge as the Mi-8 Hip. entering service first with Aeroiiot (the Soviet state airline) and later the Soviet Air Force. The Mi-8 Hip was originally designed as a medium lift transport helicopter, however, the aircraft was modified to fill a number of specialized roles, including that of a heavily armed gunship. Mi-8 components were later used as the basis for the Mil Mi-24 Hind, the first dedicated attack helicopter built in the Soviet Union.
The Mi-24 Hind is the Soviets answer to American helicopter gunships such as the Bell AH-1 Huey Cobra and McDonnell-Douglas AH-64 Apache. The Soviets, however, rejected the pure gunship concept popular in the West and designed a new class of helicopter — the assault helicopter. Assault helicopters are capable of both carrying troops into battle and supporting them with devastating firepower. There is currently no western equivalent to the assault helicopter.
Mi-24 Hind in Action (Aircraft 83)
Автор: Hans-Heiri Stapfer
Publisher: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc.
Год издания: 1988
ISBN: 0897472039
Язык: English
Страниц: 58 Pages
Формат: PDF
Размер: 86,2 MB
