Mi-8 with Leafy Roundels

[Gary]

Looks as though Canada is leasing Polish Mi-8's until the Chinooks are ready. Supposedly only for freight as they don't pass muster as troop carriers for combat operations, except in case of emergency.

www.janes.com/news/defence/air/jdw/jdw080808_2_n.shtml

So whose gonna do the first Mi-8 with the Leaf.

[Captain Canada]

Hey Gary !

I think there was a thread about this a week or two ago....I guess it's great news if it slows the death rate of CDNs dying for ?

[Aircav]

All they need now is some Hind's to go with them 

[Gary]

Been on Vacation so I've been i blackout. Got to Viper's online shop and bought some sweet things! Mmmmmm BattleStar Viper with the new cockpit! Now there's fun!

He had a nice Hobbyboss Mi-8 and it's got me thinking...

Hey Gary !

I think there was a thread about this a week or two ago....I guess it's great news if it slows the death rate of CDNs dying for ?

[Captain Canada]

Hey.....I think Gary just nominated himself ! I do wonder how they will be painted ? Anybody heard ?

[kitnut617]

Well it won't be the first time Canada has used Russian helicopters:

http://www.canmilair.com/products.asp?cat=128

[jcf]

All they need now is some Hind's to go with them 

Old home week for the Afghans, they have lots of experience taking those down. 

Jon

[Taiidantomcat]

You can not have enough helicopters in that kind of environment. This is the right move.

[upnorth]

No, Canada keeping her Chinooks rather than selling them off back in 1990 would have been the right move. We wouldn't be worrying where to get a capable helicopter now had the powers that be at the time not foolishly deprived the Canadian military of its only heavy lift helicopter asset

As for the Hips, fine helicopter as long as she has the modern countermeasures to protect her. However, as mentioned above, old Soviet helicopters are a known quantity to the Afghans and they'll know how to bring them down given the chance.

Let's hope they get proper countermeasure suites and our people who operate them don't find themselves in for too many rude surprises from the other side once they start operating them over there.

[Taiidantomcat]

Im just as frustrated as you are. Helicopters aren't sexy like an F-22 and don't seem to get a proportional amount of attention considering their essential job. every nation is desperately seeking more helicopters for Afghanistan.

[Gary]

Yeah, but leafy roundels on an MI-8! That would look like a chubby gal dressed to the 9's!

Seriously, the biggest question I have, if they are leased birds would they be greyed up like Seakings or solid green like Griffons?  Or would they be in their commercial markings, being as they appear to be leased commercial Polish aircraft. While I want to avoid the political issues here, if we were really committed to moving troops tactically, we would have sent our Griffons, even if they aren't really suited to Asscrackastan. Boots on the ground are really more important, let the innocent Afghans (95% plus) see smiling faces and not live in fear of both sides in this war.

We make use of lots of helo assets when needed. The US does a super job of evac with the wounded, air support when allowed and transporting VIPs as needed. As I understand it, what the Mi-8 is for is to reduce the vulnerability of land based transportation of materials. If you can avoid mines and IED's by flying over them in order to deliver food, ammo etc, that's good. But you still have to get rid of the mine and IED's with soldiers on the ground.

So, back to the original question, Grey or Green? Leafy or Checker board? What do you think?

[kitnut617]

Well now --- they're gonna be painted the same way as the CH-151 Thunderbird,  Eh!    

[Aircav]

All they need now is some Hind's to go with them 

Old home week for the Afghans, they have lots of experience taking those down. 

Jon

And Mi-8's

[Martin H]

Well U.S. special forces in Afganistan have been useing various Hip versions for quite a while...they consider them less noticable compared to any western chopper, As well as reliable and all most unbreakable work horse's. 
The Locals are quite used to the sight of a Hip over head, were as anything we westeners tend to use is something new and there fore its a dead giveaway that its one of ours = Target.

[Gary]

The Locals are quite used to the sight of a Hip over head, were as anything we westeners tend to use is something new and there fore its a dead giveaway that its one of ours = Target.

Funny you should say that. On the news a few years back was a report on how poorly the Apache was performing in either Iraq or Afghanistan... can't remember where. He was at one crash site with what looked like an intact Apache and it was speculated by the reporter that the crash was a mechanical failure due to the aircraft not being suited to the operational environment. A mechanic pointed out that the reporter was correct, that it was an environmental related malfunction. That is that the environment in this case was showers of bullets. Then he proceeded to point out holes in the chopper that came from everything from AK-47 to 13mm heavy rounds. I was impressed that the reporter allowed himself to be corrected. The Apache was turned into Swiss cheese, but there wasn't a "battle" so to speak. It was just patrolling over some residential area.

I think a lot of credence has to be given to the idea that if it isn't familiar, shoot it. There are a fair number of stories of how certain aircraft would land at Kandahar unmolested and others bring rocket fire and the like.