Spec-Ops Hind

[Matt_S]

This is a drawing I redid to show some ideas I had for a Spec-Ops oriented Mi-24 (similar to an MH-60):



I'm also trying to decide on a camo scheme.


Matt B)  

[Jschmus]

Your link doesn't work.  I tried typing the URL in by itself, and it gave me a blank photobucket search page.  Most photo-hosting pages (Yahoo, PictureTrail, airliners.net, etc) won't let you direct-link to any of their images.  Still, I'd like to see it.

[Matt_S]

Your link doesn't work.  I tried typing the URL in by itself, and it gave me a blank photobucket search page.  Most photo-hosting pages (Yahoo, PictureTrail, airliners.net, etc) won't let you direct-link to any of their images.  Still, I'd like to see it.

It works now.

Matt B)  

[noxioux]

That's a great idea.  I've always thought the west (read: Americans) hugely undervalued the Hind.

This is a good idea for a US/Soviet weapons and equipment hybrid.  Maybe paint it black and dark (very dark) grey splinter camo, with some low-viz Russian markings.

Then put a mixed team of Delta boys and Spetznaz (a fireteam each) hanging out the door for some serious anti-terrorism whup-donkey.

Instead of the twin Russian guns, put twin bushmasters mounted close in on the wing pylons.

You could tie this to a sort of Blackhawk Down scenario.  Think of how handy it would've been for the Rangers to have their transport and CAS built into one big, mean bird.

Dang it, now you've made me go and look for a 1/48 Hind on ebay.  See what you've done!

[Tophe]

This is a good idea for a US/Soviet weapons and equipment hybrid.

Yes, to be used by Russian Army - I have heard that American manufacturers are powerful enough to make the US AF/Army/Navy refuse any foreign machine. I don't know, maybe that is European journalists' lies...

[elmayerle]

This is a good idea for a US/Soviet weapons and equipment hybrid.

Yes, to be used by Russian Army - I have heard that American manufacturers are powerful enough to make the US AF/Army/Navy refuse any foreign machine. I don't know, maybe that is European journalists' lies...

We'll see. The next two major helicopter procurements should be interesting in that both include at least one team with a European company as part of the team.  The VXX competition has one such team (Agusta/Westland teamed with Lockheed-Martin and Bell) and the PVR (Personnel Recovery Vehicle (Combat SAR)) has two with the addition of a team of Eurocopter and Northrop-Grumman.  Personally, I just want the US armed services to get the best helicopters they can at a good price. *evil laugh* Given that Connecticut usually goes for the Democratic candidate, the administration may feel no desire to throw contracts that way and instead support our friends who've stood by us.  

[Hobbes]

This is a good idea for a US/Soviet weapons and equipment hybrid.

Yes, to be used by Russian Army - I have heard that American manufacturers are powerful enough to make the US AF/Army/Navy refuse any foreign machine. I don't know, maybe that is European journalists' lies...

It's not just the manufacturers. The politicians themselves are rather keen on 'buying American'.
There have been exceptions, of course, but these are few and far between, and they're mostly done by buying a production license and building the equipment in the States, e.g. Sikorsky's license for the Aerospatiale Dauphin, a bit longer ago the Americans license-built oodles of (Dutch) Signaal WM25 radar systems.

[nev]

I've always thought the west (read: Americans) hugely undervalued the Hind.

Oh, I dunno, in the 80s the Hind (along with the Blackjack) made NATO intel types everywhere wet their pants in fear  

Dang it, now you've made me go and look for a 1/48 Hind on ebay.

If you were a real man you'd get the Trumpeter 1/35 kit!  


How about.......I saw a photo back in the 80s of a Mi-8 that had been shot down in Afghanistan, the Mujahadeen had taken the cabin from it and stuck it on the back of a flatbed lorry - I'm not exactly sure why, but it looked cool!  How about a shot down Hind in a similar lorry/chopper config?  :ar:  

[Ollie]

Nev, you're talking about the bus frame with a Hip cabin as the well, cabin!

I saw the real picture, and a cartoon about it, where a Hip flies in the background and this strange bus is in the foreground.  The two pilots talk with themselves :

"Bolgemoy!  Boris, look, we're dealing with Canibals!  Look what they have done with Ivan's chopper!"

         

[Joe C-P]

US politicians will buy whatever they can that sends money back to their districts, whether or not the US military needs or wants it. Louisiana's Senator Trent Lott is notorious for this; he even blew over US$1 billion on an LHD that the USN did not want or need.

There is a policy of the US military reviewing foreign products for possible use, to save development money, but NIH is very strong.

However, there are those countries that will buy from both, and might buy the helo from Russia and upgrade it with US weapons, with technical help from whichever company offered it.

Or, perhaps the US gives aid to the Russians as the Chechnyan conflict grows worse; maybe one of Osama's high-level associate scum is sighted in the region, and rumors fly that the head slime has oozed up there. The Russians won't permit outsiders into the region, but the US insists on helping, so this is the compromise.

In any case, I'm looking forward to the end result.  B)  

[nev]

And lets not forget that the US do actually own at least 3 Hinds which they have acquired from various sources.  I forget if its the Army or AF that owns them.

[Ollie]

Army Nev.

They use it to train the soldiers, I have an episode of "Wings" where you see the Mi-24 and a Mi-17!

     

[Matt_S]

US politicians will buy whatever they can that sends money back to their districts, whether or not the US military needs or wants it. Louisiana's Senator Trent Lott is notorious for this; he even blew over US$1 billion on an LHD that the USN did not want or need.

Senator Trent Lott is from Mississippi.  


Matt B)  

[Captain Canada]

Looking good, Matt !

Hinds are awesome choppers......nothing like a potent attack helo that hauls around fully loaded troops !


I've got an issue of Combat Aircraft that show a bunch of upgraded Hinds like that, special forces jobs and police type birds. I think a company from S.Africa had somat to do with them.

Cheers !

And do as Ollie sez, build 'er in 35th scale, eh ?

[Jschmus]

According to various sources, the idea of the Hind hauling troops didn't work very well.  In Afghanistan, it was the practice to use the Mi-8s as troop carriers, with the Mi-24s flying escort.  According to an account on Air Vectors, most Mi-24s carried, at most, a gunner in the troop compartment, firing an MG out of either side of the compartment.

If you're going to do a spec ops variant, you'll want to go with one of the later models with shorter wings.  On the older models, the wings block the downdraft from the rotors, making hover difficult for more than short periods, a definite drawback for support missions.  Those ones that Toad mentions, the Mi-24P/Mi-35PS, have shorter wings.  They can't hump as much ordnance, but they have improved performance at lower altitudes.

If you'd like, I can scan those images from Combat Aircraft, and add them to my Yahoo.