MIL Mi-24

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The Mil Mi-24 (Russian: Миль Ми-24; NATO reporting name: Hind) is a large helicopter gunship, attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for eight passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and has been operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force and its successors, along with 48 other nations. In NATO circles, the export versions, Mi-25 and Mi-35, are denoted with a letter suffix as Hind D and Hind E. Soviet pilots called the Mi-24 the flying tank (Russian: летающий танк, romanized: letayushchiy tank), a term used historically with the famous World War II Soviet Il-2 Shturmovik armored ground attack aircraft. More common unofficial nicknames were Galina (or Galya), Crocodile (Russian: Крокодил, romanized: Krokodil), due to the helicopter's camouflage scheme, and Drinking Glass (Russian: Стакан, romanized: Stakan), because of the flat glass plates that surround earlier Mi-24 variants' cockpits. The aircraft was operated extensively during the Soviet–Afghan War, mainly for bombing Mujahideen fighters. When the U.S. supplied heat-seeking Stinger missiles to the Mujahideen, the Soviet Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters proved to be favorite targets of the rebels. It is difficult to find the total number of Mi-24s used in Afghanistan. At the end of 1990, the whole Soviet Army had 1,420 Mi-24s. During the Afghan war, sources estimated the helicopter strength to be as much as 600 machines, with up to 250 being Mi-24s. Whereas a (formerly secret) 1987 CIA report says that the number of Mi-24s in theatre increased from 85 in 1980 to 120 in 1985. helicopter aircraft airplane military copter war army propeller airport vehicle combat quadcopter service helicopter rotorcraft plane battle military aircraft