Mil Mi-24 Hind-D "late"

Here is my article on how I built Revell's Mil Mi-24D Hind "late" from 1st Lekta Czech Air Force in 1995.

Box analysis

Revell's plastic model of the Mi-24D Hind is a very good base for an impressive result (37 cms). The box is a classic Revell box, with its unconveniant lateral opening, containing the old Monogram moldings with fine raised structure lines... The main disadvantage is that there is no rivets which are clearly visible on the real one. Transparent parts are wonderfull, but of course due to their shape they deform the vision. Thermoforming looks quite impossible due to their shape.

The decal sheet is of good quality, but very small. Three paint schemes are possible:

• Russian: Brown and green
• East Germany: 2 greens
• Unified Germany: gray and green

Documentation

There is plenty of documentation on the net, you can start with this web site: Helicopter Walkaround

Cockpit

After a time of analyzing the Revell cockpit, there was only one possible conclusion: it is completely false. I decided to rebuilt it completely from scratch. This is what it looks like originaly:

• Seats correct for cavern trolls
• All the instrument panels are wrong, missing or not at the right place.

Instrument panels were recreated with anything I found and that does not cost anything: old credit card, eraser, electric wire, etc....

All this is then painted and drybrushed. All this must look like a big mess as it looks like in real.

Now the canopy needs to be detailed. Take care, the Hind D mirror is on the right, and the HUD is attached to the canopy

Engraving

The complete plastic model has been engraved.

Rear compartment

Whereas the cockpit is completely false, the rear compartment is accurate. I juste added some tubing, a fire extinguisher, then this was painted in light blue (Humbrol 65 + 50% white)

Because the turbine exhaust is completely empty, I created the 2 red caches. Homles have been drilled on the rotor.

Take care when you close the fuselage, I had a big alignment problem and looking to the photos, You will discover that looking from front, this helicopter is nothing but straight. The cockpit is not aligned with the rear compartment for example, the fuselage should "fall" on the left, the right wing being lower than the left one.

Rotors & Blades

Parts are nice but this is typicaly the kind of thing to enhance on an helicopter.

Landing gear

Following modifications were done on the landing gear of the Revell Hind kit.

• Wheel axis and wheels are drilled out
  
• Front suspension triangle has to be recreated
• Of course cables ar to be added

• Wheels have to be flattened
• rear landing gear is detailled, there is simply nothing in the kit.

Armament and external detail

Tail

The kit is completely false regarding antennas, even for an early Hind D. As I have performed a late D, you have to:

• Above: recreate antennas and recreate position light.
• Below: Flares are missing. Strangly, on this Hind, the U antenna is missing.
• Grids are to be added on the tail.

Armament

Canon, the most visible feature, has been completely recreated with medical sting. The Pylons were detailled as well

Fuselage Below

• a: access door re-engraving and a white light added
• b: 2 small antennass
• c: a round thing
• d: antenna
• e: wire antenna
• f: air intake hollowed
• g: separation between the antenna and it's support is recreated (puty), the step is also recreated and an antenna adde on its rear.

Fuselage above, right side

• a: hollow air intake
• b: exhaust recreated, they are flat in the kit.
• c: air intakes created (thin metal sheet) and turbine cone is drilled out.
• d: lights and antennas
• e: acces panel added with a handle.
• f: a bar was missing on the step

Fuselage - Left hand side

• a: same as the other side
• b:antenna (as the other side) and covers using meshed sheet.
• c: same as as the other side
• d: lights and antennas

Painting

The XTradecal does furnish all the tiger paint scheme, looking to the shape of the fuselage, it would be impossible to position it correctly. So all will be painted

Front section

Let's start with the front.

• First Tamiya white XF-2
• Masking
• then a mix of Humbrol 66 / Humbrol 130
• Masking
• mix of Life Color UA141  / Tamiya Royal blue X-3
• Unmasking

Tail section

The tail is more complicated to paint:

• First masking and aluminium paint.
• Unmasking.
• Then create a tool to generate the mask for the small tictch of the zip.

• Black paint
• Masking
• Orange paint ( Humbrol 154 / 18 (or 81 ?))
• Unmasking

Tiger

Regarding the tiger, the one of the decal sheet includes the number 20. So this number is cut of, the decal is positionned, then orange and black is hand painted.

BIG problem. I did the exhaust smoke trace using Tamiya smoke, and then I used mat Pebeo varnish. There has been a strange reaction tearing the smoke.  I don't use anymore Tamiya smoke since that experience. And to correct it ? scrapping, masking, painting.

Conclusion

But at the end, here it is. It was long, difficult, but I'm very satisfied of the result.