jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) (09/14/90)
From: jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) Here's number twenty-two (and the first helicopter) in the series--the Soviet Union's Hind helicopter gunship: Mil Mi-24 Hind D Engines: Two Isotov TV3-117 turboshafts, 2200 hp. Performance: Maximum speed: 192 mph at 3280 ft. Cruising speed: 183 mph Maximum inclined climb: 2460 ft/min Hovering ceiling: 7200 feet (out of ground effect) Service ceiling: 14,750 feet Range: 470 miles (maximum internal fuel) Combat radius: 100 miles (maximum ordinance, internal fuel) Weights: Empty weight: 18,500 pounds Normal loaded weight: 24,300 pounds Armament: One 12.7 mm four-barrel rotary gun in a nose barbette. Up to 3300 pounds of external ordinance can be carried on hardpoints under a pair of stubby "wings" attached to fuselage sides. Provision for four AT-2 Swatter infrared homing antitank missiles and four pods each with 32 57-mm unguided rockets. Hind A can carry four AT-3 Sagger wire-guided antitank missiles. Remarks: Hind D is the gunship version of the Mi-24. Vertically staggered tandem stations for the weapons operator and the pilot in separate cockpits. An 8-man assault squad can also be carried in the rear section. Hind E version can carry four laser-homing tube-launched AT-6 Spiral antitank missiles. Hind gunship is very heavily armored. It has the reputation of being completely impervious to small-arms fire. Export version is Mi-25. AT-2 Swatter antitank missile is a passive infrared homer. It has a range of approximately 2200 meters and a maximum speed of 330 mph. The warhead is a hollow charge capable of piercing up to 27 inches of armor. The total weight of the missile is 55 pounds. AT-3 Sagger antitank missile is wire-guided. It is steered by an observer using an optical sight and a joystick. The joystick sends electrical signals over the wire, which control the missile by means of a set of jet deflectors which are applied to the sustaining rocket motor. A tracking flare attached to the missile aids the operator in directing the missile to the target. A range of up to 3000 meters can be achieved. The weight of the missile is 25 pounds. The warhead is a hollow charge which can pierce up to 24 inches of armor. The AT-6 Spiral antitank missile is a tube-launched antitank weapon which homes in on its target by means of radio command or by laser guidance. The laser designator can be mounted on the helicopter itself, or else it can be directed by friendly troops on the ground. The warhead is believed to be capable of penetrating all known armor. The AT-3 Sagger missile was first used by Egyptian ground troops during the Yom Kippur War of 1973. It had a devastating effect on Israeli armor. When carried on a helicopter, the wire-guided Sagger has some disadvantages. The launching helicopter must either hover at rest or else move only very, very slowly during the entire flight of the missile in order to achieve a hit. This of course exposes the launching helicopter itself to attack. Sources: The Observer's Book of Aircraft, William Green. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Armament, Bill Gunston Joe Baugher ************************************* AT&T Bell Laboratories * "You have chosen your friends * 200 Park Plaza * unwisely, Mr. Jones, and this * Naperville, Illinois 60566-7050 * time it will cost you." * (708) 713 4548 ************************************* ihlpm!jfb jfb200@cbnewsd.att.com Who, me? Speak for AT&T? Surely you jest!
jumper@shumv1.ncsu.edu (Michael Lanham) (09/24/90)
From: jumper@shumv1.ncsu.edu (Michael Lanham) jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) writes: > Hind gunship is very heavily armored. It has the reputation > of being completely impervious to small-arms fire. Although not really considered small arms fire, the 12.7mm has been proven very effective against the HINDs. The mujahideen (sp), through some extensive, and deadly experimentation, found that in mouuntainous terrain when the Hinds come in nap-of-the-earth, that emplacing a 12.7mm on the surrounding ridge lines could bring the helicopter down. Before the stinger was widely issued to the rebels, the emplacment of the 12.7 *above* the flight path of the Hind allowed for almost the only effective killing fire against it. -- He who will not reason, is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares not is a slave. --- Sir William Drummond What is morality in any given time or place? It is what the
wyvern@agora.hf.intel.com (Scott Sanford) (09/28/90)
From: wyvern@agora.hf.intel.com (Scott Sanford) jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) writes: > Hind gunship is very heavily armored. It has the reputation > of being completely impervious to small-arms fire. I have heard reports to the effect that the Hind has an Achilles Heel at the rotor axis; supposedly firing even relatively light weapons (ie, assault rifles) at this point can bring down the machine. Needless to say, I have not tried this myself, nor do I want to have the opportunity... "The Gyromobile is my best invention -wyvern@agora.hf.intel.com yet; nothing could possibly go wrong... ...I can fix that." -Gadget Hackwrench