Mi 24 - pics and pilot's perspective

[Gunship]

Some Answers and Pics ..

Lo BlenderPilot. Tx for your interesting questions. I will try and answer them ...

Pictures : Tuesday after the long weekend.

APU : ALL Mi-24's can ONLY be started with an APU. No APU - no start. Ok I know there is a "jippo" way but take it as the ONLY way. Yes different Mi-8 / 17's start with battery or APU.

Mi-8T model starts with batteries, MT and MTV (as far as I remeber with APU).. will find out. Also tailrotor on different sides.

I start the APU with raw battery power. Yes the APU can Power up a camp. But.... it has a half an hour continues run time - so yes but with restrictions.

Yes it can be flown front and rear but the front is VERY 5hit. Very akward seating position in relation to stick and rudders. Remember the Russian Crew Commander / Mission Commander / Gunner sat in the front - normally can not fly. Only the front cockpit crew member can arm the armament with a series of circuit breakers. Russian doctrine for escaping Pilot's ? Very little outside / side front views - no mirrors.

Remeber the aircraft flies at about an 8 degree nose down position. Then sight improves a lot !

Normal Cruise at 260 to 280 km/h with the new engines. Old one's 140 kts.
VNE 320 km/h.

Communications : Very sad and very bad ...

It works out the wind drift for you via doppler for the armament panel - old sytemn but it works :up



Tim Bamber took this picture of me searching for them when they "got lost" on a Sierra Leonean Navy Boat off the Island off Bonthe - far out at sea and I was NOT impressed ! Note the 8 degrees nse down during normal flight. Sorry I do not have pics that shows the nose - down any better. The Smoking engines are standard .. worry when they do not smoke a bit



My first landing on a Ship - ever .. and it was on Her Majesty's Ship .. uhmm yes with a Russian Gunship - how times have changed



I nearly wet my pants as this marshaller was obviously used to less wind resistance than a very heavy Mi-24. His breasts started to flap as we landed - sjees It was very hard to concentrate I was nearly wet !