Afghan Mi-35 Hinds

[Check Six]

Thought I would post these few pics. On the recent trip to Afghanistan we got to meet the General in Charge of the Air Force and he arranged for these guys to put their Hinds in the air for some hovering pics. Next time we go back, now that he knows us, he has agreed to let us shoot some air to air photos from an Mi-17.

 

[WishICouldFly]

Wow...great pics...so do they have a lot of modifications from the Mi-24, hence the Mi-35 designation?

 

[Skeet]

Excellent pics. .............

Skeet

 

[Check Six]

Few more assorted ones including some of the AN32 crew in front of their aircraft.

 

[kejo]

respect...but those have to be the world's ugliest helos

 

[mts4602]

^^ just about to say the same thing, haha.

 

[hscs]

Excellent pics. ........................ Skeet

Skeet -- Consider yourself warned. Do not be doing this.

 

[Flash]

Are the pilots Afghani or foreigners?

 

[PropStop]

What are those big bulb-like things in front of the intakes?

 

[Check Six]

Pilots are all Afghanis and most of them have many years of combat experience, especially the Hind crews.

 

[Zilch]

Awesome pics. That looks like one beast of a helo.

 

[SteveG75]

Wow...great pics...so do they have a lot of modifications from the Mi-24, hence the Mi-35 designation?

The export versions of the Mi-24 are the Mi-25 and Mi-35, denoted as Hind D and Hind E respectively.

 

[Check Six]

I was also told the Mi-35 has the tail rotor on the opposite side of the fuse than the Mi-24, not sure if thats correct or not.

 

[Skeet]

I must say, outstanding. My government can't give me what I want, but you can. You must be good.

 

[RHPF]

That is interesting...
On a tour to the 'petting zoo' at Nellis AFB, the guide said the Hind cannot hover due to its massive weight and that it just lands and takes off on a roll. Seemed counter-intuitive for a helo to not be able to hover, but possible given the things size. It would appear that the guide was wrong?