The Mil Mi-24 ( NATO codename: Hind ) is an Attack Helicopter developed in the Soviet Union. It was designed and manufactured by Mil Moscow. Russian pilots nicknamed it летающий танк (letajuschtschi
tank, "flying tank" ) or Крокодил ( "Crocodile", because of the exterior paint ), as well as Стакан (Stakan, or "glass" because of the large glass canopy, especially on the Mi-24A ).
The Mi-24 is powered by two gas turbine engines and has a five-blade main rotor. The Mi-24 is based on the Mi-8, but the fuselage was completely redesigned.
The Mi-24 is used in all sorts of warfare as well as escorting allied air units. Unlike other Attack Helicopters, the Mi-24 is able to act as a low-capacity transport helicopter, able to carry up to 8 soldiers.
Being a rare combination of a gunship and troop transport, the Mi-24 has no direct NATO counterpart. The most similar helicopter (in terms of usage) would arguably be the Russian Ka-29TB, a variant of the Ka-27.
The Mi-24 was developed in the 1960s, at the time Mikhail Mil was still alive, and was released in 1972, two years after his death. The Mi-24 held the speed record twice, the first time with 334.46 km/h ( TW2-117A engine ) and the second time with a speed of 368.40 km/h ( TW3 engine ).
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