September 19, 1969, the Mil Mi-24 helicopter (NATO code "Hind") flew for the first time,without...

...a shadow of a doubt the symbol par excellence of military helicopters, of Soviet-Russian war power and of the Cold War.
On December 11, 2019, we published every evening on this channel a review of the numerous countries that used the Hind, a review that ended on February 15, 2020.
Also in 2019, a special was produced on Analisi Difesa for the 50th anniversary of the first flight of this powerful and versatile platform; certainly one of the greatest achievements of Mikhail Leont’yevich Mil, founder of the Moscow bureau of the same name.
According to the military doctrine of those years, in fact, the new helicopter had to have a crew composed of a pilot and a gunner. A prerequisite was the ability to embark eight landing troops or, if necessary, wounded and various loads.

To ensure high flight speed, the aircraft was equipped with a retractable landing gear and the main rotor was supported by a small pair of wings. Survivability was increased by armoring the cabin and main components.
The serial production of the helicopter began in 1971. It has many variations and has been exported to more than 30 countries. The "Crocodile" received its baptism of fire in 1975 in Angola and was used mainly in Afghanistan. Despite their impressive age, these helicopters continue to be in service in many countries and are the second most widespread attack helicopter in the world.

Over the decades, the Hind has changed a lot both externally and internally. Now in Rostov-on-Don, the production of new models of the legendary "Crocodile" continues: the Mi-35M and Mi-35P helicopters.