Mi-24A Hind

The Mil Mi-24 "Hind" is a Soviet attack and transport helicopter. Mi-24A was the second production model. Both the Mi-24 and Mi-24A entered Soviet Air Force service in 1972. The former lacks the four-barrel Yak-B 12.7mm machine gun under the nose.

Overview and tactics

 * Cheap, sturdy and with a vast array of weapons, the MI-24A is an excellent addition to start the MI-24 family; while its AP capabilities are somewhat poor, it can still bring enough punch, morale damage and hitpoints to stand it's ground.
 * The MI24A can be considered the air version of the T-55; it's not going to get high scores against heavy armor forces, but it can still bring sustantial firepower to the table and it works as a meatshield for costier units such the higher tiered MI24 versions and the Havoc.
 * Do not understimate the weapons of the MI-24A. When massed, the rocket batteries can do wonders against enemy formations and units under cover. Also, the HMG will bring some AA firepower against NATO copters and the ATGMs may disrupt moral or even get a lucky shot. As pointed out before, numbers are the main advantage of this helicopter.

History
In the middle of the 1960s, while the western countries were looking the helicopter mainly as a transport and rescue machine, the Soviet Army look at them as the air counterpart of the battle tanks.

Heavy armed versions of the Mi-8 Hip were in service in those years when the Mil bureau start working in a new prototype called the A-10. This new helicopter, designed primary as an anti tank weapon began tests in 1970 and was seen for first time by NATO in East Germany in 1972. The A-10 soon reached a speed record of 368 km/h.

The first versions uses a standard helo cockpit with pilots side-by-side, but in 1975 would appear the Hind-D with the now traditional attack cockpit in a tandem configuration.

Later versions, as the Hind-E, used the more sophisticated AT-6 Spiral missiles instead of the AT-2 Swatter and a 23 mm cannon replacing the 12,7 mm machine gun in the turret