THE KIT
The Zvezda Mi-24P is an
outstanding kit and I have
already built a number of other
versions in Zvezda’s Hind family.
Opening the box shows that this
is an exceptionally detailed kit:
delicately recessed panel lines;
a nicely done cockpit and cabin
interior; a complete engine and
transmission that includes two
full engines, complete with
open or closed engine panels;
detailed rotor head and multi-part
transmission compartment.
A comprehensive 12-
page instruction booklet
comes with the kit.CONSTRUCTION
In view of the many parts it is
imperative that one follows the
instructions carefully. The first
stage starts with the pilot and
navigator/gunner’s cockpit interior
items, which require painting
before they are assembled, followedby the main cabin. Appropriate kit
decals for instruments and side
consoles panels are also added.
The engine and transmission
compartment components should
be carefully removed from their
sprues, trimmed, and painted
according to kit instructions. These
are very colourful, with shades
of bronze green, duck egg blue
framework and brown-red and
gull-coloured parts that contrast
with the engine bay and really make
it stand out. They are glued in place
to the two fuselage halves, which
are then mated together with little
effort, especially considering all
the various bulkheads and floor
panels that went into the assembly.
Access doors can be assembled
open or closed, and if open are
painted gull grey on the inside. I
preferred to fix them in the open
pose, but at a later stage after
the camouflage is applied.
I masked off the interior parts
with rectangular pieces of masking
tape in preparation for paintingthe exterior camouflage of light
tan and green camouflage, which
mainly has a hard demarcation
between the two colours. Many
details such as aerials, ASO-2V
chaff/flare dispensers on the
sides, a small intake, and tiny
pitot tubes were also added to
the fuselage before painting.
The rotor blades are a separate
sub-assembly. The main rotor
blades are slate grey with silver
leading edges and yellow tip
markings, so painting requires
abundant use of masking tape.
A variety of stores includes
drop tanks, twin mini gun pods,
and a pair of b8V20 rocket pods,
mounted under the stub wings.
Four tube-launched 9 m114 Shturm
(AT-6 Spiral) anti-tank missiles are
carried on pylons at the wing tips.DECALS
The kit comes with three decal
options: RF93546, yellow 20, 344th
Centre for Combat Training andRetraining of Aircraft Crews,
Torzhok, 2014, in overall tank
grey; RF91072, blue 07, airfield
of Privolzhsky, Astrakhan
region, May 2015; and RF91832,
yellow 34, Khmeimim Air Base
Syria. The last two are in alight
tan and green camouflage.
The decal sheet is of top
quality and includes stencilling
for the fuselage, main rotor,
and armaments. Zvezda also
supplies decals for the underside
of the blades, which add detail
to an otherwise flat surface.CONCLUSION
This kit makes a true replica of
the advanced Mi-24 series. It is
not a kit that can be made up in
a weekend and due to the large
part count is recommended
for experienced modellers.
My thanks to Zvezda for
supplying this superb helicopter kit.KIT REVIEWS
WWW.SAMPUBLICATIONS.COM • NOVEMBER 2018 • 61
056-65-Reviews-1118.indd 61 12/10/2018 15:58