Hind D helicopter plastic model kit 1/72 scale

Here we have another of the excellent Italeri 1/72nd scale model helicopter kits. This time the subject being reproduced in miniature is the famous Russian MIL-24 Hind D helicopter.

This formidable and powerful helicopter combines the roles of a transport and gunship in one aircraft, whilst looking like an airborne gunslinger.

This example of the kit is very cleanly moulded in an ocre coloured plastic. The panel lines are raised and fine, while the kit exihibits fine and refrained rivet detail where appropriate.

On dry fitting some of the major parts, the fit appears to be very good indeed. Both fuselage halves come together accurately, and when 'eyed up' the fuz looks good and square. The clear canopy and other parts are also very well moulded and fit as they should, an important matter with a kit such as this.

The cockpit is another part of the model which is well detailed. Two seats complete with moulded in harnesses mount onto a cockpit tub moulding. The instrument panel is well defined with individual dials which will need painting as there isn't a decal for this. Both collective levers and cyclic joysticks are included for each of the crew positions.

The five bladed rotor-head of the Mil-24 is well reproduced with good detail, as is the tail rotor. The undercarriage once again is well detailed with even the hydraulic hoses being moulded onto the main legs.

For those who like their doors left open the internal load carrying area of the helicopter has not been forgotten. Here Italeri has moulded a series of parts which form a box like assembly, this being sandwiched between the fuz halves.

The decal sheet is of good quality, but the printing on my example is not in completely perfect register (very nearly though). Decals cover three examples of Mil-24 Hind D. A Russian machine resplendent in Soviet red stars, a Czech machine circa 1991, and a German Army Hind. The ordnance for the model of this heavily armed helicopter consists of stub-wing mounted rocket pods and AT-6 missiles together with the lower nose mounted turret mg, all of which is well moulded in this example of the kit.

To sum up this kit of the Hind D will build into an excellent model of an exciting helicopter. The kit may lack the recessed panel lines of the latest generation of Italeri helicopter kits, but the detail is still very good indeed and the fine rivet detail suits this awesome machine. In the case of this heavy-duty helicopter I prefer the finely moulded rivet detail to just having fine recessed panel lines (though recessed panel lines with a row of subtle rivet detail like on the Italeri CH-53 kits would have been ideal).