A Very Special Mi-24 Helicopter

[Lambo]

Check out what some of our Boys overseas did to their Helicopter. Some Afghan is probably freaking out right about now.
The story is: this very Special Mi-24 helicopter is presently flying in Afghanistan, where it is no doubt causing quite a stir. WOW
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/RWLambo/Gun%20Photos/TheEagleChopper2.jpg[/IMG]
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/RWLambo/Gun Photos/TheEagleChopper1.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/RWLambo/Gun Photos/TheEagleChopper3.jpg

 

[creitzel]

the pics don't work for me. I get a little image that says "Whoops, my image for this link is no longer here..."

 

[NineseveN]

Same.

 

[Derek Zeanah]

nope- not there. GUessing it's pink, though.

 

[Erik Jensen]

none of the pics work for me.

 

[Lambo]

I'll try again!,
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/RWLambo/Gun Photos/TheEagleChopper2.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/RWLambo/Gun Photos/TheEagleChopper1.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/RWLambo/Gun Photos/TheEagleChopper3.jpg

 

[creitzel]

Now they're working Sweet paint job

 

[real_name]

For those that can't view.



Looks like photoshop to me though, under what circumstances would they be allowed to do this?

 

[Diamondback6]

My G-2 is that it's a Russian Army bird, one of their special airshow-display aircraft. Although, +1 on the scheme's wow-factor.

Although it would be a real cool paintjob to use in WoT:
"The Eagle is [blank]ed..."

Please note, Art and other mods, I'm trying to keep the language down while making my point. Trying to avoid unnecessary use of profanity/semi-same, just that in my personal lexicon, that is one of the highest levels on the anger spectrum. (And yes, as a sometime psych student, I do have such a spectrum codified...)

EDIT: No, it's not a PhotoChop. That's a real paintjob, I've seen a string of walkaround and detail photos elsewhere. Will post link as soon as I find it again..
RE-EDIT: Oops, Hungarian, not Russian. Right about "showbird." A/C appears to have been scrapped...
http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/eaglecopter.asp

 

[rayra]

old news / dupe, but welcome anyway.

I recently found some posts on a modeling forum from a builder that was making a 1/48(?) scale version of this Bird, including some fantastic hand-painted recreations of its artwork. I'll see if I can find it again, I'm sure I bookmarked it...

 

[rwc]

It reminds me of that old Far Side cartoon caption:
"Birds of prey know they're cool."

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

From Snopes:

Common as it may be to assume that any neat-o piece of military hardware must be American — especially when it's painted to look like the same type of bird that serves as the U.S. national symbol — the helicopter shown here is not American, nor has it been used by U.S. forces in Afghanistan or Iraq.

The type of helicopter shown in these images is the Mi-24 Hind; the unusually-decorated version pictured here belonged to the Hungarian Air Force and was evidently painted with the eagle design by one of its crew members. The craft was not used in military operations and carried no armaments; it was strictly a display vehicle exhibited at air shows and the like. As far as we have been able to determine, the helicopter has since been decommissioned and no longer exists.

 

[PvtPyle]

Our troops do not fly them, maybe, sometimes they get to ride on them, but they have more traditional paint schemes. At least one is white (and usually seen with a HIP) and two are in the original Russian camo.

There is something very sureal about standing on an airfield in Afghanistan and seeing them come in to land.

 

[murphy54]

a work of art of the russian army:mi 24

 

[El Tejon]

Bolshoi Yestreb!

Those pics are now what like 5 years old now?

 

[Justin]

Not really on topic, and definately old news.

Cool pics, though.