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Mi-8 window-mounted MGs


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Which windows were/are used to mount machine-guns in the Mi-8/Mi-17? Any pictures are also welcome. I´m currently building the Hobbyboss Mi-8, and so far it´s a really good kit, excellent fit of all parts!

HAJO

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Here is a picture of my Hip. Kind of hard to see, but there is a machine gun mounted in the window right behind the cockpit area. Machine guns mounted in Hips were mostly done as a field modification, so you could pretty much put it anywhere you want.

Dave

PennCon043.jpg

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It WAS a good model, until the great helicopter disaster. Dog jumped on it. And that's all I got to say about that :P

Hey Randdav,

That is (was) a great looking model. What scale / mfg is it? I've never really considered making a Mi-8 but looking at your helo has got me thinking about it....

John

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Which windows were/are used to mount machine-guns in the Mi-8/Mi-17? Any pictures are also welcome. I´m currently building the Hobbyboss Mi-8, and so far it´s a really good kit, excellent fit of all parts!

HAJO

Hajo,

I am doing the same build - as you say, excellent kit.

According to the 'Red Star' book on the Mi-8/17....

"The Mi-8T/Mi-8TV has six circular cabin windows to port (the foremost window is incorporated in the entry door) and five to starboard. The windows open inwards and upwards: on military helicopters they feature flexible mounts for the troops assault rifles."

So, the answer to your question is - ALL OF THEM.

As rotorheadTX has posted, in Afghanistan, the rear emergency hatch in the starboard clamshell door was also used to mount a PKT MG - and there was sometimes another mounted in the front port entry door.....

They also sometimes fitted PKT MGs on top of the outrigger weapons pylons.

The Mi-8 was, at one time, the most heavily armed helicopter in the world!!!!

Ken

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Didn't this version carry a 12.7 mm gun in the nose transparancy as well..?

Cheers,

Andre

Oooops - yes, missed that one......

day04_005.jpg

I don't think any single example carried ALL the MGs - just any combination of nose, port side door, rear emergency hatch, outriggers and circular windows.

Mind you, if they did fit weapons in all those positions, I make it fifteen guns in total !!!

(10 x 7.62 troop weapons + 5 x 12.7MGs) - Flying Fortress anyone ???

Add in six weapons pylons for rockets, bombs or gun pods................... :thumbsup:

Ken

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Hello all,

Anyone know where you can get a Russian mg in 1/72 to use on one of these kits? I have a few Russian tanks with mg's ( IS3), would these do or would they be too high a calibre?

Rich

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Hello all,

Anyone know where you can get a Russian mg in 1/72 to use on one of these kits? I have a few Russian tanks with mg's ( IS3), would these do or would they be too high a calibre?

Rich

Those are too big, they are 12.7mm heavy machine guns, the ones you need are smaller weapons.

John

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Didn't this version carry a 12.7 mm gun in the nose transparancy as well..?

Cheers,

Andre

NO

not 12.7mm on Hips, especially not in the nose frame.

In Afghanistan they carried one PKT (PKT is a version of PKM but with thicker barrel used ussualy on russian tanks as a coaxial MG - 7.62mm) in the nose and another one in the clamp shell door at the back.

PKTMounts.jpg

2-1.jpg

and here is the configuration Ken mentioned earlier with PKT on the pylons (used only in the beginning of War)

mi8_34.jpg

Sometimes they would mount 30mm automatic granade louncher in the port side door and use it on a target "spectrum style".

mi8_14.jpg

Troop compartment windows where mostly used only for AKs...if you look closely on the last pic - you can see the standart mount for the troop compartment windows...

Andy

Edited by Intruder_bass
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2-1.jpg

Andy

Nice pics Andy - saves me having to scan them in from my (same) sources..... :)

Any idea what the metal hoop is in the above photo - mounted on top of the pilot's binnacle ???

I noticed it in a couple of pics I took of a Mi-8MTV at Gelendzhik - from the outside.

Due to the glazing relection, I thought it was a clear screen, but it clearly it is a metal hoop.

Maybe used to fit a canvas screen over the pilots instrument panel for blind-flying training ???

Ken

PS - When is some enterprising resin manufacturer going to make a set of those ubiquitous 3-bladed fans - they are almost compulsory on any model of a Russian aircraft.

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Any idea what the metal hoop is in the above photo - mounted on top of the pilot's binnacle ???

Maybe used to fit a canvas screen over the pilots instrument panel for blind-flying training ???

Ken

Thats exactly what it is. Rough translation from russian - "blind flight curtain" for training purposes

WAS NOT USED IN AFGHANISTAN

but what is not present on the photo but should be there if you are building Afghan era Hip - armor plates all over the cockpit (sometimes spare parachutes piled up around nose PKT mount), anti-glare shield above instrument panels (optional) and ammo cases for PKT.

http://vertoletciki.forumbb.ru/uploads/0000/d0/8c/2982-1.jpg

http://i026.radikal.ru/0802/fc/73542a1989f2.jpg

http://i014.radikal.ru/0802/be/0dcbe717de14.jpg

Just found a better pic of the troop compartment window mount

20fc53f97300.jpg

Andy

Edited by Intruder_bass
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  • 3 weeks later...

I will add a couple of pictures of my build and transform this thread into a "In-Progress"-thread, hope you don´t mind.

Cocpit assembled, pilots have taken a seat:

Mi-8e.jpg

The doorgunners are already on their positions:

Mi-8d.jpg

Hull assembled, I never had a single problem with the kit during this build, excellent fitting!

Mi-8f.jpg

Mi-8g.jpg

The first layer, a dark sand:

Mi-8h.jpg

And the finished camoflage, the parts where decals will be appliead are already coated with future:

Mi-8i.jpg

Mi-8j.jpg

HAJO

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.......aaaand finished!

Resume: A great kit, excellent fitting, had not a single problem with the parts. Only thing you need to be careful with are the rotor-blades: They have small, 1mm nuts to attach them to the head. I had to learn the hard way that these small bolt sbreak very easily. The fitting however has been so good that it may be better to not use glue when attaching the blades, so they won´t break and can be removed for storage and transport.

The color schme I used is fictional and matches perfect with my older Italeri Mi-24.

Mi-8k.jpg

Mi-8l.jpg

Mi-8n.jpg

Mi-8m.jpg

Mi-8o.jpg

Mi-8p.jpg

Mi-8q.jpg

HAJO

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