CD48151 - Mi-8MT/Mi-17 "Hip"

[KursadA]

CD48151 will be a 1/48 scale sheet for the upcoming Annetra Mi-8MT/17 kit, with a few interesting, colorful options for this ubiquitous helicopter.

[Chris D]

For this set, would you consider Afghan Air Force Mi-17 #705?  In 2010 it was the lead helicopter of a two-ship flight that rescued over 2000 Afghans from rising flood waters.  A mixed USAF/AAF crew of USAF Lt. Col. Gregory Roberts and AAF Brig. Gen. Mohammed Barat logged over 13 flight hours in two days to complete the operation.  It remains the most number of people saved by a single USAF flight pair.  Roberts was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross.  The second helicopter in the flight was piloted by Lt. Col. Bernie Willi, and included USAF Master Sgt. Kevin Fife on the crew to operate the rescue hoist.  Fife was decorated with the Bronze Star for the operation and the Airman's Medal for jumping into the flood waters to rescue two children.

 

#705 is a Mi-17V-5, so it has the loading ramp vice the clamshell doors, dolphin nose, and the sliding cargo doors on both sides.  This means probably not buildable from the Annetra kit, but it would be compatible with one of the kits recently teased by Kinetic.

 

Chris

[skyhawk174]

There are even a few Mi-8s or was it Mi-17s that flew in Canadian markings while in Afghanistan.

[Chris D]

Canada had two separate sets of Mi-17's in Afghanistan.

 

The first were six contracted Mi-8T and Mi-8MTV-1 carrying civilian registrations and flown by contracted aircrews.  They were Kyrgyzstan registered and came from Russian company Aviakompaniya Aerostan, through Sky Link of Toronto.  The Mi-8T would not work on the Annetra model, but the Mi-8MTV-1's would.  There flew in entirely civilian markings, and were used for general logistics and other non-combat support functions.

 

After that yearlong contract ran out, the Department of National Defense went out and directly leased four Mi-17V-5.  These were flown by Canadian forces pilots, they flew combat missions, and they were fully painted in Canadian markings.  They were officially designated CH-178 and were given the serial numbers 178404 through 178407.  They were operated throughout 2010 from Kandahar.  Unfortunately the Mi-17V-5's are not buildable from the Annetra kit.

 

http://i.imgur.com/BWr6dwz.jpg

 

Chris

[skyhawk174]

5 minutes ago, Chris D said:

Canada had two separate sets of Mi-17's in Afghanistan.

 

The first were six contracted Mi-8T and Mi-8MTV-1 carrying civilian registrations and flown by contracted aircrews.  They were Kyrgyzstan registered and came from Russian company Aviakompaniya Aerostan, through Sky Link of Toronto.  The Mi-8T would not work on the Annetra model, but the Mi-8MTV-1's would.  There flew in entirely civilian markings, and were used for general logistics and other non-combat support functions.

 

After that yearlong contract ran out, the Department of National Defense went out and directly leased four Mi-17V-5.  These were flown by Canadian forces pilots, they flew combat missions, and they were fully painted in Canadian markings.  They were officially designated CH-178 and were given the serial numbers 178404 through 178407.  They were operated throughout 2010 from Kandahar.  Unfortunately the Mi-17V-5's are not buildable from the Annetra kit.

 

http://i.imgur.com/BWr6dwz.jpg

 

Chris

 

Yeah close but no cigar. I think the obvious visual difference is the pointy nose, radar I guess.

 

[Chris D]

The back of the fuselage is also significantly different.  They went from the rounded clamshell doors to the flat vertical loading ramp with the Mi-17V-5.  The fuselage also had sliding cabin entry doors on both sides of the fuselage (which also meant shorter external fuel tanks).

 

The Annetra kit will build the middle range of the Mi-8/Mi-17 family.  The early Mi-8's had different engines, and are most easily identified by the lack of engine inlet filters and the tail rotor on the starboard side of the fuselage, so these too can't be built from the Annetra kit.

 

Chris

[skyhawk174]

1 hour ago, Chris D said:

The back of the fuselage is also significantly different.  They went from the rounded clamshell doors to the flat vertical loading ramp with the Mi-17V-5.  The fuselage also had sliding cabin entry doors on both sides of the fuselage (which also meant shorter external fuel tanks).

 

The Annetra kit will build the middle range of the Mi-8/Mi-17 family.  The early Mi-8's had different engines, and are most easily identified by the lack of engine inlet filters and the tail rotor on the starboard side of the fuselage, so these too can't be built from the Annetra kit.

 

Chris

 

Yeah forgot about those other little things. Hopefully Annetra wil release a different version if this one sells well? I live in hope.