Revell 1/48 MiL-24D Hind Helicopter which I got from HobbyLink Japan a couple of weeks back. This kit is actually hard to come by, that's why when I saw it at HobbyLink Japan I scooped it up immediately. This fearsome helicopter was developed by the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). It was in a class of its own because it served as both a troop transport and an attack helicopter.
There were a lot of variants of this made but the one variant whose design I loved the most was the D variant. There was just something majestic about its design, what with its nose and side armaments and the way the rotors bent during flight because of the strain imposed by its massive frame. This helicopter made waves in Afghanistan during the early part of the Soviet occupation of the country. Eventually though, a low cost heat seeking shoulder mounted disposable rocket, known as the Stinger, made this awesome helicopter somewhat obsolete.
Box shot of the kit can be seen above, next to a 6 inch ruler for comparison. The box material is actually quite thin so it can get easily crushed during shipment. I didn't have any problem with that however as per my experience, HobbyLink Japan always packed their shipment very well to prevent my items from being crushed.
This kit is in 1/48th scale and can be built as a Polish Military version or as a (former) East German version. Basic parts are molded in grey while the clear parts are placed in a separate runner. It comes with decals and a manual for assembly. The Hind comes with 2 figures which comprise of the pilot and his gunner. The kit is rated by Revell to be of Level 2. With that it is recommended that persons 10 years old or above build it. To assemble it, paint and glue are required.
Here's a shot of the included decals
Here's a shot of the manual and some select pages from within the manual
Part of the manual showing the decal placement for the two options available of building the Hind as either a Polish or East Germans version
Here's a shot of the clear part runner for the cockpit canopy and passenger door windows.
Here's a picture of the two halves that comprise the fuselage
And here's the reverse view of the fuselage to give you an idea on the available detailing, or lack of *snicker*
And here's the shot of the other runners
