NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

For the second time, the Czech firm has matched Zvezda’s 1/48 Mi-24 with its own resin and photo-etched metal parts, decals and tape masks… and a handsome reference book, as CHRIS CLIFFORD reveals.

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

In 2021 Eduard commissioned the runners from Zvezda’s 1/48 Mi-24 helicopter kit, to produce a limited-edition Hind D package. It’s clear Eduard secured more sets of parts at the time, with plans to release another limited-edition product… which is now here and simply entitled Hind E (11163).

As last time, the markings cater for Czech Air Force airframes, there being eight colour schemes and special décor defining several of these. Also supplied are four photo-etched (PE) metal frets – three of these are pre-coloured – supplying a host of detail for the cockpits as well as the exterior. Besides the PE there is also a small cache of resin items (sensors, wheels and chaff/flare dispensers), and pre-cut tape masks for the wheels, cockpit glazing and windows.

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

Above: Wheels, chaff/flare dispensers and sensors are crisply cast in resin.

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

Above: The kit cockpits are enlivened with a wealth of pre-coloured PE details, such as layered instrument panels.

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

Above: Plain brass PE also features, mainly for exterior items, although the seatbelts are pre-painted. Note the clear acetate sheet.

The kit styrene is high on detail and refinement, featuring delicate panel line engraving, impressive replication of the main/tail rotor hubs, infra-red-suppressing exhaust units, plus complete engines and cabin troop seating. Finer detail points include the upper fuselage IRCM pulse jammer, a well-appointed air-data boom, an AT6 Spiral missile director pod and the forward-looking infra-red/low light level TV sensor pod; cabin doors can be posed open if desired too.

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Ample stores selection

While fuel tanks for the stub wings are provided, there’s also a generous armoury, which includes Spiral missile tubes, B-8V20A rocket pods and UPK-23 twin-barrelled gun pods. Crowning all this is a high-quality, 94-page softback reference book entitled Véčka…, penned by former commander of the Czech Hind force, Jaroslav Špaček. It’s entirely in the Czech language but the many photos and lovely colour profiles are highly useful, regardless.

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

Above: The fuselage has incredibly fine panel line engraving and has separate troop cabin/engine maintenance doors.

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

Above: Full engines are supplied and these are reasonably well-detailed items.

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

Above: The rendering of the rotor hubs and countermeasures dispensers is particularly impressive.

Varying camouflage styles are catered for, with airframes attending NATO Tiger Meets, the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) and a retirement machine all represented. A separate, busy stencil sheet accompanies the main decal selection. The schemes are:

•    7353, 221 Squadron, 22 Helicopter Base, Náměšt nad Oslavou, Last Flight of the ‘Night Tiger’, May 27, 2015
•    0834, 2 Squadron, 11 Helicopter Regiment, Lìně airfield, CIAF Hradec Králové, July 17, 1993
•    0815, 331 Attack helicopter Squadron, 33 helicopter Base, Přerov, NATO Tiger Meet Beja, Portugal, June 28-July 9, 2002
•    3370/PP-K/EV953, 221 Helicopter Squadron, 22 Helicopter Base, Náměšt and Oslavou, RIAT Fairford, UK, July 14-16, 2015
•    0786, 2 Squadron, 11 Helicopter Regiment, Plzeň-Bory airfield, CSIAF Bratislava, Slovakia, September 5, 1992
•    0837, 231 Attack helicopter Squadron, 23 helicopter Base, Přerov, last flight, route Přerov-Želátovice, December 12, 2005
•    3361, 221 Helicopter Squadron, 22 helicopter Base, Náměšt and Oslavou, NATO Tiger Meet, Cambrai-Épinoy, France, May 9-20, 2011
•    0835, 331 Attack Helicopter Squadron, 33 Helicopter Base, Přerov, March, 2002

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

This is a splendid package with much to add to the base styrene, as well as an interesting choice of schemes. It costs £59.07 direct from Eduard but can also be purchased from Hannants in the UK for £66.80.

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD  NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD  NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD  NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD

NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD  NEW HIND BOXING FROM EDUARD