The Flying Tank

Rafal Łebioda builds the 1/72 Zvezda MI-24D.

- Rafal Łebioda

The Kit

Ten years have passed since the Zvezdareleased their 1/72 Mi-24. It was a ground-breaking model for this manufacturer, announcing further expansion for them in new scales and genres. The kit was very well received by modellers and commended for the quality of the mould and fidelity to the prototype. Recently Zvezda released it in 1/48, so I decided to build its predecessor in 1/72 scale.

From the beginning, I planned to build this machine in Polish Air Force service, and in the Polish Military Contingent (PKW) during their 2006 mission in Iraq. I also planned to make the model with open hatches and doors, to show the interior. In order to do this, I also used a number of accessories, mainly photoetch from Eduard, turned metal items from Master, and my own modifications.

The Build

I started to build the model, following the assembly instructions. The interior elements went together quickly, slotting neatly into the fuselage halves. Zvezda has made an accurate model, paying attention to even the tiniest interior elements. The whole assembly is efficient and precise, although, as always, care must be taken with the small elements, their clean-up, and final fitting.