mI-8 / mI-24 in German Service

[Pibwl]

I've also written, that MiG-29s delivered in 80s/90s can carry only 80mm rockets or 500 kg bombs.

Originally Posted by FASTBOAT TOUGH

"Mil-24 HIND armament" ...
four underwing pylons for UB-32 rocket pods (each 32 S-5 type 57 mm rockets), B-8V-20 pods each containing twenty 80 mm S-8 rockets, B-13L pods each containing five 130 mm S-13 rockets, 240 mm S-24B rockets...

In fact, standard armament for non-Russian helicopters are 57 mm rockets. 80 mm rockets could have been delivered to peculiar countries or could be not. Bigger rockets were untypical in non-Russian service.
As for 240 mm rockets, the book "Soviet/Russian aircraft armament since WW2" by Yefim Gordon doesn't even list helicopters as standard carriers, but only mentions, that part of Soviet Mi-24V were modified to use this weapon.

130mm rockets S-13 are in fact 122mm caliber (according to the quoted book), hence confusion. However, I would be very surprised to see it under non-Russian helicopter. Poland for instance got literally several launchers for Su-22M4 (not helicopters), reportedly with some dozen rockets only, and they are not normally used.

BTW, Czechoslovakia developed its own 122mm aircraft rockets, simply adapting M-21OF Grad, but they don't seem to find wide use.

Michal

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Thank you both, concur on 122mm rockets for Mi-24. Agree Russia will fly with the heavier rockets and have reportedly used them in Chechnya. Russia also ordered 40 Mi-24M in May as part of their 2020 modernization plan. This is to include the ones already on hand that have been ordered and are flying within the last 2-3 years.
http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20110811/165710365.html
The Mi-24V/Mi-35M are interchangeable.

The MiG-29 issue is dead to me at this point as far as the Germanys are concerned. The only useful variant in the F/B version again was the MiG-29SM that for now it seems, only Russia flew. Interceptors are not good fighter bombers normally, as is already posted in this thread by the guys that flew them. The MiG-23 and it's dedicated full time mostly F/B offshoot the MiG-27 filled that role and were contemporaries to the MiG-29. In the first ref you'll notice the MiG-29A in Luftwaffe colors.
http://www.military-today.com/aircra...29_fulcrum.htm
http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/mig27/

I never argue with JANES, and of course I would find the refs that say 130mm rockets. Bottomline saved me a lot of wasted time over 8mm. So far the MiG-23 issue for East Germany looks good and they've already responed "next door" though I've seen some German info to suggust only the MiG-23BN might have been used as F/B and M versions as dediciated interceptors. Will get clarification. Seems the Soviets didn't trust them much for some roles as already pointed out concerning the SEAD issue. Kind of makes me wonder how many MiG-29 slots could be cut out of the Russian OOB.

Regards,
Pat