[BwanaNdege]

a testament to the ingenuity of the design team at Mil that made the still-feared attack chopper a reality.

IIRC, the Hind was based on engines,transmission and rotor head of the MIL-8, itself a copy of the Sikorsky SH-3.

In 1969, Sikorsky proposed an attack helo built on the SH-3 platform. They called it the Blackhawk. Sometime later the Soviets revealed the MIL-24 Hind. Draw your own conclusions.

Sikorsky SH-3 (the VH-3 is the Presidential "White Top" version)

MIL-8

Sikorsky S-67 Blackhawk

MI-24 "Hind"

It was proposed for the attack mission, where it could carry 7,000 pounds of arms and ammunition. It could use existing weapons, such as the turret-mounted 7.62 gun, 20- and 30-millimeter cannon, the 40-millimeter grenade launcher, and wing mounted rocket and TOW missile pods.

For search and rescue missions it could fly 600 miles at high speed, using auxiliary fuel tanks mounted on the wing. It could be used for observation/surveillance, carrying sophisticated electronic equipment to detect and record the emplacement and movement of enemy installations. With cabin modification it could transport as many as six armed troops at 165 miles an hour over distances up to 220 miles. And it could be used to transport external loads weighing as much as three and one half tons.

The aircraft flew from 1970 to 1974. Pilots reported that it was very smooth and responsive. It was very maneuverable, and performed loops, rolls and split-S maneuvers during numerous flight demonstration.

[BwanaNdege]

Sorry, I left off the reference link for the S-67 Blackhawk information.

http://www.sikorskyarchives.com/S-67%20BLACKHAWK.php

[Spktyr]

The Mi-8 is based on the earlier Mi-4 - in fact, it’s an updated Mi-4 with a larger cabin and turbines instead of a piston engine. The Soviets stole a lot of US tech designs, but this wasn’t one of them.

It’s more a case of function dictating form and parallel development. Otherwise, we would have to say the F-15 is a copy of the MiG-25 when it isn’t.

[Spktyr]

Also, first flight of the Hind was in September 1969 - the Sikorsky concept attack copter concept was only a proposal at the time and didn’t fly until the following year.