MI-28N
Video at source
Posted on 04/23/2016 6:39:47 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
The Mi-28 attack helicopter was developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War as an answer to America's AH-64 Apache. Nicknamed "Havoc" by NATO, it was designed to kill NATO tanks and armored vehicles. As such, the Havoc needed to be able to take hits—even to the cockpit—and keep flying.
Despite the similarity between the Havoc and the Apache, we're pretty sure that American helicopter designers didn't test the Apache's armored cockpit by shooting machine guns at it—with people inside.
Yes, as the video shows, Soviet designers actually put a person inside a mock Mi-28 Havoc, then fired a number of different weapons at the armored glass. A number of guns appear to be trained at the glass, from what appear to be puny 7.62x39 rounds from an AK-47 all the way to a KPV 14.5-millimeter anti-aircraft heavy machine gun.
The exact composition of the Mi-28's glass armor is unknown, but it's alleged to be between 1.7 to 2.1 inches thick. The glass is probably made of alternating layers of laminated glass and polycarbonate. Only two things are for certain: the cockpit could really taking a beating, and being part of military testing in the Soviet Union was probably not the most fun job in the world.
MI-28N
Video at source
There are two examples of flying iron tub planes I can think of. The old P-47 Jug and the A-10 Warthog.
In America, test pilots try guns.
In Russia, guns test the pilots.
Why not put a dummy in the cockpit? or no one?
did it have to be tested during flight for some reason.
this makes no sense
Rumor has it, that was a CIA op.
It makes a lot of sense if you understand the evil mindset of communists.
They may very well have done all those tests, now they were doing a final test.
Is the author saying that the US helicopters were sent out without ever having a real fire test, and that the first real test with real people was done on the battlefield?
LOL
The CIA works hard to make sure there's a rumor that they did damn near anything and everything that happens except the half of what they've actually done that backfires badly.
It makes sense if the occupant of the cockpit is the "quality assurance" manager who signed off on the thing meeting specifications. It increases motivation to make sure it's made right.
That is one butt ugly aircraft.
Yeah I thought was hilarious too.
Nedelin and his merry band of hopeless techs were more then capable of blowing themselves up without covert help. It’s almost comical because Nedelin himself had no business being anywhere near a hypergolic launch vehicle and certainly had no idea what a sequencer was.
In Mother Russia test dummies are expensive, life is cheap.
It’s long been held by some of the flying community that helicopters do not, in fact, fly.
They’re just so ugly, the earth repels them.
It, like the Apache, probably looks a whole lot better from behind, as it is flying AWAY from you!
This wasn’t a “test” at all. It is a pure psyops demonstration aimed at Rissia’s foe’s pilots.
They knew with certainty the cockpit wouldn’t fail because it had been tested a zillion times during development and early production.
The Russians aren’t stupid. They weren’t testing - they were demonstrating it. They already knew very well it could stop bullets when they put a person in it.
It was probably an old Soviet “marketing” video intended to get the approval of some high level apparatchiks, or show off what the factory had developed.
Geez. I hope the get double time (or double vodka).
And then there is this:
Russians are coming! Test a new suit for the soldiers. Girl tester.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d7c_1461382705
But not this:
Russian hand held thermobaric weapon
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c71_1461359465
“Why not put a dummy in the cockpit? or no one?
did it have to be tested during flight for some reason.
this makes no sense”
Well, it sure would instill a sense of confidence.
There was a dummy in the cockpit.
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