Bush War Hinds Collection Part 1

1/48 Scale

Linden Hill Decals

Reviewed by Ken Bowes

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While the Mi-24 Hind gunship will be associated by most with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and duals with the Stinger missile armed Mujihadeen, it has also been widely exported to both the former Warsaw Pact and many client states throughout the world. In Bush War Hinds Collection Part 1, Linden Hill Decals has put together a package enabling modellers to build a number of unusual subjects, most with little or no conversion required. With the 1/48 kits from Trumpeter and Monogram freely available, the modeller will doubtless find inspiration in this sheet.

This release from Linden Hill’s in-house Linden Hill Decals line continues their tradition of providing multiple well-researched and interesting subjects of Russian produced aircraft (or in this case helicopters). Those who have purchased previous sets such as “Flankers on Patrol” will not be surprised at what is included. In the neat ziplock bag is the usual instruction booklet, in this case covering nine A4 pages and including a handy decal sheet map. The decals themselves are spread over two A5 sheets plus two smaller supplementary sheets. Not only are all the unique markings provided for each subject but also a comprehensive set of maintenance stencilling is also to be found included.

With no less than sixteen individual airframes from ten Air Forces included, there is ample choice. Subjects include:

Mi-24P  - Red 23 USSR in Afghanistan
Mi-24V  - Yellow 05 USSR in Afghanistan
Mi-24P  - Perch Russia in Chechnya
Mi-24P  - Shark Russian in Chechnya
Mi-24K  - Black 130 and 132 Ukraine UN Contingent in Serbian occupied Eastern Slavonia
Mi24D (Mi-25)  - Afghan Air Force Pre-1979
Mi-35  - Black 101 Northern Alliance in Afghanistan
Mi-24V  - Croation Air Force
Mi-24V  - Black 204 Macedonian Air Force
Mi-24V  - Black 0705 Czech AF Tiger Scheme
Mi-24D  - White 103 and 122 Bulgarian Air Force
Mi-24D  - Black 302 Libyan Air Force
Mi-35P  - NAF531 Nigerian Air Force
Mi-35P  - Black 911 Sudanese Air Force

The variety of designations is daunting, but they essentially represent the two major sub-types and their export model equivalents. With the exception of the Mi-24K (a specialist reconnaissance variant) these subjects can be built straight from the various Trumpeter boxings currently on the market. Linden Hill do however provide notes on how to convert the base kit to the Mi-24K so all is not lost. There are also helpful hints and recommendations on various aftermarket sets to help the modeller produce a more accurate model.

Linden Hill’s sheets are very well printed, being very thin and with minimal carrier film. The complex designs themselves are in perfect register. I have used Linden Hill’s earlier “Flankers on Patrol” decals on two models and they have proved to be trouble free, easy to apply and respond well to applications of Micro Sol/Set. Linden Hill has once again come up with an excellent product and they should be congratulated for bringing these unusual subjects to the market.

Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Linden Hill Imports for the review sample.

Linden Hill Decals are available from Linden Hill Imports' website

Review Copyright © 2003 by Ken Bowes
This Page Created on 13 February, 2004
Last updated 13 February, 2004

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